Baby and Toddler Health and Wellness
The Chicken Pox Vaccine: To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate
A review of the varicella vaccine
This vaccine has been administered to over 24 million Americans in the past 10 years, but is it right for your child?
Since being licensed in 1995, the chicken pox, or varicella, vaccine has been administered to over 24 million Americans. During these six years, the incidence of chicken pox has fallen by over 80 percent!
Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about the vaccine:
Is Chicken Pox Even Worth Preventing?
Varicella kills about 100 Americans per year, making this illness the leading cause of vaccine-preventable death in this country. Eighty percent of the children who die were previously healthy children.
An average case of varicella brings 250 to 500 itchy pox to each patient. Bacterial infections of the pox are the most common complication of this disease. But varicella can also lead to pneumonia and rare, but very serious, brain dysfunction. The rates of complications increase with age; adults and teens with varicella have 10 to 20 times the complication rate as children. Still, of the 11,000 patients that need to be hospitalized each year with varicella complications, almost half are children.
Does the Vaccine Work?
Before this vaccine came into general use, it was estimated that it would be 70 to 90 percent effective in reducing varicella, and 95 percent effective in reducing the most serious cases. Subsequent studies have shown these numbers to be accurate.
Can Vaccinated Children Still get Chicken Pox?
Yes, but this is very unusual. For any individual who is vaccinated, there is a 10-percent chance that a case will develop following a very close exposure to chicken pox. However, if it does, it will be mild, with fewer than 50 pox and no chance of serious complications.
Related Links
- Article: Is the Swine Flu Vaccine for You?
- Advice: Immunizations and Traveling
- Slideshow: Adoption Travel Health Precautions
- Quiz: What Is Your Food Allergy IQ?
- Poll: Are you planning to get the new swine flu vaccine?
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