to consider the chicken pox vaccine?

[ooooooeak]

I kind of feel the pox is hanging over us! DS1 was vaccinated but DS2 is too young still.

What happens if you catch it just before going on hols?? Can you fly? I assume not. What would happen if your child came out in pox when your away?? Would holiday insurace cover your extra stay??

Its one of the most horrible childhood illnesses.

What are the chances of catching it under a year old?

One private GP I spoke to today was happy to vaccinate at 10months but this makes me feel a little uneasy.

Part of me thinks its a very managable if not annyoying childhood illness the other part of me thinks its a pain, can cause terrible illness even death and why not just be vaccinated.

AIBU?

Eve that's nonsense. There's no evidence that vaccinated children are sicker than unvaccinated ones. It's the kind of thing that has been checked for very, very carefully - and it's easy to spot because you have huge datasets.

If you prefer anecdotal evidence, my DS (almost 4) has never be ill either, despite being carefully immunised with all the recommended vaccinations and CP.

"Do you know if a cp vaccination protects against shingles?"

No. Singles relates to the virus being in a reservoir in your body (usually the lower spine) and taking effect when your immune system is weakened (hence its relation to stress, other illnesses, etc). The vaccine can't deal with it once it's in your system.

Eve
My DC have been vaccinated against every illness on the recommended list in Germany, which is more extensive than the UK list and are generally extremely healthy. They did have a few colds/D&V bugs when they first started kindergarten. They rarely get ill now, even when novovirus was going around, or scarlet fever. I don't put it down to anything except very good luck. Neither were breastfed, so it is not down to that.

I truly believe that some children are blessed with more robust immune system and some are not, you can help it along the way a bit but not change it completely.

Thanks Tokyo. Very helpful. My mother was under a lot of stress at work when she had shingles, so that fits in with your explanation.

Shingles is awful - I would actually rather my dc get chicken pox (as my dd has at present - though very mildly - its bloody inconvenient but last day of being stuck inside tomorrow and then we're done) than my elderly and frail father again.

Does anyone know btw why some dc get it so mildly and some poor dc are covered from head to foot?

Zombie
The problem is that you don't know in advance if your DC is going to be the one who ends up seriously ill in hospital or the one who has a couple of miserable boring weeks but recovers well.

When I had the DC vaccinated, I had not heard about the shingles issue, but I think that I would probably still have had it done. Perhaps that is selfish of me.

No I know that MmeBody - its a tricky one but thats based on the probability of risk isnt it - like lots of parenting decisions. Not that we are actually given the stats about it - does anyone know what they are - ie health outcomes per 1000 cases of Chicken Pox?

No, no...mine ARE vaccinated against all the regular stuff, I just haven't forced them to have things that aren't offered. I just think that limited vaccinations can help their immune systems build up...if they are 'allowed' to catch things, then their immune systems get to work.

I don't know if there is evidence to suggest that that is true, but it seems logical to me...

imo there are enough "things" around they can catch, even with giving them additional vaccines...

Oooneak If the CP vacc is licensed for the age of the child then I would feel fine about giving it to my child. I am surprised that non one else is talking up the nuisance of quarantine; there are heaps of threads on MN ranting about those of us who dare to violate it in the tiniest ways.

In my (naturally quite limited and subjective) experience, people who have natural versions of diseases often end up with long term health problems that affect them all their lives, and lead to reduced quality of life. eg, DH's uncle who developed asthma after having had whooping cough as a child, my dad who is prone to sinus and ear infections after severe meniningitis as a 2yo (my dad's id twin does not have those problems), my neighbour who has eyesight damage after some malady when she was 12yo. So I am bemused by the attitude of some about disease that "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" ... that said, I'm not afraid of CP. It was mild for me and 2 DC and no worse than a moderate illness for the other 2 DC -- bit of high fever, DC have been much worse with bad colds or ear infex.

As someone who had cp during pregnancy and spent the rest of the pg shiting myself, then yes, I'd consider it for ds2. Too late for ds1.

Doesn't work for everyone (me included) but if a reasonable amount of people had it, it would reduce the chances of those without immuntiy getting it.

Giddypickle - so thoe stats definately suggest a programme for immunising adults who hadnt had it as a child/didnt know as the adult version is much more dangerous - that would cover the pg aspect as well.

ragged - I think outcomes were much worse for those of an older generation with most childhood diseases because of the lack of prompt and proper treatment and sometimes nutitrion and general living conditions etc.

Both dc's were hideously ill with the pox. Had I known a vaccine existed I would definitely get it done knowing now just how poorly they get

So to catch shingles, you would have to either be unvaccinated or already had CP.

If we follow on from that, it means that if we vaccinate our children that they will have less chance of getting shingles as adults.

And if those who have never had CP, get vaccinated then they would be protected too.

Which just leaves those who have had CP already at risk of shingles.

Is that right?

No you can't have shingles without having the cp virus first.
I don't know if a lot of people realise that half of all childhood strokes can be attributed to CP. One of DS's friends had a stroke at the age of 6 after having CP. He was paralyzed down half of his body but he did get movement back.

Giddy
Thanks, I get it now.

I suppose that the vaccination is a work in progress then? Until the second or third generation have had the vaccine, we will not know the long term implications with regard to shingles.

I had always dismissed the CP vaccine as unecessary - until my children got it and I realised how utterly awful CP can be. DD1 (aged 5) was in hospital for over a week and so ill that I can't even bear to think about it. She survived and is now 100% fine but has truly awful scars on her back and legs (thankfully not her face). DD2 and DS had 'normal' CP. I suppose that was fine, although very unpleasant for them. Over all the process of CP in our house took about a month (DD1 first, v ill, hospitalised, then, while she is still in hospital the other two got it), it was an absolutely hellish time. I advise all of my friends to get their children vaccinated. In hospital all the doctors were in agreement. They see endless cases of CP complications and all said that it is one of the nastiest childhood diseases.

I had my dd1 fully vaccinated as we were in the US. I'm very glad I did as I've seen what friends here in the UK have been through with their children and CP.

DD2 had the first shot against CP. THen we moved here and she needs to have the booster between the age of 4 and 6. She's nearly 4 and we're looking for a private GP who'll give her the booster. My GP's surgery refused to do it.

Aside from the health concerns of CP, the cost is worth it to me as I'd much rather use my precious annual leave to do fun things with my children than sit and nurse a sick and miserable child.

When I was in the US I aslo immunised them (and myself) against flu. I'd do it here if they offered it. I don't believe you can over-immunise (might be persuaded otherwise if someone showed me some solid and robust evidence APART from anecdotal) but certainly believe you can get very very sick from the flu!