Chicken pox parties

[RosebudTheCat]

A relative has asked if I'd like to expose my two kids to her DD, who has chicken pox. My youngest is just 8mo. AIBU to think it was a stupid question to ask? Do people really still do 'chicken pox parties'?

DS have chicken pox at the moment, I've been struggling telling people not to come over. They all seem to want their kids to have the pox. Odd

Our local sure start group told us this week to have chicken pox parties as it is best to get it over and done with. Apparently it's safer to have it as kids than adults but ideally they should be over 12 months. Not sure I'm convinced though

If they get it under 12 months they probably won't develop immunity and can get it again so it's pointless.

My DD has chicken pox atm, and off school for a while it seems, im not one for willing exposing my kids or others to various illness, thats why im staying away from my niece and nephew who havent had it.

I wouldn't go out of my way to make them ill at any stage, but this seemed particularly strange because a. one is a baby and b. they would probably have it over Christmas as well, which we are hosting this year...

Some people are just a bit daft

Oh my mother tried this very hard when I was a child. Any time one of my friends had chickenpox I was straight round to their house. I never caught it but did develop natural immunity so maybe it did work.

I wouldn't send my child to one but will admit to being rather relieved when there was an outbreak at DS' nursery when he was 3.

One of my DNS was purposely infected with cp by her mum and aunt, both her brother and cousin are fine, they're 23, ones a graduate, ones a cooks helper, my dn who got exposed is barely continent, can't walk up stairs alone, is trying to learn to tell the time still. She's 22
Intentional infection is fucking stupid. Shit happens, it would have probably happened anyway. But the guilt has destroyed her mum. Booze, drugs and all that crap.

Another little one on here is not the little boy he should be either as cp attacked his brain too, there was another lady whose dd died. It makes me livid that those fuckwits are recommending infecting children.

I don't get it but then I do know two DC who got it from their older siblings who were hospitalize as they had such extreme cases. Not one but two DC.

Also know one DC who has had it twice. Not miss diagnosed but actually twice. Apparently it's not that rare - as there are very different strains and some people who do not develop immunity despite having it once.

Once you have it then you carry the virus and it can trigger shingles when old - which is a killer and took one of my GP and left other elderly relative very ill. So having it as a DC still causes consequences as an adult.

So many reasons these 'parties' are a bad idea and no I don't think they are common or normal practice.

I've had it twice, confirmed at the dr's. My dad has had it three times. I'm dreading getting it again as i'm 34 weeks pregnant and don't want to be ill over Christmas.

Saying that, I've also had (one memorable Christmas) Measles, and then mumps. My poor dad had those two with me, and then got TB! So maybe I just attract these kinda things?

having chicken pox under one year also increases the chances of getting childhood shingles. DS had CP at almost 6 months and shingles at the age of 3.

I don't object to it but the incubation period is two weeks so you'd have proxy kids for Christmas. For that reason I'd avoid them.

Whilst you wouldn't want a baby to catch it, I thought the idea was that it is sensible to get chicken pox out of the way before they are adults when it much worse & for men can cause fertility probs and for women in pregnancy can cause complications. Though the odd person might catch it again for most it is dealing with a mild illness when younger rather than a serious one later.

Have I missed something as people seem to be saying this cruel or irresponsible nowadays ?

so be it if they get it by accident but i wouldnt intentionally expose someone to a contagious disease. You would then feel very responsible if an exposed child got a very bad case and ended up hospitalised.

Dd has CP immunity from a bout when she was 3.5 months old.
No problems, No shingles.
I'd LOVE to take mine to an event where I knew they would catch it & I could plan for it coming, rather than this "oh well whenever however inconvenient" alternative. You take a risk no matter what choice you make.

so YABVU.

I think it's a guilt thing. If they become very ill after you'd intentionally exposed them you might then wonder whether they would have had such a bad reaction if they'd caught it by chance exposure.

I was very glad when both DC had it at a young age. It was horrible being an adult and being paranoid every time I came in contact with it- it's generally much worse in adults. I finally was blood tested when I was pregnant and exposed (very stressful) and fortunately the test came back showing I was immune.

is your dd still a child? She could still get childhood shingles! Just because your dd is ok doesnt mean every child will be fine. If they dont get CP in childhood they can always opt for the CP injection when they are a bit older.

If they don't get it as young children, you could always get them vaccinated to avoid getting it as an adult.

Mine are very scarred from it , and I wish I had vaccinated.

Article about why UK doesn't vaccinate when other countries do:

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8557236.stm

I didn't know before my DC had chicken pox, but there is a safe vaccine against chicken pox out there. You have to pay for it, but it is effective.

I would have paid for this to be done.

I certainly would not be deliberately infecting a baby with it.

Have a look here

I'd LOVE to take mine to an event where I knew they would catch it & I could plan for it coming,

Ha Ha Ha.

My DC got exposed naturally many times - DC they were with coming down after spending time with them ie when they were contagious just prior to spots in some case just hours before.

DD2 was in nursery with them coming down like flies but never got chicken pox herself and still hasn't.

The older two came down in late school summer holidays just before eldest started nursery having had little exposure to other DC and none to anyone I heard subsequently came down with chicken pox.

My MIL never had any childhood illnesses not one - her mother was so worried she took her to GP. She has had perfect health throughout adulthood and is now in her 60's.

It may be contagious doesn't mean you have control over timetable when or if your DC come down with it - you can increase the risks of them catching it but if you want control why not vaccinate as it would be safer?

I was aware there was a vaccine - one of my siblings was badly scarred so thought about it - but our GP wasn't enthusiast or helpful and didn't consider it necessary then older two came down with it so we didn't pursue it.