What is the contagious period for children with varicella?

For children with varicella, also known as chickenpox, the contagious period is until the vesicles have crusted over. This typically occurs about 6 days after the onset of the rash, which is when the lesions begin to form. The contagious period starts 1-2 days before the rash appears and continues until all the lesions have crusted. This is the correct understanding because the virus is spread through respiratory droplets and direct contact with the vesicular fluid, so ensuring that all lesions are crusted minimizes the risk of transmission to others.

Other choices may reflect different aspects of the illness, but they do not encompass the true timing of when a child becomes non-contagious. For instance, just feeling better or being fever-free does not address the risk of spreading the virus from unhealed skin lesions, making these options less accurate regarding the contagious period for varicella.