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Original poster

Chickenpox vaccine for 1 year old

53 replies

jolies · 15/11/2022 09:31

Has anyone took their child for the chickenpox vaccine privately and think it's worth getting? DS is 13 months and slots have became available at my local boots store, it's quite a big expense at £140 but we are happy to pay if it's really going to be worth it. DS is a healthy 1 year old with no health conditions. Just looking for others experiences and advice.

OP posts:
FlounderingFruitcake · 15/11/2022 09:45

My 2 have been vaccinated. Absolute best case scenario with chickenpox is an upset and uncomfortable child missing school/nursery whilst you miss work to look after them. And it bad cases it can be really serious. I honestly don’t see why you wouldn’t if you can afford it. Any arguments against it are really weak give other countries have been vaccinating for years, the US for example since 1996, and mostly centre around shingles in older people, for which there is also a vaccine, so it doesn’t make a lot of sense.

ChocoFudge · 15/11/2022 09:55

My 3 year old is vaccinated and my 15 month old has his first one booked in a couple of weeks. Definitely worth it in my opinion.

Baconand · 15/11/2022 09:58

We had it, 2 years ago now. I couldn’t face potentially 2 weeks off work with chickenpox. We’d been through enough disruption with Covid time off.
Money well spent in my opinion.

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dreamersdown · 15/11/2022 10:00

We had it and she’s gone through three rounds of Chickenpox in nursery and been the only kid to come out unscathed - absolutely worth it

Skinnermarink · 15/11/2022 10:01

I’m getting my 14 month old’s done at Boots next week. I think it’s totally worth it. My friend’s baby got blisters on her eyelids.

YorkshireTeaCup · 15/11/2022 10:05

I just took DD (16months) for her first jab this week. I've heard from several different and unconnected people that the variant of chicken pox doing the rounds this year is a pretty grim affair. As she didnt get it before 1yr, if the vax can help ward off the worst of it, then figured it's worth a try.

SwedishDentist · 15/11/2022 10:07

Agree, both mine done - cost of vaccine less than missing a week of work / nursery, plus they avoid the discomfort and scarring. No brainer for me.

XanaduKira · 15/11/2022 10:12

My eldest was vaccinated as he was born in the States but sadly couldn't get my other DCS done as no where locally offered it (back in the UK). The others all had horrendous bouts of CP but my eldest never caught it.

Gutted I hadn't gone further afield to get them vaccinated as could have gone to London (couple of hours away) but didn't due to expense. They really had a nasty time of it & we had CP in the house for ages because as soon as one was starting to recover, the next one got it. Really showed me first hand the power of vaccines!

I would definitely say to get it if it's an option.

RedToothBrush · 15/11/2022 10:12

No. We don't have it routinely in the uk as the research suggests that it increases the risks associated with shingles later on.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 15/11/2022 10:14

It's not so much the illness that was bad, it was the fact chickenpox season coincides with holiday season and near on ruined our family holiday.
I'd get it to avoid that stress alone!

Skinnermarink · 15/11/2022 10:14

RedToothBrush · 15/11/2022 10:12

No. We don't have it routinely in the uk as the research suggests that it increases the risks associated with shingles later on.

I don’t think that’s the case anymore actually. Last I heard the NHS is considering making it a part of 1yr vaccinations in the next year or so.

BooksAndHooks · 15/11/2022 10:17

Yes we tried to but my daughter was a week away from her first birthday and couldn’t have it when we tried. She then caught it and had to cancel a big holiday, her first birthday party it was a nightmare.

All three of mine have lots of scars, I myself have a horrible one in the middle of my forehead which I hate.

If you can avoid the unpleasantness and the disruption I would.

Numbat2022 · 15/11/2022 10:22

Yup, mine was vaccinated and has been through three lots of chicken pox at nursery and being in close contact with a child who came out in spots two days late. All good, no chicken pox, no scars, no time off work for us.

A couple of my friends had children who were very badly affected by the spots - not dangerously ill, but a few really miserable days. One also had to cancel a holiday because of her children getting chicken pox. I would rather avoid that for my child if I can.

Violettaa · 15/11/2022 10:31

RedToothBrush · 15/11/2022 10:12

No. We don't have it routinely in the uk as the research suggests that it increases the risks associated with shingles later on.

This isn’t true .There is a theory that it may increase the risk for other adults if they’re not exposed to chickenpox doing the rounds. If a child doesn’t have chickenpox they won’t get shingles.

But there has been no increase in shingles in the US or Australia where the chickenpox vaccine has been routine for years, so this idea is falling out of favour.

Even if it was the case, I wouldn’t want my child to needlessly get a nasty illness so that adults could escape something similar.

Original poster
jolies · 15/11/2022 10:33

Thanks all, I have booked for him to have it in a few weeks.

OP posts:
newbookonshelf · 15/11/2022 10:35

No because my child's individual risk from this routine infection was so low it wouldn't be worth it and the infection provides community boosters for all for shingles.

newbookonshelf · 15/11/2022 10:36

Violettaa · 15/11/2022 10:31

This isn’t true .There is a theory that it may increase the risk for other adults if they’re not exposed to chickenpox doing the rounds. If a child doesn’t have chickenpox they won’t get shingles.

But there has been no increase in shingles in the US or Australia where the chickenpox vaccine has been routine for years, so this idea is falling out of favour.

Even if it was the case, I wouldn’t want my child to needlessly get a nasty illness so that adults could escape something similar.

Show quote history

There are also a few adult deaths from chicken pox over there. I'd rather mine get it when young. Mine's had it and I feel very glad she has because now she cannot get it when older when it would be very dangerous.

Yes she is now at risk of shingles, well if she has a weakened immune system, which is not a given that she ever will.

KvotheTheBloodless · 15/11/2022 10:38

dreamersdown · 15/11/2022 10:00

We had it and she’s gone through three rounds of Chickenpox in nursery and been the only kid to come out unscathed - absolutely worth it

Same here!

Scarecrowrowboat · 15/11/2022 10:43

Yep all privately at local chemists. Most kids will be fine if they have chickenpox, some will be really ill, most will have a rubbish time of it. I decided I'd rather mine didn't have chickenpox. No side effects from vaccinations.

gingergiraffe · 15/11/2022 10:55

I offered to pay for my 2 yr old gd to get the vaccination, especially since her cousin was so poorly with cp and ended in hospital with complications. I offered twice and dil said she would think about it but never mentioned it again. A pity because it is a nasty illness and if you can afford it and avoid the consequences, why not?

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 15/11/2022 11:05

If there are no contra-indications, I’d def. do it. You can absolutely guarantee that chicken pox will hit your child just before you’re due to go on holiday, or some important occasion.
Plus, if they’re school age, they have to miss a lot - which is an extra headache if you’re working and don’t have handy childcare.

SparklyAntlers · 15/11/2022 11:06

My otherwise perfectly healthy 2 year old contracted an almost fatal infection from chicken pox. It is not a benign disease, it can be fatal even with no other medical issues.

Please get your child vaccinated. I can't forgive myself for assuming it wouldn't be a big deal if she got it and thinking the vaccine wasn't worth the money. I can't even imagine how I'd feel if she hadn't recovered.

SeenAndNot · 15/11/2022 11:11

Personally I wouldn’t. It increases the risk of shingles or catching chicken pox as an adult.

From what I’ve read it’s only effective if everyone is vaccinated like I’m the states.

Washaday · 15/11/2022 11:13

I did. 7yo still hadn't had it so thought I'd better. No ill effects.

cptartapp · 15/11/2022 11:20

Make sure there is a minimum gap of four weeks between having it and having the MMR vaccine (also due around this time), as both are live vaccines.

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