Chicken Pox

Before 1995 when a vaccine was invented for chicken pox, parents breathed a sigh of relief when their child actually got the disease. This is because it is believed that if a person gets chicken pox in their childhood, they will be immune to the disease as an adult. And while this is true to some extent it is not full-proof since a person can develop chicken pox even in adulthood. The only difference is the disease is called ‘shingles’ when an adult gets it. The symptoms are the same only more severe.

So, what exactly is chicken pox and why does it have such a strange name? Well, in answer to the first question, chicken pox is a virus that results in small, itchy blisters on the skin. Fever, malaise and nausea also accompany the disease, further adding to a person’s discomfort. As far as the name, the term ‘chicken pox’ came about not because it was believed the disease was associated with chickens but rather because of the way the blisters look. Many thought that the blisters looked like chick peas under the skin. The name stuck though the chick portion eventually evolved into ‘chicken’ when translated into English.

As far as the seriousness of chicken pox, ironically it tends to be ‘easiest’ on school-age children. However, adults, teenagers, pregnant women and newborns are at greater risk if they develop chicken pox. The complications of the disease could include pneumonia and/or encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain. For pregnant women chicken pox is especially hard since their immune systems are already compromised. Additionally, there’s a risk of the disease spreading to the baby. In fact, if a newborn gets chicken pox during the first week of life, they at greater risk of dying from the disease. This is why it is very important pregnant women discuss with their doctors whether or not they are at risk of getting chicken pox during their pregnancy.

Treatment-wise, even with the possible complications, chicken pox can generally be treated at home. If a group is at higher risk for more serious problems, doctors will prescribe anti-viral medications to help control the chicken pox. And if problems occur anyway, antibiotics can be given though a person will need to stay in the hospital if they get pneumonia or encephalitis.

To prevent chicken pox children or non-pregnant adults can take the chicken pox vaccine. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention the chicken pox vaccine can protect people from chicken pox 90 percent of the time. And if a person is part of the 10 percent that gets the disease anyway, the chicken pox vaccine has shown to lessen the symptoms associated with the disease. As far as when a person needs to get the chicken pox vaccine, usually they will just need two shots to protect them for life. Children will get the chicken pox vaccine once in babyhood then another time in childhood while teenagers and adults will get the vaccine twice, but with some time apart between each injection.