Chicken pox immunity

[justalittlelemondrizzle]

Another thread just got me thinking and I've been meaning to ask this question for a long time.

Dd2 (7) had chickenpox two years ago. She caught it off a friend and I think it was probably the first opportunity she had to catch it.
The day after dd2 started getting spots Dd1 had a spot that looked like chickenpox. I kept her off school and waited for more to appear. No more appeared and the one spot disappeared by the end of the day.
Dd's shared a bedroom at the time and practically rubbed them together so dd1 could get them while she was young.
But two years on dd1, now 8, still hasn't had chicken pox.
Was the one spot a chicken poc, it certainly looked like one?
How can she not have caught it off dd2 when they shared a bedroom etc?
Can some people be immune without having it?

[EustachianTube]

It could have been a pox, but she wouldn't have caught it off your dd2, most likely they'd both have caught it from the same source a few weeks earlier.
On the other hand, I've 3 DC. 2 of them have had chicken pox (at separate times) and the third has still never caught it despite lots of close contact.

[Cally70]

Yes, you can have natural immunity

[justalittlelemondrizzle]

Is there any way immunity can be checked? I hear it's pretty uncommon for children not to catch it.
Im worried she won't catch it till she's older and will be much more severe for her

[Cally70]

I was checked through my GP. You could just have your LO vaccinated against it instead, if the GP won't do it (which I'm guessing they won't). I was checked as I'd been exposed to it & my immune system was being suppressed

[bubblemcgubble]

There is a blood test that can check immunity, though the most positive result you'd get is probable immunity. The result won't give you a cast iron total immunity (never say never and all that! ) My little boy was tested as he'd had a stroke most likely from CP (a rare consequence).

Knowing what I know now I would always recommend vaccinating against CP. It's safe and is used as part of the routine immunisation programme in Australia and the United States. You would need to pay but fairly sure it's under £100.

[Cally70]

I paid £180 for my DS (2 injections 4w apart)

[Frazzled2207]

I had the immunity blood test and am apparently immune- never had cp, my mother is adamant!

[worrierandwine]

She may have had it but not suffered with it. I'm told kids symptoms to it can vary greatly so maybe that one pock was it, can you remember if she had any other symptoms? Maybe have the test to check his immunity if it will put your mind at rest.