To ask... Would you give your child chicken pox deliberately?

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DD's cousin is due over tomorrow for a sleepover. Cousin has just been diagnosed with chicken pox.

Should we go ahead with sleepover, assuming cousin feels well enough, in the knowledge it will likely lead to DD catching chicken pox?

DD is 4 (not at school yet), cousin turning 6, and I've got a 9 month old at home to who woke this morning with a high temp so he might be ailing with something toi

Absolutely no way. My Dd ended up in hospital with complications. It can be dangerous.

“Simply put, you don't want your child to get chickenpox. Though it's usually not dangerous in most kids, the virus does bring with it the potential for serious complications including pneumonia, bleeding problems, encephalitis (brain swelling), bacterial skin infections, toxic shock syndrome, bone and joint infections, and even death. Even otherwise healthy kids can suffer dangerous, even life-threatening, complications from chickenpox, and there's no way to predict whether your child will be one of the ones who does. In contrast, "the virus in the vaccine has about a one thousand-fold less chance of serious rare complications than wild chickenpox" the virus you can catch "and close to zero risk of a fatal complication," says Dr. Willoughby.

Even if your child isn't among those who end up with complications from chickenpox, living through the disease itself is no fun. It can be extremely uncomfortable and keep your child out of school or childcare (and you out of work) for more than a week. "If your child can get a vaccine so he'll never get pox and aren't out of school for 10 days, then why do a chickenpox party? You can schedule a shot for one day, instead of dealing with sickness for ten days," says Dr. Willoughby. "You get the same immune protection with much less suffering. What's not to like?"

Please don't.

Some people can get chicken pox many times, my dc have both had it three times confirmed by GP.

I have an autoimmune disease and get desperately ill when people wheel out their 'mildly' ill kids.

No, and certainly not with a 9 month old in the house.

No!

My friends grandson is currently in hospital with Acute Cerebellar Ataxia as a bad side complication of chicken pox. He will recover but it’s a scary time and may be long recovery.

Chicken Pox is often inevitable but now that there is a vaccine I would choose it in a heartbeat after learning of the complications that are thankfully rare but still possible.

Just for info. Superdrug do the vaccine for £65 per dose and a 2 dose course is needed.

I was at the park the other day and DD was on the climbing frame with a little boy. His mum says to me "He does have chicken pox, that's why he's outside and not at playgroup, but it's better they get it young isn't it?"
I also have an 11 week old. I wanted to punch her.

No! As others have said, vaccinate. Chicken Pox can be really unpleasant.

Just seeing that word makes me shudder! We're in the middle of 3 weeks of CP hell. 18month old DS got it in nursery 3 weeks ago and still not himself, one of the spots got infected. I am 12 weeks pregnant and despite going to several 'CP parties' as a child and being given the vzig, I now have it. The cost of lost nursery days and work days 100% make up for the vaccine cost. It's not always mild and wish I knew then what I know now about CP!

No. It's not a case of spots for a few days. It's bloody nasty and uncomfortable for the child even where there are no complications.

I was about 6 when I had it, and the spots were all inside me and in my mouth and up my bum as well as all over me - it was awful!!

Obviously you can't help it if she gets it from school or something, but you can avoid deliberate exposure.

NO no no no and no. My DD2 got it at 7 months and ended up hospitalised with infected sores in her groin, ears, nose and mouth meaning she couldn't feed. She lost over 1lb in weight and it set her back months developmentally as she'd been premature anyway. It was beyond horrific and having to have your child sedated as they are in so much pain is not for the faint hearted. I want to punch people that say it's a mild illness. For some, it bloody isn't.

Please postpone the sleepover.

Not with a 9 month old, but if they were 2+ and the timing was good I would.

I understand there can be complications, but unless you vaccinate then they are going to get it - what's the problem with influencing the timing?

Absolutely not

Goodness no, I appreciate that for most children it's a pretty easy illness to get through but DS1 had it at 12 months old via his nursery and it was awful. He ended up being rushed into our local hospital as he was so, so unwell. It took a month for him to recover thoroughly and the worst-case-scenario as he was admitted was that he might not survive because the secondary infection had become so serious. His consultant and the nurses on that ward were incredible and several of them admitted they'd vaccinated their own DCs against CP because of the risk of complications.

DS2 was vaccinated against it as soon as he was old enough and we deliberately avoided nursery during CP outbreaks simply because I refused to expose him on purpose. He'd probably have come through it unscathed but having seen what CP can do, I wasn't willing to risk it. I wouldn't ever suggest anyone deliberately expose a child to it (and would actively suggest that everyone reads up on the vaccine and make an informed choice).

No I wouldn't.

DD caught it at 18months, we weren't expecting any problems but it actually made her really ill and has left scarring on her face, still visible even though she is now adult.

DS's caught it in their mid teens and coped really well with no after effects.

WOuld you deliberately infect your self with a horrible disease? I doubt it. Why would you do that to your very young children?

did not RTFT (coz I know this will be minority view). Yes I would deliberately get it over with at a time of my choosing.

Dont do it. With a 9 month old there natural immunity is not even at 50% so they will have a hard time fighting the disease.

Anyone with a compromised immune system can be killed by so-called 'mild' illnesses. You don't know who this might be. I didn't know a child I was friends with had leukaemia. It was explained to me after he died of chicken pox.

I was going to say go ahead as its usually best they catch it when they are young, especially pre-school age as she wouldn't miss school. My 40 year old sister still hasn't had it and she wishes she had it as a child as with each pregnancy she has had to avoid other kids and been very worried. Her bloods show she has no immunity. It is very dangerous to catch in pregnancy. However then I read you have a baby and it is not great for them to catch it so young. I think I read the chance of them getting it again is high if they are under 1 so it wouldn't necessarily 'get it out the way' for them. They would almost certainly catch it if cousin still came, it is highly contagious. I am presuming cousins scabs are at the weepy stage if only just diagnosed? Hmmm, I wouldn't want them in my childrens bedrooms/bedding personally!

No. And make getting the vaccination a priority.

God no, my 2yr old got it, few spots, a bit warm so he played outside a bit more. My 5 month old got it a few days later and was really ill, up and down to hospital with breathing problems, over 80 spots just on his forehead and still has scars today (age 11). He caught it accidentally, I could never do that to a child intentionally.

Silver, why hasn't your sister just had the vaccine?

Norovirus is rife at the moment, best to expose your child now and get it out the way for this season.

No, I thought not.