Private chickenpox clinic in London, same-day paediatrics.

How it develops

The rash often begins on the face, scalp, chest or back and spreads outwards. Some children have only a handful of spots, others have hundreds — the number does not indicate how serious the illness is. New crops appearing while older ones are crusting is entirely normal.

Easing the itch

• Keep fingernails short and clean. For babies and young children, cotton mittens or socks over the hands at night reduce scratching.
• Cooling gels or calamine lotion soothe the spots. A pharmacist can advise.
• An antihistamine may help a child over one year old who cannot sleep for itching. Ask your pharmacist which is suitable.
• Cool baths and loose cotton clothing. Overheating makes itching worse. Pat dry rather than rubbing.
• Bath daily and change clothes and bedding regularly to reduce the risk of the spots becoming infected.
• Let scabs fall off by themselves. Picked spots are the ones that scar and become infected.
• Plenty of fluids. Sugar-free ice lollies help if there are painful spots in the mouth. Avoid salty or acidic foods.

School, nursery and staying away from others

Chickenpox spreads through coughs and sneezes and by contact with the fluid in the blisters. Your child is infectious from about two days before the rash appears until every blister has crusted over — usually around five days after the rash starts.

Keep your child off nursery or school until all the spots have crusted. During that time, keep them away from pregnant women, newborn babies, and anyone with a weakened immune system. Avoid flying, and avoid public places where you cannot control who your child is near.

The chickenpox vaccine

Since 1 January 2026, protection against chickenpox has been part of the routine NHS childhood immunisation programme in England, given as the combined MMRV vaccine alongside measles, mumps and rubella.

• Children born on or after 1 January 2025 are offered two doses — at 12 months and at 18 months.
• A catch-up dose is being offered from November 2026 to children born between 1 January 2020 and 31 August 2022 who have not had chickenpox or the vaccine.
• A child who has already had chickenpox has natural immunity and does not usually need the varicella component, though they still need their MMR doses.

Eligibility depends on your child's date of birth, so ask us or your GP practice if you are unsure where your child stands.

Afterwards

Most spots heal without a mark. A few can leave small pale scars, usually the ones that were scratched or became infected. The virus stays dormant in the body afterwards and can reappear many years later as shingles — that is normal and not a sign that anything went wrong.