To Give DD The Chicken Pox Vaccine?

[puppy23]

DD is 17 now and still yet to catch chicken pox. From what I'm aware of it is much worse and riskier to catch in adulthood, and hence am researching the vaccine. Not sure where we could have it done yet with it not being offered on the NHS (if anyone knows let me know), but just curious to what other people's views are/the experiences of anyone whose had it?

Ive never had chicken pox, im 32, and neither has my dad who is mid fifties. I was exposed to it twice during pregnancy and had to have the necessary jabs then, which was awful!! Four needles each time, two in each arm. So Id suggest the vaccine just to avoid that for her in the future. But if shes not had it yet doesnt mean she "will" get it.

I got chicken pox straight after my son had it at the age of 31. I would not wish it on my worst enemy. The strange thing is I was booked in to get the vaccine but was too late. It wasn't just the actually spots that was difficult before the spots came out I got a terrible fever, my bedsheets were soaked from sweat. I then became freezing cold and my teeth were chattering. I was bedbound for 2 weeks. Personally I would get the vaccine.

Yup I'd give the vaccine. It will most likely need to be privately. Along with by DC we are in the growing numbers that do not receive immunity with catching it naturally. Unfortunately i had it 5 times before my immunity was tested!

I'd definitely give the vaccine. But the I've vaccinated my one year old.

OP can I just say, before you get her a vaccine, get her blood tested to be sure she doesn't have the antibodies.

I always thought I had never had CP and was thinking about getting the jab myself before ttc. My GP suggested I get tested first though and in fact, I did have CP antibodies. She surmised that I had had a very mild, entirely symptom free case of CP as a child. Apparently that happens!

Travel clinics will definitely do it, as will private GPs and some pharmacies. I think it's two doses at least 4 weeks apart. Around £65 per dose. Some places will charge an appointment fee on top of this.

I also got the meningitis b vaccine for my child, not sure if that's something you would want to look into as well

I've been talking to some friends about this lately. We all felt that vaccination would be a good idea if our DC hadn't picked it up naturally. I suggested the end of Primary might be a good time as I imagine the likelihood of catching it after that is lower (although my brother did).

I would be very interested to hear other opinions.

Babies can have the vaccine once they are a year old. My son had the vaccine and it came in two injections a month apart. They can't have it too close to any other vaccines, the gap, again, needs to be a month. It was just like any other injection. We paid privately and it was fine.

Crossed posts with lots of others...

Btw we had it done because my husband got cp as a child and had complications which we wanted to avoid for our son.

Agree before the vaccine (your gp can recommend where some will provide it normally any private clinics that do travel vaccinations ect will) I would get her checked for antibodies it's entirely possible she is already immune!

I had both my dcs vaccinated. The nearest place to us was a private gp clinic (charged £70 per dose, 2 doses required). Google 'private vaccination clinics' in your area.

Occupational health at work also offers private gp appointments and I had it done there in my mid twenties as a private patient.

My adult niece has chicken pox right now. I have just today taken her to an out of hours gp practice in A&E. She has ulcers in her mouth, spots in her vagina, in her eyelids, a roaring temperature, appalling sweats and is in agony - they actually prescribed Tramadol for that, and Acyclovir to try to lessen the impact.

So yes, this is to be avoided at all costs as an adult.

Get tested first as PPs have said - I apparently didn't have it as a child, but I didn't catch it when my dcs had it so I must have had a symptomless bout as a child.

Please ensure you check she hasn't already had it (quite possible)

Mine are only young 7,4,2
& all had chicken pox. 2 year old was so poorly and in hospital. If I had another baby I would definitely pay for the vaccine - I don't think it's expensive & it's horrible to get as you get older - there's no need to get it :)

I paid £90 x2 for DS.

My dad had cp as an adult and suffered way more than we did.

At 17 shouldn't it be her choice? I'd suggest getting it done though.

Is there any risk to having the vaccination if you've had the actual pox, above the small risk of vaccinations generally?

I got it in my 20s - it was really, really awful. Probs the Ilkeston I've ever been.

We got our DD the vaccine. I was v poorly as a child with it and neither of us particularly want to be off work with a poorly grizzly child in quarantine fkr 1-2 weeks.

Ive never had chicken pox despite being exposed on numerous occassions. Had a blood test taken when i was pregnant because there was an outbreak and i was worried my ds would take them and then i would get them. It came back as immune. aparently some people can just have a natural immunity to it. So it may be worth while having the blood test taken to see if she is actually at risk of contracting them.

A local family lost a child to chickenpox recently. Just heartbreaking. I got my DD vaccinated asap. Stock is low on chickenpox vaccine though so be prepared for a bit of a wait.

My dd had cp horribly at 9mo and my friends dd was hospitalised and on iv antibiotics, after that I had my ds vaccinated £65 x2 shots. It's a nasty virus.

Never had it, I'm late 30's.

Was screened during both of my pregnancies and I have natural immunity.

DC have had it (youngest DC has had it twice) and my siblings all got it when I was 13 never got it then either

That said I still don't lick people with the pox.