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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Chicken pox vaccine

63 replies

Givemecoffeeplease · 26/03/2015 09:55

A mate is getting her 1 year old child inoculated against chicken pox. Seems a no brainer to ensure they don't get two weeks of nasty itching and the inevitable hassles that come with time off work for parents. But is there any benefit to chicken pox? I remember my mum being v keen for us to catch it but I would hope that the benefits that come from catching it - ie you become immune - are covered by a vaccine. Any thoughts please? AIBU to take this lazy way out.....?! Many thanks.

OP posts:

tiggytape · 26/03/2015 10:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TwoOddSocks · 26/03/2015 10:04

I've never seen an in depth cost-benefit analysis but the advantage of catching it as a child is that the immunity tends to be lifelong where as the immunity caused by the vaccine may only last 20 years and the adult form of chicken pox is usually worse than the childhood form.

Personally I'd still vaccinate (it was standard in Germany where my DS lived at the time so we had it done for free) it prevents my child spreading chicken pox around and he can have a booster when he's older.

RunnerHasbeen · 26/03/2015 10:05

chickenpox in children is less harmful than shingles in the elderly and vulnerable. Repeated exposure to poxy children reduces the incidence and severity of shingles. We, in the UK, make vaccine decisions at a population level, where in the US it is an individual level.

tiggytape · 26/03/2015 10:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EstRusMum · 26/03/2015 10:08

My DD is getting her 12 weeks vaccines today. No cp vaccine in there, but I prefer her to get one injection (when it's time) instead of two weeks of being itchy and having fever.

GayByrne · 26/03/2015 10:12

Chickenpox was a bastard for my eldest two so when it was time (one year) we got the little one vaccinated. It's been around nursery but he's not caught it. Best money we spent!!

SuperMumTum · 26/03/2015 10:20

My dd had cp before I'd heard of the vaccine but I would consider it for dc2 if there was a likelihood of cp ruining various plans such as foreign holidays. There was a thread recently where the op was having a right old time because she was stuck in Iceland with her child who had cp and couldn't fly and the rest of the family had to go on without her.

threegoingonthirty · 26/03/2015 11:03

My kids have been vaccinated against CP and so have many of my friends (I'm a GP).

It hasn't been added to the vaccination programme I suspect largely because no government wants to take on the anti-vaccination nutters who would be out in force if a new vaccine was added. in the USA it is given on a purely economical reason to stop parents having to stay home with kids who have CP.

We don't know about long term immunity but the USA has been vaccinating for, I think, 10-15 years, so by the time my kids are in their teens there will be much more data and if necessary I'll get their immunity checked.

Original poster

Givemecoffeeplease · 26/03/2015 11:15

Thanks for your advice - I'm going for it x

OP posts:

landrover · 26/03/2015 11:18

Please do go for it, the scarring left after chicken pox is horrible when its on the face!!!!

minipie · 26/03/2015 11:26

Just to add: be careful about timing. It's a live vaccine so there is a chance the toddler could be infectious for a few days after the jab. So I would avoid getting it done if you are pregnant and not immune yourself, or if you have a newborn.

2 doses are needed about 4-8 weeks apart. Also you can't give it within 4 weeks of any other live vaccine like the MMR.

leedy · 26/03/2015 11:38

I got it for my two as well.

Nightowlagain · 26/03/2015 11:50

We chose to vaccinate DS, I saw pictures of a friend's child with chicken pox and she was covered in spots, it looked so miserable! I remember it being really horrible when I was a kid too.

Anomaly · 26/03/2015 11:58

Both my eldest and youngest have had chicken pox. We must have been lucky because neither was ill really just spotty. My middle child hasn't had it although I don't know how as he's been thoroughly exposed twice. Could he have had it and I've just noticed - he was a breastfed newborn when first exposed. Would my gp be willing to check his immunity?

Exwhy · 26/03/2015 12:09

The vaccine doesn't only last 20 years. It was introduced 20 years ago and there have been no cases of infection for those immunised, so they can say it is effective for at least that long. In 10 years they'll say 30.

As for why it's not available on the NHS, that's probably just a cost/risk analysis. Chickenpox can lead to bacterial infections and scarring, and it's pretty unpleasant, but it's rarely life-threatening.

It cost £130 for our little guy, money well spent imho.

toomuchtooold · 26/03/2015 12:10

I wish I'd got it for mine but logistics beat me when they were little (twin buggy plus lone trip to Harley street) and when they got it at nursery I regretted not doing it - apart from the discomfort for them, it was 2 weeks out of work for me as first one then the other caught it. DT2 enjoyed the ice lollies and gel though and was sad to hear she won't be getting it again!

doradoo · 26/03/2015 12:13

Mine had it in Germany where it is combined with MMR so only one jab for all 4 illnesses. I can't see why it's not added to the MMR in the UK - I don't think it would significantly change uptake levels.

Here (In Germany) they are currently debating whether vaccinating should be made mandatory - as there has been a quite large measles outbreak in Berlin where at least one baby has died.

ShoutyMom · 26/03/2015 12:17

I got my DD vaccinated when she was a baby and we had travelled overseas, where we got some of her primary vaccinations done. I didn't know there should be a booster shot . At what age should the booster be given?

hazeyjane · 26/03/2015 12:21

My ds was vaccinated against chicken pox on the NHS, as he has underlying health conditions, and it was decided by his paed that it would be very dangerous for him to contract it.

he did actually still get it a few weeks ago - although he had it very mildly, and whilst he was contagious, so kept of school, he only had about 8 spots and barely had a temperature - so we were very glad he had it.

I think it should be ensured that all children with underlying conditions receive the vaccine (ds's friend hadn't, and no mention had been made, and he ended up in hospital for a week with chicken pox in his lungs.)

hazeyjane · 26/03/2015 12:23

I think the vaccine used to be a single jab, but it is now thought to give better protection if 2 jabs are given approx 4 weeks apart.

leedy · 26/03/2015 12:53

"Could he have had it and I've just not noticed"

Entirely possible - I've never had chicken pox (that anyone has noticed, not even me) and I'm immune.

Marynary · 26/03/2015 13:03

I'm going to get my dd vaccinated soon as I don't want her to get chicken pox as a teenager/adult when it can be really nasty. Did the people who have done it go to a private GP?

bumbleymummy · 26/03/2015 13:21

They'll probably need boosters as adults as well and considering you're not sure when your immunity has worn you could be left vulnerable at a bad time eg when pregnant. Personally, I am glad mine have had CP and got it out of the way. 1-2 days of low grade fever and a bit itchy for a few days but they were still bouncing around. (I know that some children can have it worse)

I think the vaccine makes more sense for older teenagers who haven't had it yet - particularly girls. It can be much worse in adulthood and has a higher risk of complications.

leedy · 26/03/2015 13:25

Though as Exwhy points out upthread, there's no reason to think that "they'll probably need boosters as adults as well" or that it will unexpectedly wear off "at a bad time" if you get the vaccination as a child. It's been in the regular vaccination schedule in (among other places) Japan and the US for ages and they don't recommend revaccinating as adults. They do offer a shingles vaccine to older people, but that's if you've already had chicken pox.

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 26/03/2015 13:37

I don't plan to vaccinate my kids yet, but if they reach their teens without catching it then I will like a shot.

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