to give ds the chickenpox vaccine?

[backtowork2015]

My dd had chickenpox at 9m (4 yrs ago) and was really unwell but came off lightly compared to recent headline stories. Ds is 2.6 and I'm considering paying for the vaccine. I do worry we are over vaccinating kids these days but he had the rota virus vaccine along with the usual jabs as a baby and i probably should have questioned that if I was worried about multiple vaccine risks. I've had friends dc with horrible cases of chickenpox over recent years, hospitalised and requiring iv antibiotics. With hindsight I probably would have vaccinated my dd.
I have read reasons not to vaccinate would be possible less immunity (if course not completed) and then more severe disease later on and new exposure to virus increases immunity of others to shingles.
Is there any really sound reason I shouldn't just vaccinate him?

Bear in mind that the CP vaccine is less effective in adults. If you're relying on boosters in adulthood then you may find that you are left vulnerable when you are more at risk of complications (CP in adulthood is more likely to be serious).

DS1 was really unwell and still has scars nearly 3 years on. He didn't scratch, his spots didn't itch - they were painful instead. So the 'they don't scar if they don't scratch' line is total nonsense. DS's were really deep, and the deepest ones left scars.

DS2 will be vaccinated as soon as he's old enough. It's part of the vaccination schedule in my home country and the apocalypse has not happened. And if immunity does wear off (there simply isn't enough long term data, especially after the booster was introduced, to be unequivocal), then less circulating virus due to it being part of the vaccination programme means a greatly reduced risk of infection.

The varicella one is a funny one
I did it for DS1 when he was 1 but he did have a bad reaction to it
ds2 almost two hasn't had it yet as I wanted him to get menB instead so not sure what I ll be doing
At your DCs age id probably give it as they probably won't get a bad reaction from it

I do agree though with another PP who said body reacts differently to an altered virus from a vaccine - I was told similar story from a consultant

Bear in mind that the CP vaccine is less effective in adults. If you're relying on boosters in adulthood then you may find that you are left vulnerable when you are more at risk of complications (CP in adulthood is more likely to be serious).

The vaccine was shown to be approx 78% effective if given to adults (not as a booster but initial vaccine) when only one dose was given, but 98% after 2 doses. There is no statistic for a boosters efficacy, as it has (as yet) been unnecessary.

After seeing my 3 year old screaming in agony for 3 days with an awful awful case of chicken pox I'd definitely recommend it. She was absolutely covered and the pharmacist and doctor that saw her gasped in horror when they saw how bad it was. Luckily she avoided the hospital so I can't imagine how awful it must have been for those poor children who got hospitalised, hers was bad enough.

If you're worried about side effects, it's part of our vaccine schedule in the US, and chickenpox is pretty uncommon here. It's declined something like 90% since we started vaccinating. As a (not very bright) child, I honest to god thought chickenpox was something akin to a myth or an illness only found in tv shows because no one I knew had got it!

The only reason varicella is not part of the childhood vaccination programme in the uk is because when children have chicken pox it provides passive immunity to older adults against shingles. Nothing to do with the health of our children!

DD was vaccinated for chicken pox month or so ago.

There is a particulalry nasty strain of it round where I am with several toddlers hospitalised with it. Her best friend has awful scarring on her face and back from it.

My 18 month old has been vaccinated but we were lucky as he had it as part of a trial (they were trialling a new version). No side effects. A lot of my fiends kids have been really sick with chicken pox and have permenant scars. If you can afford it do it!

I called a private clinic to enquire about it today and they recommend we wait til after our holiday which is in 3 weeks time. It's £160 for the course of 2 injections which seems to be the going rate.

You GP practise may do it privately a little cheaper

You need the Pox Post: naturenurtureparenting.co.uk/2015/02/28/your-guide-to-the-varicella-chickenpox-vaccination-in-the-uk/

I vaccinated ds, and would make the same decision again.