Parents warned these two medications should never be given to a child with chickenpox as cases rise

• Cases of chickenpox have surged after the Christmas break.
• It comes as the NHS started offering a chickenpox jab as part of the routine childhood vaccinations.
• Wendy Lee, a community pharmacist from Well warns parents about the two over-the-counter drugs that should not be given to children with chickenpox.

A leading pharmacist is warning parents about two over-the-counter drugs that should not be given to a child with chickenpox.

Cases have surged after children returned to school following the Christmas break. It comes as the NHS started offering a chickenpox jab as part of the routine childhood vaccinations available from January this year.

The NHS believes the rollout of the chickenpox vaccine could bring the viral infection to record lows.

It is estimated that there are around 300,000 cases of chickenpox every year. Which means over the year, there will be thousands of children suffering from the infection and missing school.

If your child catches chickenpox, a leading pharmacist has warned that there are two common medications they should not be given.

What medications shouldn’t be given to children with chickenpox?

Wendy Lee, a community pharmacist from Well Pharmacy, believes many parents will be unaware of the risk of giving non-Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen to a child with the chickenpox.

While NSAIDs are used to treat a variety of illnesses, they may cause serious bacterial skin infections such as necrotising fasciitis, commonly known as flesh-eating disease.

Parents must also avoid giving any child under the age of 16 any medicines containing aspirin while they have chickenpox, unless otherwise advised by a doctor. This is because aspirin could lead to a child developing a condition known as Reye’s syndrome, which can cause serious brain and liver damage.

Instead, paracetamol can be safely given to help with fever and pain relief during chickenpox.

Wendy said: “Common drugs like Ibuprofen and Aspirin can lead to severe or potentially fatal consequences if given to children with chickenpox. Parents often don’t realise and need to be aware of this.”

What are the symptoms of chickenpox?

The most common signs of chickenpox are flu-like symptoms, including a fever or tiredness, which can often occur before itchy red spots appear across the face and body.

These rashes develop into fluid-filled blisters, which crust over after a day or two and should fall off naturally after about a week. Due to the way the immune system fights chickenpox, it is common for children to have a variety of spots, blisters and scabs at the same time.

The NHS recommends parents ensure their child remains well-hydrated and that cooling creams or gels are applied to the blisters when possible. It is also advised that children dress in loose clothing and parents give their child antihistamines to try to stop the urge to itch their scabs.

Who is eligible for the chickenpox vaccine?

The NHS chickenpox (varicella) vaccine rollout is a part of the combined MMRV vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella and varicella) given to children at around 12 months and 18 months of age.

Private chickenpox vaccines are still available at pharmacies. You will need two doses of the vaccine six weeks apart to get full protection.

Wendy said: “The rollout is great protection for children, but isn’t a solution for older children or adults who are vulnerable to shingles, which can be serious. Parents and other age groups who may not be eligible but want to protect themselves can get a vaccine privately at their local Well Pharmacy.”

The chickenpox vaccine is now available to those eligible. You can find out more on NHS.UK.