We've had one reported case of Chicken pox this week so please bear this in mind if your child is unwell.

Chickenpox can often start with the following symptoms:

• a fever
• a headache
• a runny nose
• a cough
• loss of appetite
• feeling tired

A red rash follows 1 to 2 days later. It usually starts on the face and scalp, spreads to the chest, back and tummy and then to the arms and legs. It can also appear inside the ears, on the eyelids, inside the nose and mouth, and even around the genital area. The rash continues to spread for 3 or 4 days. It usually becomes very itchy.

Within a few hours after each spot appears, a blister forms. It may appear full of yellow fluid. After a day or so, the fluid turns cloudy. The blisters release liquid containing the virus, then form crusts or scabs that fall off after 1 to 2 weeks. The spots heal at different stages, some faster than others, so your child may have the rash in several different stages at once.

Some children have mild chickenpox with under 50 spots. Others have a miserable time with hundreds of spots.