To consider vaccinating against chicken pox?

[Chipshopninja]

It used to be the done thing to have chicken pox parties, so your child caught it as young as possible

Now though it seems there's more and more information on how dangerous it can be.
Apparently 10 children in the UK die from CP every year (read that somewhere earlier but don't have a link sorry)

My 2 nieces have had it recently and I'm considering getting ds (3) vaccinated

There's a local clinic that does it for 65 pounds

Aibu?

Was thinking about having my DD done when she got it at 19 months but she had about 10 spots and wasn't poorly with it. May have another child vaccinated though.

They can check your antibodies in your blood to see if you have been exposed but don't think they would do it without a good reason (I.e been exposed in pregnancy).

We got referred to the fertility clinic as we were having trouble conceiving and they info they sent out included that you would be tested for chicken pox immunity and if you hadn't have it you had to be vaccinated and immune before they would let you have any treatment. This was a NHS clinic.

YADNBU I thought chicken pox was mild but DS had it really badly. I felt terrible for letting him suffer when I could have had him vaccinated.

Another GP here. I've just had my DD vaccinated- next dose in 8 weeks.

I agree about the reasoning against it having to do with a predicted increase in shingles in older people, perhaps less so the risk of the vaccine failing and catching CP later in life.

The vaccine itself is more effective in children than adults but it remains uncertain exactly how long it lasts for.

I'm planning on getting DD a booster in her late teens if she's happy with that. To be extra sure I'll advise her to get her immunity checked prior to any pregnancies (assuming they are planned and all that), however the teenaged booster should have her covered.

I had DS vaccinated partly because I wasn't immune and have an underlying health condition (which also meant I couldn't be vaccinated myself).

Unfortunately I still caught CP, probably from another child at his nursery, at 23 weeks pregnant. It's been a horrible experience and has overshadowed the whole pregnancy (I'm 31 weeks now). Not only was it very dangerous for my health but there is a risk of Fetal Varicella Sydrome which causes serious birth defects. I'm having extra scans but they won't be able to tell whether my baby is affected until she's born.

I will certainly be getting my daughter vaccinated (although I am now immune). Chickenpox in pregnancy may be rare but it does happen and I would never want to run the risk of putting her through what I've been through in the future.

I plan on getting my child vaccinated once he arrives. Can anyone advise at what age to get it done?

I'm 22 and I got the second dose a few months ago. I'm American and my insurance covered it. I never had it as a child and I can't afford to take a week or two off work in order to recover if I do catch it.

NoArmani, they can have it any time after the age of 1, with second dose no sooner than 4 weeks after (generally 8 weeks later).

If giving the MMR they can either have them both at the same time, or with a 4 week gap between MMR and 1st CP vaccine.

I have just had the second of the two jabs for dc2.

I wish I'd had it for dc1 in a way but I didn't really know much about it, and had heard some rumours that it didn't work.

She had it quite badly and I was up all night with her covering her in lotion so she couldn't get some sleep and also so she didn't scar. You can't really do that as easily once you have two though.

Most of the deaths from CP are in people who have underlying health issues like hiv as far as I'm aware.

This is not necessarily the case,

Again from the CDC, research prior to introducing the varicella vaccine in the USA
Most of the severe complications and deaths from chickenpox occurred in people who were previously healthy

Deaths are more common in adults who contract chickenpox, but some deaths of children as a result of chicken pox, are not recorded as deaths from chicken pox, so the figures could be a little skewed.

There are also complications which can be lifelong

These are all rare, but the effects can be devestating.

I used to think it wasn't worth getting vacced against chicken pox (and I'm a great fan of vaccination for the real nasties like polio).

However, once you have had chicken pox you are at risk of shingles in later life. I was under the impression that this was not a terribly big deal, but I've come to realise that it can have some really vicious side effects: I know someone whose sight was so badly affected by it that she is now registered blind.

So no, OP, YANBU.

How do you go about getting a vaccine done privately? I wouldn't have a clue how to get it done.

At our gp's you can ask and they will order it in for you, then you just go in for the jab when it comes in.

Hazeyj do you then pay the GP?
Have found a "travel clinic" in my area that would do it (£120 for the two doses) but I think I'd prefer it at the GPs.

YANBU I had both of mine done last month (age 5 and 2.5) after reading up as much as I could on it. They have to have a second jab 12 weeks later (or after).

I believe at ours, you pay at the prescriptions desk. Ds had his on the NHS though, so we didn't get involved in the paying bit!

Your GP may not do it. I was initially told it didn't exist! Then when I pushed it further they did offer to buy it in for me and I was told I was charged cost price, £70 which included both vaccines. I was quoted £150 at private travel clinics so I got a good deal but i know of other GP surgeries who won't do it.

Thanks Hazyjane and Paddington. Paddington, did you have to see the GP to request it? GP appts are like hens' teeth here, hence the appeal of the private clinics I suppose.

No I just spoke to the practice manager after I was fobbed off by the reception team and they phoned me when it had been ordered in. The appointment was with the practice nurse and it was charged as a non NHS service.

The super unhelpful receptionist at my GP surgery informed me ' you can't get vaccinated against CP' to which I replied you could as I'd seen it advertised privately - she told me to go and Google it in that case shame on my for wanting to give my money to the NHS first instead of a private clinic!

Yep similar experience here!

YANBU OP, DD1 is due to have the first jab next week, fingers crossed she doesn't catch it before then! DD2 will have it once she is 1, again hoping she doesn't get it first.

Yes the vaccine may wear off (research still ongoing) BUT immunity from catching CP naturally can also wear off. My friend had CP as a child and was tested for antibodies when pg only to find her childhood immunity was all but gone.

cheddar hope all turns out ok.

I had all my kids done. And had it myself earlier this year.

I chose to do it because we have a immunity suppressed person in our household and as a kid two of my extended family died due to CP complications and 1 was left significantly disabled from the same thing.

The one thing to be mindful of is if you are a carer or have immunity suppressed people that you knowingly come into contact with you do have to avoid them for a time after the jab and as its 2 jabs that can equate to quite some time, certainly not as long as if you had a couple of family members down with cp one after the other but it's worth thinking about