immunize for chicken pox yes/no?

[Ginger Snap]

I am just looking for thoughts on immunizing against chicken pox, not the whole immunization debate in total.

A couple of kids in DS's daycare have just come down with CP... I chose to have DS immunized, but NOT for chicken pox. At the time I asked and was told that I could choose to have him immunized at any other time, and I felt he was already getting so many shots all at once anyways.

So... now I am second guessing that decision. I called my naturopath who recommended not getting him immunized at this point (of course!) and said that if a toddler gets it (as long as their immune system is healthy and functioning) that it's better for it to happen that way then get it when they are older. I guess the vaccine doesn't guarantee you won't get it...? That was my gut feeling, until...

I called the public health unit, who just freaked me out and told me that if DS hasn't come down with it in a few days, I should get him vaccinated next week.

What do you think? What would/ have you done in this situation?

[Vive]

I found a lot of the puclic health ppl to be a bit pushy on the subject.
I myself have gotten dd immunized with the whole shabang. No probs.
I say it's up to you. It does suck getting chicken pox later in life. I think it's harder for adults to bounce back. At least from what I've seen. I have scars from chicken pox and I hate it! lol i know..vain.
Read up on it. Do what makes you comfortable etc.

[MommaErin]

Personally I'm for the chicken pox vaccine. I chose this just because of how easy it is to get it and how often it spreads. The nurse said you can get it anytime though, it doesn't have to be with the first year shots. I was unsure about getting the measles, mumps, rubella shot and I asked the nurse about the chances of getting autism and what she thought about this vaccine. She said exactly, "obviously we have job to do and it is recommended to get it". So don't take a nurses recommendation. I would do your own research on the internet. Also give your family doctor a call. I found my doctor a more reliable source when it came to kids shots. It is better for kids to get it but they are talking kids of any age. If a teen were to get it it wouldn't be too bad, they are talking about if adults get chicken pox it can be very bad. Most of all, do whatever you feel comfortable with, you have the mothering instincts

[mother of a princess]

I agree that the number of shots kids get these days is insane if not inhumane. I have not vaccinated DD against chicken pox because the younger they are when they get it usually the easier time they have of it. How bad you get the chicken pox is usually hereditary so if you had it really bad as a child then so will your kids. I had it as a kid but got it pretty bad, on my eye balls and everything. The vaccination is not 100% and if they get Chicken Pox when they are young because then it will provide total immunity for them when they are older and will be beneficial if exposed to shingles. If DD has not gotten it by the time she is 5 then I will probably give it to her with the other vaccination she will be due for. Don't make a decision based on the nurses. I have found them to be extremely pushy and have actually decided to go to a different clinic because the people in Esquimalt pushed my buttons one too many times.

[Sweet Baboo's Mama]

My DS is an unfortunate child that actually came down with full blown chicken pox after the vaccine - I was told by Dr. Kingsley Lee (the child allergist/immunizologist), that he had never seen a case like his before - it was pretty terrible. They did blood work and cultures to check if it was from the vaccine or just a fluke - it was the vaccine. 2 peds and several ER nurses were also stunned - so I am now not a fan of the vaccine. It is recommended that preemies (which he was) have all vaccines - but if I could rewind time (ha ha), I would avoid this one. My husband (whom did have the pox as a child) also came down with the chicken pox after my son. Perhaps the men in my family just have bad luck. According to VIHA, my ds was only one of 2 children that this has happened to......but who knows. Not ure if that's the truth or not - I may have been the second parent that contacted them and reported it.

[Nickie]

I just dont get why ppl would rather let their children get chicken pox then prevent it .. What about when they are at playgroups or preschool its so eazly spread? I just remember my little sister who was 2 when she got them. in her mouth eyes gentials ect.. aswell if you get chicken pox you can possibly get Shingles

http://www.bchealthguide.org/healthfiles/hfile44a.stm

But in the end its your choice

[mother of a princess]

It is possible to get the chicken pox a second time but it is usually much less severe. They say if you get the vaccine and still get the chicken pox then you should get it fairly mildly. Clearly not the case with your family Ilott.

[chopped_liver]

I just dont get why ppl would rather let their children get chicken pox then prevent it .. What about when they are at playgroups or preschool its so eazly spread? I just remember my little sister who was 2 when she got them. in her mouth eyes gentials ect.. aswell if you get chicken pox you can possibly get Shingles

http://www.bchealthguide.org/healthfiles/hfile44a.stm

But in the end its your choice

I can only speak for myself, but I'm beginning to wonder with all these vaccinations; if we're stopping the immune system from building it's own support. I have no proof, but I would not do this vaccination. Same with the HPV one out for young girls. No flu shots here either.
I have 2 family members who normally never get sick, who I swear seem to be catching everything since starting them years ago.

[flavourlessVanilla]

I agree that the number of shots kids get these days is insane if not inhumane. I have not vaccinated DD against chicken pox because the younger they are when they get it usually the easier time they have of it. How bad you get the chicken pox is usually hereditary so if you had it really bad as a child then so will your kids. I had it as a kid but got it pretty bad, on my eye balls and everything. The vaccination is not 100% and if they get Chicken Pox when they are young because then it will provide total immunity for them when they are older and will be beneficial if exposed to shingles. If DD has not gotten it by the time she is 5 then I will probably give it to her with the other vaccination she will be due for. Don't make a decision based on the nurses. I have found them to be extremely pushy and have actually decided to go to a different clinic because the people in Esquimalt pushed my buttons one too many times.

I always thought shingles was an auto immune thing- you have had CP so the eruptions on nerve lines happens not with exposure to the virus, but cus the virus has erupted in your system again, due to stress or being immuno-compromised. Off to watch Survivor, or I would look it up myself...

[WCM]

GS my kids jus had chicken P. I took them to catch it from some friends, as I think it is best, they are not vax'd.


It was no big deal. We spent the $$$ (so worth it!) on the Aveeno bath powder and cream made for Pox. they had a few on day 1, more on day 2 and were COVERED on day 3.they lay about and watched videos all day, I made cookies, we hung out. Day 4 they started to scab, same day5-6, by day 7 they were all scabby and dry and we went back out into the world.

To clear up the whole pox/shingles scene. It is not actually a clearcut thing. In MOST adults, even teens, who've not had pox as a child the virus will show up as shingles when you catch it, as opposed to pox. Shingles is VERY painful. But some teens and adults do get pox, and I'm sorry to tell y'all I know more than one person who was vax'd for it but got it years later anyway.


As a virus CP stays in your body, lying dormant in the ganglia in your spine, bothering no one until or unless as you age you become immunocompromised and stressed and it turns the virus on and then you get shingles from your original pox. Not too common and occurrence.


In my opinion, the virus is no big deal, and is called a childhood illness because it's normal and afe to ge it as a child (like mumps and measles and roseola) that do not cxause issues if you get them as a CHILD.


I do agree that public health nurses have an agenda. I called them before our mexico trip to ask about getting a vax and brought up tetanus, saying my kids were unvax'd for it. She said did you not know that 3 people died in victoria this year rom tetanus? I freaked out, phoned the epidemiologist at VIHA asking why wasn't this in the paper, why weren't parents and adults warned about this fata threat of tetanus? I then went to our doctor and told her my fears and she plainly said 'did the nurse mention that those who died were elderly or homeless? that tetanus kills people who are in poor health already, who are at risk for a while host of infections? tha my healthy children are not at risk for it?

I knew all that about tetanus, and yet my knowledge flew out the window when I heard the tone and fear implicated by the publi health nurse. I'm not trying to diss the nurses, but simply to say they have a job to do, to check the box marked vaccinated beside each member of the public. freaking me out with twisted stats is not the way to accomplish that in a healthy way, in my opinion.


FWIW my 2 kids got the pox, the baby (breastfed) did not, nor did dh or I who both had it as children.

[Shannon B]

I questioned this vaccine too. I probably wouldn't have done it either except that we had an EXTREME case of CP in our family many years ago. My niece got them internally which is rare, but can happen. The only reason I had my kids done was so that they wouldn't (hopefully) go through what she did. It changed her forever. I won't go into details as this isn't meant to scare.

Now my oldest had the vaccine & still got the damn pox. She didn't have many though, just a few. She was fine after a few days & it wasn't a big deal. I wan't vaccinated and never had a CP outbreak as a child but did have shingles when I was 19. There were EXTREMELY painful.

I think it's like any vaccine, you do what you think is right for your family based on your beliefs - period.

[chopped_liver]

Sorry, this is off topic; but this was the one I was questioning now:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Vaccines/tb/8467

[flavourlessVanilla]

GS my kids jus had chicken P. I took them to catch it from some friends, as I think it is best, they are not vax'd.


It was no big deal. We spent the $$$ (so worth it!) on the Aveeno bath powder and cream made for Pox. they had a few on day 1, more on day 2 and were COVERED on day 3.they lay about and watched videos all day, I made cookies, we hung out. Day 4 they started to scab, same day5-6, by day 7 they were all scabby and dry and we went back out into the world.

To clear up the whole pox/shingles scene. It is not actually a clearcut thing. In MOST adults, even teens, who've not had pox as a child the virus will show up as shingles when you catch it, as opposed to pox. Shingles is VERY painful. But some teens and adults do get pox, and I'm sorry to tell y'all I know more than one person who was vax'd for it but got it years later anyway.


As a virus CP stays in your body, lying dormant in the ganglia in your spine, bothering no one until or unless as you age you become immunocompromised and stressed and it turns the virus on and then you get shingles from your original pox. Not too common and occurrence.


In my opinion, the virus is no big deal, and is called a childhood illness because it's normal and afe to ge it as a child (like mumps and measles and roseola) that do not cxause issues if you get them as a CHILD.


I do agree that public health nurses have an agenda. I called them before our mexico trip to ask about getting a vax and brought up tetanus, saying my kids were unvax'd for it. She said did you not know that 3 people died in victoria this year rom tetanus? I freaked out, phoned the epidemiologist at VIHA asking why wasn't this in the paper, why weren't parents and adults warned about this fata threat of tetanus? I then went to our doctor and told her my fears and she plainly said 'did the nurse mention that those who died were elderly or homeless? that tetanus kills people who are in poor health already, who are at risk for a while host of infections? tha my healthy children are not at risk for it?

I knew all that about tetanus, and yet my knowledge flew out the window when I heard the tone and fear implicated by the publi health nurse. I'm not trying to diss the nurses, but simply to say they have a job to do, to check the box marked vaccinated beside each member of the public. freaking me out with twisted stats is not the way to accomplish that in a healthy way, in my opinion.


FWIW my 2 kids got the pox, the baby (breastfed) did not, nor did dh or I who both had it as children.

No, not clear cut. Many adults get CP with the regular symptoms we associate with it. Some adults get it twice- a mild version as a kid and another version when their own kids get the virus. They often have very bad cases as adults. The shingles I have seen in adults has been with those who had childhood CP, the virus stayed dormant and woke up when the body was fighting, low in resources. CP seems to be a crap shoot.


I have not had ds vac for CP and kinda hope he gets it over with, soon. I have a lot of anxiety about the damn virus.

[FairyElf]

I had it twice as a child!
So with my kids I had hoped they would catch it from someone..my oldest has been exposed to it 3 times and nada..my second, 2 times and nada..
We decided to wait til our oldest was about 9 or 10 to get the vax if he hasnt gotten it yet at that point..then there was our youngest...by the time he reached 1..we decided to go ahead and have them all vax'ed at the same time. Just to get it done and over with.
They are all very healthy kids and rarely if ever get sick. We figured if they do get it when they're older it'll most likley be a mild version of it..to each to their own..

[loganberry]

i haven't read any other posts - but my opinion- let him get the chicken pox - don't immunize him. I would rather go through a few days to a week of chicken pox now than to find out 10-15 years from now that the immunization has worn off and he get them as an adult - it is far more painful and much harder to deal with as an adult, plus there can be serious complications at that point, mostly because he may be living on his own and have nobody to take care of him.

DS #1 got it when he was 3.5 and DS 2 when he was almost 5 - both of them were easy, they loved the muddy baths, and i just gave them claritin for the itch and there were no problems whatsoever. Now i don't have to ever worry about it again.

Teri