Normally Benign Chickenpox

The American Medical Association Family Medical Guide (Cover page, Publication information)

Chickenpox is a mild, though irritating, disease.  You can expect a complete recovery and consequent life-long immunity.

Weighing Chickenpox Vaccine for All - page 1, page 2 - New York Times

But from a medical perspective, chick pox is more a monumental nuisance than a danger.

"Do you want to give a vaccine - with unknown side effects - to prevent a very mild disease?" asked Dr. Phillip Brunnell, head of pediatric infectious disease at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.  "I think it's a difficult question and I'm glad I don't have to make the decision."  He and others emphasize that to justify vaccinating everyone against a disease that for most is more inconvenient that harmful, the shot itself must be unquestionably safe.

"From what I know right now, if it were my kid, I think I'd rather he get the vaccine than chickenpox," Dr. Orenstein said.  "My 10-year-old had a very mild case, and I thought, what's the big deal?  But when my 5-year-old got it, the child was very uncomfortable, and we were up for several nights.  It's that kind of problem that the vaccine would eliminate rather than serious disease."

Chickenpox or Vaccine: A Choice?

First, a few words about chickenpox in children. Here's the best description I've seen: "Chickenpox is most commonly an annoying illness lasting three to seven days, and happily never seen again." Usually the worst part about it is that a parent has to lose a few days of work caring for the child. The best part--and it is a very good part--is that having chickenpox gives you lifelong immunity. Once you have had chickenpox, you will never get it again.

Chickenpox - New York State Department of Health Communicable Disease Fact Sheet

Is there a treatment for chickenpox?

In 1992, acyclovir was approved by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of chickenpox in healthy children. However, because chickenpox tends to be mild in healthy children, most physicians do not feel that it is necessary to prescribe acyclovir.

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.