[Medical Q&A] Is it necessary to give children the chickenpox vaccine?

Author: Wang Lin, Chief Physician, Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics

Reviewer: Dong Jian, Chief Physician, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University

Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is highly contagious in childcare facilities. Some children develop scars due to itching and scratching, or scabs from chickenpox.

Although the varicella vaccine is a Class II vaccine, in most cities and regions of my country, children must be vaccinated before going to kindergarten. In areas where there is no requirement, it is recommended to vaccinate children if conditions permit.

Varicella vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine, and has more adverse reactions than inactivated vaccines. Common systemic adverse reactions include fever, irritability, etc. Local adverse reactions may cause local redness, swelling, and nodules. In rare cases, such as children with low immune function, since the varicella vaccine is a live vaccine, they may get small chickenpox after vaccination, with fever and varicella-like herpes all over the body. In this case, they need to be treated according to the chickenpox.

Parents should pay attention to local protection. Chickenpox itself is itchy. Try to take good care of your children and don't let them scratch. At the same time, use iodine tincture for local disinfection to prevent further spread of the virus.

Varicella is a self-limiting disease. Parents do not need to worry too much if small bouts of chickenpox appear, as the scabs will usually form slowly after 10 to 14 days. If necessary, seek medical attention in a timely manner and receive symptomatic treatment to help the baby through this period.