Dear Dr. Jen,
One of our helpers has chicken pox. Though she is currently recuperating in her hometown, I am worried that my 8-year-old and my 5-year-old might get it. What are the early signs of chicken pox? Is there anything I can do to prevent them from getting it? I do not want them to miss school since classes just started.
Concerned Mom
Dear Concerned Mom,
One can get infected with chicken pox by coming into close contact with someone who has it or is still incubating it. For example, you are talking to an infected person for about 15 minutes in a closed room, that person may transmit it through saliva droplets. Accidentally touching the fluid inside the blisters can also give you chicken pox.
Chicken pox presents as tiny blisters on a red base that are scattered all over the body. A trademark of chicken pox, or varicella, is its extreme itchiness. It may be accompanied by colds, cough and fever.
Fortunately for you, chicken pox is one of the most forgiving viral pox to get when your children are between 2-10 years old.Infants less than a year old are in danger of getting pneumonia, while those above 10 years old will have a higher chance of getting pox marks after the lesions have healed. Also, it is not safe for a pregnant woman to get infected as this may lead to complications with her baby.
That being said, your children probably have been immunized when they were 18 months old. Immunized persons who get chicken pox will only have very few lesions and will get better faster. If your children have not been immunized yet, they are at an age wherein it is the safest to get it.
At this point, there is only very little you can do except boost their immune system with appropriate multivitamins along with vitamin C. Hopefully, if their immune system is up, they might resist the infection and won't have to deal with it at all.
Dear Dr. Jen,
Whenever I hold my boyfriend's hands, I feel tiny, rough bumps on his palms. I am very paranoid that it might be warts but he doesn't want to go see a doctor. How can I tell if it is warts that he has? And if he does have warts, is it contagious?
Ashley
Dear Ashley,
It is very good of you to be concerned. There are many people who detest having to go to a doctor to have such a "simple" thing checked. But if it is indeed a viral wart, then it needs to be removed because it is contagious.
Verruca or viral warts are caused by an organism called human papilloma virus (HPV). This is transmitted by contact such as hand holding. On the hands, it is often confused with calluses. A lot of weight lifters have calluses on their hands. Even frequent rope-jumping can give you calluses. People who work with their hands such as carpenters or welders often get calluses too. A simple way to diagnose it is to see if the lines that cause fingerprints run across the bumps. A callus will still have the fingerprint ridges while a wart won't have any.
If it is a wart, then you have to stop holding hands for now, until it is completely removed. There are a lot of methods that your PDS dermatologist can use to remove warts. And if you are still unsure of what it is, just pop a short visit to your nearest PDS dermatologist and she will tell you right away whether it is something that needs to be taken out.
If you have any questions or concerns please text 0922 845 5556 or email askskinrepublic@gmail.com.
Dr Tan is a diplomate of Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS). She is affiliated with Perpetual Succour Hospital. For other information on PDS, check http://www.pds.org.ph.