The 6 Vaccines All Parents (and Grandparents) Need

Flu and Chickenpox Vaccines

INFLUENZA VACCINE

Why You Need It: About 40,000 people die every year from the flu. Infants can get the vaccine starting at 6 months of age, but before that, they're particularly vulnerable to this deadly virus. Pregnant women are more likely to be hospitalized with flu-related complications than with the flu itself.

Get It If:

• Adults should get the flu vaccine every year. Healthy adults age 18 to 49 can get the nasal-spray vaccine

Skip It If:

• You have severe egg allergies.
• Pregnant women should not get the nasal-spray vaccine because it contains weakened, but live, virus strains.
• You've had Guillain-Barr? Syndrome, a disorder that causes your immune system to attack your nervous system.

VARICELLA (CHICKENPOX) VACCINE

Why You Need It: Children and adults can develop -- and even die from -- pox-induced complications like pneumonia and infections of the brain, bone, skin, and blood. Before the vaccine was introduced to the U.S. in 1995, about 100 people died from chickenpox every year and 11,000 more were hospitalized. Even kids with mild cases miss about 6 days of school (and that means missed work days).

Get It If:

• You've never had chickenpox.
• You've only had one vaccination dose (booster shot).

Skip It If:

• You're pregnant (because the vaccine contains weakened, but live, virus strains).
• You're trying to conceive. (Use birth control for a month after getting the vaccine.)
• You're allergic to gelatin or the antibiotic neomycin.
• Your immune system is severely compromised due to HIV/AIDS or cancer.

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