Chickenpox Vaccine

Raise your hand if you’ve had chickenpox. I sort of had it twice — my father had it when I was a baby, and my parents tell me I had the rash on my rump. I had it again a few years later, and suffered through the itching by getting painted with calamine lotion. Chickenpox (varicella) is a very common childhood disease; it seems to get harder to deal with as the patient gets older. The disease is most dangerous to infants and adults — as many as 100 people die because of chickenpox here in the U.S. Around twelve … Continue reading

All About Chicken Pox

Just about everybody gets chicken pox as a child. The disease is usually mild and runs its course quickly. However, it can be dangerous to infants and adults. The chicken pox virus — also known as varicella — can spread through the air or by contact with the fluid from chicken pox blisters. The virus causes a red, extremely itchy rash plus a fever and fatigue. Too much scratching of the rash can lead to permanent scarring. Scratching with dirty hands (or dirty objects) can lead to severe skin infection. Other complications include pneumonia, brain damage, and in rare cases, … Continue reading