Call the doctor if your child develops a fever of 103 degrees F, if blisters are inflamed, painfully swollen, or filled with pus, or if the child is getting no relief from itching. Most children return to normal in about 2-3 weeks. Children with weak immune systems, like those with the HIV virus or cancer, are susceptible to complications such as more serious secondary skin infections or, in rare cases, infections of the lung or central nervous system. Getting vaccinated against chicken pox . The chicken pox vaccine is administered by an injection under the skin of the thigh or shoulder.
Adverse reactions are usually mild and infrequent.
Only about 20 percent of those who get immunized report pain and redness at the site of injection. One shot is recommended between ages 12-18 months. A series of two shots, given at least four weeks apart, is suggested for people ages 13 and older who were not previously inoculated, have not had chickenpox and are at high risk for exposure or transmission of the disease. The small minority of vaccinated children who come down with chicken pox months to years later generally have much milder cases than unvaccinated children. However, a susceptible child who becomes infected with chicken pox when he or she is older is at a higher risk for complications.