• About the disease

Varicella (Chickenpox) is a common childhood disease that can be serious. It spreads when germs pass from an infected person to the nose or throat of others. Varicella can cause:

• Rash
• Itching
• Tiredness
• Fever

This disease can lead to:

• Pneumonia
• Brain damage
• Even death

A person who has had chickenpox can develop zoster (shingles) years later. Shingles causes a painful skin rash.

• About the vaccine

Varivax is the best way to protect against chickenpox. About 70-90% of people who get the vaccine are protected from chickenpox.

If vaccinated children do get chickenpox, it is usually very mild. They have fewer spots, lower fever and recover more quickly. These vaccinated children with the milder form of the disease can still spread chickenpox to others.

• Who Should Get the Chickenpox Vaccine?
  
  
• Children between 12-18 months of age
• Children 19 months- 12 years (who have not previously had the vaccine)
• Anyone 13 or older who have not previously had the vaccine should get two doses 4-8 weeks apart

Other vaccines may be given at the same time as the Varivax. Check our vaccination schedule at First Year Schedule.

Your CMP Pediatric Providers recommend that almost all children get the Varivax. Tell your provider if the child getting the vaccine:

• Ever had a serious allergic reaction or other problem with chickenpox vaccine
• Currently has a moderate or severe illness
• Is pregnant
• Is unable to fight serious infections because of:

• A disease (like HIV/AIDS)
• Treatment with drugs such as long-term steroids
• Any kind of cancer
• Cancer treatment with x-rays or drugs

• Has gotten blood products (such as immune globulin or a transfusion) during the past several months

If you are not sure, ask your provider.

• What are the risks from the Chickenpox vaccine?

As with any medicine, there is a very small risk that serious problems, even death, could occur after getting a vaccine.

• However, very few people experience problems from the vaccine and your provider feels the risk of the vaccine is smaller than the risk from the disease.
• Getting the disease is much more likely to cause serious illness than getting the vaccine.

• Soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given (1 out of every 5 doses)
• A very mild rash or several small bumps (3 out of every 4 doses) [Note: it might be possible for someone who gets the rash to give chickenpox to another person. If the person getting the vaccine is in close contact with anyone whose immune system is not working properly, tell your provider]
• Fever over 102° (15 out of every 100 doses)

• A seizure (jerking and staring spell) usually caused by fever (less than 1 out of 100 doses). This may not be related to the vaccine.

• What to do if there is a serious reaction:
  
  
• Call your CMP office right away
• Ask your CMP Provider or the health department or file a Vaccine Adverse Even Report form. To file a report yourself you can call (800) 822-7967 (toll free)

**Information courtesy of U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the Center for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics.