How do you know if a baby has chicken poxs?

Rash like: Need to see physician. Sometimes rash looks weird and is actually just a rash, not pox.

Unique Ch. Pox rash: If an older baby has the unique chicken pox rash (very few other diseases cause this type of rash) of small 1/8" to 1/4" reddish spots with a small clear blister in the center that breaks easily when rubbed, with the spots coming out over a 2-4 day period all over the body, then chicken pox is likely. Young babies with a similar rash need to see the doctor to rule out a serious infection.

See your doctor: You probably should not try to diagnose this type of rash by yourself. If it is chicken pox some treatment is available. You didn't say how old the child is or whether your baby has been vaccinated. Some of these rashes are potentially dangerous especially in very young infants.

Look at the lesions: Chickenpox lesions generally show up in crops on different parts of the body. They start as a red spot and passs through stages of paule, vesicle, pustule and crust. Skin lesions appear first on the face and truck and progress over a 12-14 day period. They are crusted generally by the 6th day. The hallmark of chickenpox is simultaneious presence of different stages (read above) of the rash.

See your MD: A pediatrician can easily diagnose the rash of chicken pox.