Vaccination for chickenpox children

In our country, chickenpox is considered to be a fairly mild childhood infection, but some babies can suffer such a disease, especially if their immunity is weakened or the crumbs have a chronic disease. In addition, each mother heard that with age, the course of chickenpox becomes more severe, and if the child did not get sick in childhood, such an infection can be a deadly disease for an adult. And because many parents are interested chickenpox prevention.

One of the effective measures to help avoid infection is the chickenpox vaccine. To determine whether a child needs vaccination against this infection, it is worth wondering what kind of vaccination this is, what are the drugs that are used, as well as other nuances associated with the use of the vaccine against Varicella Zoster, which causes chickenpox.

Children from chickenpox are vaccinated in many countries, for example, in the USA and Europe, such vaccination is mandatory for all babies. Although such a vaccination is included in the vaccination calendar, it is only an additional one. And therefore, most children from chickenpox are vaccinated only at the insistence of their parents.

• Although chicken pox at the age of 2-7 years often proceeds easily, but none of the babies are immune from a more complicated course with a high temperature, stomatitis, vomiting, aching joints, profuse rashes, mucosal lesions and other symptoms. The older the child, the harder the illness goes.
• The virus that causes chickenpox does not leave the body of the ill child, and over the age of 40 years often becomes the cause of shingles (in 15% of cases). This pathology is manifested by a rash and severe pain, which analgesics can hardly relieve. When a child is vaccinated, antibodies form in the child’s body, but the virus itself will not remain in the nerve endings.
• On the skin of a child, especially if he got sick with chickenpox at an early age, scars, dents and scars can remain, because the rash with chickenpox itches a lot and little children comb out the rash. In time made vaccination will leave the skin of the crumbs perfectly smooth.
• Chickenpox can cause life-threatening complications, such as encephalitis or pneumonia. Vaccination will help eliminate their occurrence.
• If you get vaccinated within 72 hours after contact with a person suffering from chickenpox, you can avoid infection. So, if parents are worried, is it possible to put a vaccine against chickenpox after contact with a patient, then the answer is not only possible, but desirable.
• Vaccination against chickenpox is distinguished by its great immunogenicity. With the introduction of such a vaccine at the age of five, it provides protection in 95% of children. After a single injection in adolescents and adults, 78% of those vaccinated are immunized, and after repeated vaccinations, immunity to Varicella Zoster virus grows to 99%.
• Vaccination when planning pregnancy will protect against transmission of the Varicella Zoster virus to the fetus during gestation, as well as protect the newborn baby for 6 months after delivery. If a woman becomes infected with chickenpox and is sick with this infection during pregnancy, it is fraught with serious defects in the baby or the development of severe congenital chickenpox. If the future mother who has not previously had chickenpox decides to take root before conception, she will avoid such consequences and will not get sick with chicken pox in the future.

• Most cases of chickenpox at the age of 7 are mild, so some parents prefer to “get over” and even take their child to visit the sick chickenpox babies.
• Since vaccination against chickenpox is not necessary, the purchase of a vaccine and payment of manipulation falls on the shoulders of parents.
• Many moms have doubts whether it is possible to get sick after vaccination. This is indeed possible, but the number of vaccinated children who have developed a disease after the introduction of the vaccine is only 1%. In this case, the infection in such cases proceeds very easily and quickly passes without treatment.

A popular doctor treats chickenpox vaccination positively and believes that parents who have decided to vaccinate their child against such an infection are doing the right thing, because even in the most prosperous countries there are fatal cases of chickenpox. Komarovsky calls vaccine against chickenpox pathogens especially important for people with immunodeficiencies, glomerulonephritis, heart disease or cancer. With such pathologies, chickenpox is deadly.

Arguments of the doctor, in favor of vaccination, see the following video.

Vaccinated chickenpox is recommended for all children and adults who have not had this infection. It is especially important to protect yourself from the Varicella Zoster virus when planning pregnancy, as well as to employees of medical institutions, schools and kindergartens.

Some mothers are interested in whether to give chickenpox vaccine to children who have been ill. There is no need for this, because the disease leaves a lifelong immunity and in most cases repeatedly does not develop.

Our pediatricians recommend vaccinating against chickenpox at 2 years of age. WHO advises putting such a vaccine at 12 months, along with vaccination against mumps, rubella and measles.

Research confirms that in most cases, vaccination in childhood forms a strong immunity to the Varicella Zoster virus for the rest of its life. However, overseas vaccination is repeated every 10-12 years for higher protection against the causative agent of chickenpox.

There is no vaccination against chicken pox if:

• The kid got sick with ARVI or caught intestinal infection (after such an infection you need a 3–4 weeks medication).
• The child is undergoing chemotherapy.
• The baby has an exacerbation of chronic pathology (vaccination is allowed only during the period of stable remission).
• The child received blood transfusions (at least 3 months should pass before vaccination).
• The baby has suffered meningitis or immunoglobulins have been injected (in such cases they are vaccinated at least six months later).
• The baby is allergic to the components of the drug.
• The child has a pronounced leukopenia.

Chickenpox vaccine is considered one of the safest and lightest for the child's body. The reaction of the body of most babies after the introduction of such a vaccine does not include any side effects. Only a small percentage of the children who have been injected with the vaccine against chickenpox have redness, slight swelling or tenderness at the vaccination site. Such side effects occur within 24 hours after the injection and disappear in 1-2 days.

General symptoms occurring from 7 to 21 days after vaccination are also possible:

• Slight deterioration in the general condition of the baby and weakness.
• Increased body temperature.
• Education on the skin rash, like with chickenpox.
• The appearance of pruritus.
• Increased and slight soreness of the lymph nodes.

These symptoms do not require treatment and go away on their own.

If you do not comply with contraindications for vaccination against chickenpox, the child after vaccination (in 1 case per 10,000 vaccinated) can develop the following complications:

• Thrombocytopenia.
• Herpes zoster.
• Impaired nerve sensitivity.
• Encephalitis.
• Exudative erythema.
• Damage to the joints.

From varicella vaccine such vaccines:

1. Varilriks. This Belgian drug was first used in our country for vaccination against the pathogen of chickenpox since 2008. It is represented by a powder in a vial, to which is attached a syringe filled with liquid.
2. Okavaks. We have started to use such a French vaccine in 2010. It comes in the form of two bottles - in one is the dried virus in a weakened state, and the second contains a liquid for dilution of the powder (solvent).

In addition to the attenuated Varicella Zoster virus, components such as gelatin, the antibiotic neomycin, monosodium glutamate, sodium chloride, EDTA, sucrose, and other substances are present in the vaccines. Both drugs effectively protect against chickenpox and are safe for children.

• If the parents decide to vaccinate a child under the age of 13, only one dose of vaccination will form a strong immunity.
• In adolescence over the age of 13 and in adulthood, two doses are required, administered from 6 to 10 weeks.
• If the expectant mother wants to protect herself and the future baby from chicken pox, the vaccine is placed at least 3 months before the planned pregnancy.

The vaccine against chickenpox is injected subcutaneously in the region of the deltoid muscle of the shoulder, but intramuscular administration is also acceptable. You can also put the vaccine in the area under the scapula. Intravenous administration of such a vaccine is prohibited.

It is possible to vaccinate a child against chicken pox in a public clinic, private medical clinic, vaccination center or other medical institution where vaccination is allowed. In such institutions there are specialists who will inject the vaccine to the baby without any problems.

Both chickenpox vaccines cost about the same. Depending on the city and the pharmacy, vaccination will cost 2500-4500 rubles to parents.

When doubting whether to vaccinate a baby against chicken pox, it is best to consult a pediatrician, as well as read reviews from moms who have already given this vaccine to their child. Most reviews of vaccination against the Varicella Zoster virus are positive. Parents note that babies tolerate this vaccine quite easily.Even if there are side effects, they are minor and do not cause the child much inconvenience.

The disadvantages of the vaccine against chickenpox are its high cost and the need to reintroduce the vaccine, if they did not manage to vaccinate a child before the age of 13.