The early symptoms of chickenpox may include a mild fever, loss of appetite, headache and feeling tired, followed by the appearance of a red rash that becomes blistered and itchy, mostly on the trunk, head and face with some on the arms and legs.

Key points to remember about chickenpox...

• chickenpox is a common childhood illness caused by a virus

• it is very easy to catch

• most cases of chickenpox are mild and children get better completely

• your child needs to see a doctor if they have a very high fever or are very ill, particularly if they become very drowsy, or are breathing fast or vomiting a lot

• children with chickenpox need to stay home from school and daycare

Symptoms of chickenpox - 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.

How is chickenpox spread? Chickenpox is very easy to catch. The chickenpox virus spreads through the air (by coughing and sneezing) and by direct contact with mucus, saliva, or liquid from blisters. You can catch the chickenpox virus from touching clothing or other objects that have the blister liquid on them.

The incubation period is the time from when your child comes into contact with a person with chickenpox, to when the first symptoms appear. The incubation period for chickenpox is usually 14 to 16 days but can range from 10 to 21 days.A child is infectious 1-2 days before they get the rash until all the blisters have dried up. This usually takes 7 to 10 days.

Should my child with chickenpox stay home? Children should stay away from daycare or school, and public places, while they are infectious. Once scabs form on all the spots, your child is no longer infectious. They may go back to school when the spots are all scabbed over and dry. This can take around 7 to 10 days.