(NBC) — Those awful red, itchy splotches were once a normal part of childhood, but researchers say that chicken pox is on the decline.
Doctors credit the decline in chicken pox with two doses of the vaccine.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports an 85-percent drop in cases since doctors began routinely recommending a second dose of the vaccine in 2006.
Chicken pox can be very dangerous for some people, especially babies and people with a weak immune system.
The vaccine is effective, but it does not prevent every case.
Doctors say those who do get the illness even after vaccination tend to get a more mild version of the illness.
The CDC recommends that kids get their first dose just after their first birthday, then the second dose between the ages of 4 and 6.