Chicken pox vaccination

[stingray586]

Just wondered if any one has paid for their DC to have it done? Your opinions please?
My concern is that I have heard it increases the risk of shingles later on in life. However, many western countries have it included in their vaccination programme. So do you think this is just an excuse and the real reason is the cost?
Also are any medical professionals what is your opinion please?
I have had to have a lot of time off work due to me and DD illness and would really like to avoid this one.

Link to shingles not proven.

I'm not afraid of CP so I wouldn't bother, but you can decide different.

I had it done. I would vaccinate myself against an illness that is so miserable and almost certain to leave permanent scarring let alone the more serious side effects. Seems inhumane not to vaccinate the DC.

We paid for it a few years ago. Now in the country we're in it's on the schedule anyway. I'm glad we did it. CP went through their school and only they and a few other vaccinated kids didn't get it. Iirc 2 of the children that did get it ended up in hospital.

I have heard it increases the risk of shingles later on in life

The vaccine hasn't been around long enough to know that. Likewise with it 'wearing off', no evidence of that because it's not been around long enough.

I think it's totally down to cost. A good friend of mine is a senior nurse in a children's dept of a hospital. The things she has seen, she told me to get it. I did.

To have shingles later in life you have to have had chickenpox previously.

So by vaccinating your children you are decreasing their chance of getting shingles, not increasing it.

If mine hadn't have had chicken pox naturally by the time they started pre-school, I was going to pay for the vaccine. I wish it were in the UK programme.