What is Chickenpox?
[[Image:Child with chickenpox.jpg|thumb|right|Child with chickenpox]] '''Chickenpox''', also known as '''chicken pox''', is a [[disease]]. Usually, it is children who get the disease, but adults can also get it. People who have it get blisters or spots, mostly on the body and in the face. Those blisters are filled with a liquid. At some point, the blisters will drain, and the person will want to scratch them. Burst blisters usually become healthy without leaving scars, unless they become [[infection|infected]]. The [[symptom]]s come in two or three waves, and they usually include [[fever]]. If there are no complications, the disease will last between three and five days in children. Chickenpox is very common and by the age 14, more than 90% of children will have had the disease. Getting chickenpox during a [[pregnancy]] is dangerous, as it can hurt both the mother and the child. [[File:Varicella (Chickenpox) Virus PHIL 1878 lores.jpg|thumb|The Varicella virus, which causes Chickenpox]] Chickenpox is caused by a [[virus]] of the [[herpes]] family. People who had chickenpox in the past can also get a related disease called [[shingles]] later. Shingles are caused by the same virus but usually is only one part of the body. There is a [[vaccine]] against chickenpox. Usually, the vaccine is given to children if they did not have the disease before the start of [[puberty]], that is aged 9–13 years old. Sometimes to help your child not to scratch when they have chicken pox, you can get a special cream for it such as e45. {{biology-stub}} [[Category:Diseases caused by viruses]]