Chickenpox is a common illness among kids, particularly those under age 12.
Chickenpox is caused by a virus called the varicella-zoster virus (varicella is the medical name for chickenpox). Chickenpox spreads in tiny droplets of saliva and nasal mucus, by sneezes and coughs from an infected person. The virus is already in these droplets, which is why it spreads so fast. Chickenpox causes a red, itchy rash on the skin that usually appears first on the abdomen or back and face, and then spreads to almost everywhere else on the body, including the scalp, mouth, nose, ears, and genitals.
