How to distinguish chickenpox from allergies in a child: photo, comparison table

Repeatedly young parents asked the pediatrician the same question - how to distinguish chickenpox from allergies, if the external signs of these diseases are similar to each other.

Rashes on the skin almost always appear with allergic diseases. But such an infectious disease as chickenpox is also characterized by the appearance of a rash on the skin. To find out what kind of pathology we are talking about, you need to have a general idea about each.

What is chickenpox?

Chickenpox is a disease of an infectious nature, which, as the name suggests, spreads in the team at lightning speed, almost with the wind. That is, it is very easy to become infected with chickenpox. Usually children get sick with this disease, and they tolerate it quite easily. What can not be said about adults - for them, chickenpox becomes a real challenge. Fortunately, once having had this disease, the body forms lifelong immunity to it.

The disease begins with an incubation period, the duration of which varies from 1 to 3 weeks. That is, a person who has been in contact with a chickenpox patient once may encounter signs of this infection during this period. It can infect someone with chickenpox two days before the rash and another five days after it.

Chickenpox symptoms:

• rash on the skin;
• severe itching;
• high temperature;
• general discomfort.

The main symptom of chickenpox is specific rashes.

Initially, they look like small specks of pink color that appear on the scalp, but very quickly begin to spread throughout the body. Soon, these spots become papules - bubbles with liquid content.

After a few days, these papules should burst, after which small ulcerations remain on the skin - vesicles that should be treated with any antiseptic (usually brilliant green is preferred) to prevent infection. The process of rashes continues cyclically for at least 7 days. At the same time, new spots, papules, and vesicles can be observed on the skin at the same time.

After a few days, the sores become covered with crusts, which cause itching and soon disappear. With strong scratching of these crusts, characteristic scars may remain on the skin after the disease.

The disease in each patient proceeds individually. If someone has a few pimples and the disease went away easily, with a slight increase in temperature, then others may be covered with rashes from head to toe, and papules are found even in the mouth and on the mucous membrane eye.

Another noticeable symptom of chickenpox is pronounced itching. The rashes begin to itch after the vesicles dry and crusts appear on them. In this case, antihistamines will come to the rescue.

What is allergy?

Allergy is a disease, the signs of which can be itching, a rash on the skin, swelling, runny nose, watery eyes, and much more. Rashes are frequent companions of allergies, and they appear after direct contact of the body with an allergen.

Allergens, as disease provocateurs, can be very different. Usually, allergic diseases accompanied by skin rashes cause:

• food products;
• chemical substances;
• plant pollen;
• dust mites;
• animal hair.

Allergy treatment is based on the elimination of interaction with allergens that provoke the disease and the oral administration of antihistamines.

Nowadays, allergies are being detected more and more often. More and more children with allergies are born every year. Therefore, it is important for all parents to know how to distinguish allergies from chickenpox.

Chickenpox or allergies?

What is the difference between chickenpox and allergies, it will be more convenient to consider in the following table.

Symptoms and Treatment	Allergy	Chickenpox
Rash on the skin	Not always allergy symptoms. The nature of an allergic rash resembles nettle burns, so this disease is usually called urticaria.	An obligatory symptom of the disease. The rash cyclically changes from pink spots to vesicles with liquid contents and ulcers covered with crusts.
Body temperature	In most cases, the body temperature does not rise.	Hyperthermic syndrome always accompanies chickenpox.
Features of the course of the disease	An allergic rash is the primary symptom that resolves itself if contact with the allergen is excluded and the appropriate medication is taken.	A rash with chickenpox is a secondary symptom, since the disease will always be preceded by a long incubation period, during which suppresses the human immune system, which is manifested by the development of hyperthermia syndrome and the development of general ailments.
Treatment features	Clinical signs during allergies are quickly eliminated by taking an antihistamine.	Antiallergic drugs are also prescribed during chickenpox, but since the disease is not allergic in nature, they cannot cure it. These medications are prescribed as adjunctive therapy to relieve itching.
Additional symptoms	A rash during an allergy mainly manifests itself only on the skin.	With chickenpox, rashes can appear not only on the skin, but also on the mucous membranes.

Also, an important point that can tell - chickenpox or an allergy in a patient is the knowledge of the fact that preceded the onset of the development of the disease?

If there can be no question of any dubious contacts, then between diseases - allergy and chickenpox, the assumption will be an allergic reaction. The disease can occur as a result of eating a new product (in young children, a vivid example is complementary foods, at an older age in children and adults - dishes from unfamiliar cuisine), treatment with certain medications means, etc.

After making sure that skin rashes are indeed caused by allergies, it is necessary to take drastic measures to eliminate the allergen. But, in no case, you can not self-medicate, since both of these diseases are serious, which means they can end in complications. Only a qualified specialist can determine how an allergy can differ from chickenpox, make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment.