April 2007
Live Chicken Pox (Varicella) Vaccine
When should my child not get chicken pox vaccine? Your child should not get chicken pox vaccine if she has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to:
When should my child wait to get chicken pox vaccine? If your child is moderately or severely ill at the time the shot is scheduled, you should usually wait until she is well
before getting chicken pox vaccine. Check with your child's doctor to see whether she should wait.
Tell your child's doctor if the child has any of the following conditions. The doctor may recommend that the child wait or not receive chicken pox vaccine. Ask the doctor for more information if your child:
What are the side effects of chicken pox vaccine and what should I do if they occur? The chicken pox vaccine, like any medication, may cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. The risk of
chicken pox vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small. Getting chicken pox vaccine is much safer than getting
chicken pox disease. Most children who get chicken pox vaccine do not have any problems with it. Chicken pox vaccine may cause
other side effects. Call your child's doctor if she has any unusual problems after receiving this vaccine.
- A previous dose of chicken pox vaccine gelatin
- Neomycin (an antibiotic)
Tell your child's doctor if the child has any of the following conditions. The doctor may recommend that the child wait or not receive chicken pox vaccine. Ask the doctor for more information if your child:
- Has HIV/AIDS or another disease that affects the immune system
- Is being treated with medications that affect the immune system, such as steroids, for 2 weeks or longer
- Has any type of cancer
- Is receiving cancer treatment with X-rays or medications
- Has recently had a blood transfusion, immune globulin, or other blood products
- Has had a reaction to any vaccine
| Side Effects (Mild) | What should I do? |
|---|---|
| Soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given | Apply a clean, cool, wet washcloth over the sore area. Give acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) for pain, as directed by your child’s doctor. Call the doctor if the symptoms get worse after 24 hours |
| Fever | Give acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) as directed by your child’s doctor. Do not give aspirin |
| Mild rash | Call your child’s doctor if rash gets worse or does not go away |
| Side Effects (Moderate or Severe) | What should I do? |
| Unusual changes in behavior | Call your child’s doctor |
| Serious allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; hoarseness or wheezing; hives; swelling of the face, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, or feet; weakness; fast heartbeat; or dizziness within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot) | Get emergency medical care for your child right away |
| High fever, usually within 1-6 weeks after the shot | Call your child’s doctor right away |
| Seizure (jerking, twitching, shaking, or staring) caused by fever, usually within 1-6 weeks after the shot | Get emergency medical care for your child right away |
