Signs and Symptoms of Chickenpox Pictures - 27 Photos & Images

The most commonly recognised chickenpox symptom is a spotty, blistering red rash that can cover the entire body.

The spots normally appear in clusters and tend to be:
behind the ears
on the face
over the scalp
on the chest and belly
on the arms and legs

However, the spots can be anywhere on the body, even inside the ears and mouth, on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet and inside the nappy area. Although the rash starts as small, itchy red spots, these develop a blister on top and become intensely itchy after about 12-14 hours. After a day or two, the fluid in the blisters gets cloudy and they begin to dry out and crust over.

After one to two weeks, the crusting skin will fall off naturally. New spots can keep appearing in waves for three to five days after the rash begins. Therefore, different clusters of spots may be at different stages of blistering or drying out.

Before the rash appears, you or your child may have some mild flu-like symptoms, including:
feeling sick
a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or over
aching, painful muscles
headache
generally feeling unwell
loss of appetite

These flu-like symptoms, especially the fever, tend to be more common and worse in adults than in children.

Most healthy children (and adults) recover from chickenpox with no lasting ill-effects simply by resting, just as with a cold or the flu. However, some children and adults are unlucky and have a more severe bout. Contact your GP straight away if you or your child develop any abnormal symptoms, such as:
the skin surrounding the blisters becoming red and painful
pain in the chest or difficulty breathing
signs of dehydration, such as fewer wet nappies, drowsiness and cold hands and feet In cases such as this, prescription medicine or hospital treatment may be needed.