The mother of a 3-month-old infant says, "My baby was exposed to a child in my neighborhood who has chickenpox. Will my baby get chickenpox too?" How should the nurse respond?

Question

1. "Probably, but the case will be very mild."
2. "Your baby probably received passive immunity from you and is protected."
3. "Your infant will get chickenpox only if she received an immunization against varicella."
4. "Active immunity against many diseases is passed to your baby before birth."

Answer 1

2
Rationale 1: The probability that this infant will develop varicella is very slight.
Rationale 2: Passive immunity is passed from mother to child prenatally and through breast milk. If this mother has had varicella or the vaccine the child likely has enough protective immunity to prevent the disease.
Rationale 3: Varicella immunization is not given until 12 months.
Rationale 4: The immunity passed from mother to child prenatally is passive immunity.