Why should my child get the chickenpox vaccine?

For many of us, chickenpox is an itchy illness we experienced as kids or have seen on TV series like Friends, where characters used oatmeal baths and taped-on oven mitts as DIY treatments.

But did you know that chickenpox can cause severe disease in some cases? This is why it’s important for parents or caretakers to consider vaccinating their children. Continue to learn more.

The name “chickenpox” is a misnomer. Chickenpox has nothing to do with chickens or smallpox. But it is a viral infection that can cause a rash and blisters.

The medical name for chickenpox is varicella because it is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). It is highly contagious. Virtually everyone in the US will get it by the time they reach adulthood.

90% of cases occur in children under the age of 15. It is an airborne disease that spreads through coughing and sneezing as well as contact with a chickenpox blister or liquid from a blister.

The most common symptoms are rash, fever, discomfort and itchiness. In severe cases, patients may need to be hospitalized and can experience long-term scarring.

The varicella vaccine was first developed in the 1970s in Japan with the help of Dr. Michiaki Takahashi. Today, Varivax is the varicella vaccine commonly used in the US.

The vaccine is licensed for use in children aged 12 months and older. It is effective for 10-20 years, so vaccination in childhood protects people during the years they are most at risk of infection.

The vaccine is administered in two doses. The first dose is typically given to kids at 12-15 months of age. The second is given to kids at 4-6 years of age.

From 1995 to 2005, almost 48 million doses were administered in the US. The most common side effects of the vaccine include rash, fever, or pain, redness, or soreness at the injection site.

The MMRV vaccine immunizes against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella viruses. The CDC recommends separate MMR and varicella vaccines for the first dose for children under 4, but you can speak to your doctor about options.

There is also a connection between chickenpox and shingles—the same virus causes both. Shingles can cause severe pain, rash, discomfort and fever.

Once a person contracts chickenpox, the virus is stored inactive in nerve tissue near their spinal cord and brain. Years later, the virus can reactivate as shingles.

Studies show that the varicella vaccine protects against shingles later in life along with chickenpox. Studies have shown that rates of shingles infection in vaccinated people drop by 78 percent.

A person gets shingles only after contracting varicella as a child. The varicella vaccine lowers the risk that the virus will ever get into a child’s body.

Certain people should avoid these vaccines. These people include pregnant persons, persons with a known allergy to the vaccine, and immunocompromised persons.