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Original poster

To have doubts about giving Ds chicken pox vaccine

54 replies

Bells3032 · 21/11/2023 22:49

Let me preface this by saying I am probably one of the most pro vaccine people I've ever met..I volunteered with the COVID rollout and got vacicnated early. I booked ds for her vaccines as soon as slots became available.

I've booked my ds in for a private chicken pox vaccine on Saturday. As I know chicken pox, whilst generally more annoying than dangerous can have really dangerous complications. But I've heard from various people (including medical people I trust) that it may not give life long immunity. And surely that's more dangerous if she then catches it when she's older (or worse yet when pregnant). I know there's no way to know as it hasn't been out long but what are people's thought.

Please no anti Vax comments.its just because chicken pox itself is more dangerous when you're older .

OP posts:
Conniethecatapillar · 21/11/2023 22:54

I'm debating this too as my eldest is almost 8 and still hasn't had it. I don't know what the right thing to do is really!

CuriousGeorge80 · 21/11/2023 22:57

They give it to all children in Australia and have for years - as far as I am aware there are no concerns there.

gotomomo · 21/11/2023 22:58

I turned it down for this reason. Mine were raised in the USA at first where it's normal, my state allowed personal exemption which I chose. They both caught chickenpox within 8 weeks of arriving back in the U.K. to live!

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TeenLifeMum · 21/11/2023 23:01

My family in USA and Canada were so shocked when dd got chicken pox age 9. They’ve always vaccinated and couldn’t believe we don’t in the UK. I asked a doctor (at work in conversation) and he said that it would have come in around the time of the mmr but with all the issues with people not vaccinating their dc it was felt that adding chickenpox would push people away from vaccinating entirely and they couldn’t risk it.

I would vaccinate. I planned to have dd1 vaccinated privately if she’d not had it before leaving primary.

Patchworksack · 21/11/2023 23:03

Chicken pox doesn’t give you lifelong immunity to chicken pox, that’s why you get a recrudescent infection (shingles) every time your immune system dips! Wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.
My children had 2 doses of vaccine as toddlers and will have a booster as a teen, which is thought to give good immunity long term.
The NHS has announced this week they are including CP vaccine (2 doses) in their schedule, but not sure when it will be rolled out.

PuttingDownRoots · 21/11/2023 23:05

NICE wouldn't have recommended adding it to the schedule if thy didn't think it was effective (and cost effective!)

Christmaste · 21/11/2023 23:06

I think they can have another vaccine when they’re older can’t they?

I got dc the vaccine. The only reason NHS don’t do it is because of the cost savings. As others have said it’s common in other countries and has been for years.

WYorkshireRose · 21/11/2023 23:07

The varicella vaccine has been in use in some countries since the late 80s, and given in the US as part of the MMRV vaccine since 2005; it's hardly new.

Also, FWIW, the far bigger risk e.g. from introducing a national childhood vaccination programme for chickenpox is that unvaccinated children would be more susceptible to getting it as adults, and therefore more likely to develop a severe infection and/or complications. For those who have been vaccinated, the benefits would continue to outweigh the risks.

I was one of those children that was hospitalised due to complications from chickenpox infection when I was 5. I got my DS vaccinated.

Laneymoo · 21/11/2023 23:12

I don't think any vaccines offer life long immunity. They could still catch it, they just most likely wouldn't be as ill as if they caught it unvaccinated. My niece has had all her vaccines and caught a "mild" dose of the whooping cough around Christmas time and it was horrendous. I will never forget the sound of her cough. I think if you can lessen the chance of becoming ill/seriously ill then why not? My little one is having her first dose next month.

FiveWordsWillDoNotEightyFive · 21/11/2023 23:12

The NHS has announced this week they are including CP vaccine (2 doses) in their schedule, but not sure when it will be rolled out

Have they actually announced this now? I know the JCVI recommend it be added, but didn’t know it had actually been agreed yet.

GodspeedJune · 21/11/2023 23:41

I don’t believe it has yet been added to the vaccine schedule fivewords

OP, the vaccine has been out a long time in other countries. Perhaps read up on its use abroad if you’re worried. I have taken my daughter to have it and will be taking her for the second dose in a couple of weeks.

2024writeanovel · 21/11/2023 23:49

Most people are immune for life after 2 doses. He is going to live his life regardless and if he comes into contact with chicken pox his body will still produce the IgG antibodies so having it will be advantageous as it will be milder. If he doesn’t come across it then he will still have the IgG antibodies from the vaccine. If worried when older he can have a blood test and booster if needed.

user1477391263 · 21/11/2023 23:51

Mine were both vaxxed, and still got CP but in an extremely mild form. So between the vaccine and the very mild cases, they should have full immunity.

I don’t think the vaccine stops the virus from circulating, it just means that the severe forms of CP don’t happen anymore.

SabrinaThwaite · 22/11/2023 00:02

My DS was vaccinated as a toddler (we were in the US and it was required for preschool) and he only had a very mild case as a 5 Yr old back in the UK.

I, however, had it in my 30s (we both caught it at a kids party), felt like shitty death and had 2 weeks off work.

I know what I’d rather do.

ChristmasJumperz · 22/11/2023 00:05

Over 65's are offered vaccination against Shingles. I can not tell you how glad I was that we got this for dd last year, just seeing her bf's scars and knowing how much it bothered her skin, nevermind the potenital worse things that can happen. It's a worthwhile thing to give your child x

Aquamarine1029 · 22/11/2023 00:07

Bells3032 · 21/11/2023 22:49

Let me preface this by saying I am probably one of the most pro vaccine people I've ever met..I volunteered with the COVID rollout and got vacicnated early. I booked ds for her vaccines as soon as slots became available.

I've booked my ds in for a private chicken pox vaccine on Saturday. As I know chicken pox, whilst generally more annoying than dangerous can have really dangerous complications. But I've heard from various people (including medical people I trust) that it may not give life long immunity. And surely that's more dangerous if she then catches it when she's older (or worse yet when pregnant). I know there's no way to know as it hasn't been out long but what are people's thought.

Please no anti Vax comments.its just because chicken pox itself is more dangerous when you're older .

Getting chicken pox, even multiple times, which of course is rare, does not necessarily make you immune from getting chicken pox, so I don't really understand your objection.

JztBlzd · 22/11/2023 00:13

I had a chicken pox vaccine at 14 - never caught it as a child. Caught it as an adult (at 32) my case was quite mild, a few spots, a couple days off work feeling a bit crap and that was it. The friend I likely got it from (never had it before, no vaccine) was really, really ill for nearly 3 weeks.

The vaccine may not protect for life but it certainly made my time of it easier!

HiggleDyPigGeldy · 22/11/2023 00:15

I have two close friends with small children who suffered very seriously from chicken pox, one of which had to take her son to hospital and took ages recovering / still covered in scars.
Seeing that poor little boy and knowing what the families went through (endless nights without sleep because of itching, scabs occupying every inch of skin, even under the hair, on the lips, ears etc, high fevers) has made me pro chicken pox vaccine.
i would not risk it

WeightWhat · 22/11/2023 00:15

My DC got the vaccine. I still find it weird that people put themselves and their DC through chickenpox when there is a jab. Chickenpox is crap and leaves scars. Total no brained to get the vaccine.

Saggypants · 22/11/2023 00:17

I'm 50+ and still have a scar on my face from childhood CP.

My kids were both vaccinated, are now adults and have never had it. Perhaps because I live in a country where it's on the schedule, so CP is pretty rare now (except for the odd pocket of hippy dippy antivaxxers).

Your DD could always get a booster before TTC if that's a worry.

Wanttobeok · 22/11/2023 00:18

DS is 12 and hasn't had CP yet so I think I will get him vaccinated. Just need to be able to afford it 😫

crostini · 22/11/2023 00:20

The reason they don't vaccinate in the UK is so that the older generation get their immunity boosted by being around grandchildren etc with the virus, leasening the chance of measles becoming widespread in older people. Which could be fatal. Whereas the chance of a child getting seriously Ill from chicken pox is possible but very slim. So basically cost wise, our government has prioritized the older generation as their health could potentially cost more. In other countries the culture is more swayed towards preventing children from getting sick.

Anyway, yes, your child could get it somewhere down the line wether vaccinated or not, however they get a much easier, milder case of it, of vaccinated.

crostini · 22/11/2023 00:22

I mean shingles not measles!

Pallisers · 22/11/2023 00:26

Vaccines aren't a complete guarantee. My ds had whooping cough vaccine as a baby and booster age 12 or so - and still contracted whooping cough age 13/14.

DS was pre-vaccine for chicken pox in the US. He got it and has since got shingles and may get it again. they were both miserable experiences. My dds were post vaccine for chicken pox (we are in the US) so they got it and they have been fine.

I don't understand subjecting your child to a disease that can have bad outcomes for fear they may need to face it in the future- when vaccines and treatments may be way better.

BodgerSparkins · 22/11/2023 00:28

Even if you have a mild case of chicken pox, shingles in later life can be awful and dangerous depending upon the nerve it chooses to affect. I believe the vaccine is very effective at preventing subsequent cases of shingles. We paid for it, no regrets.