To feel a bit guilty that my dcs have never had chicken pox?

[Sharkirasharkira]

Both dcs are teens or just pre teens and have never had chicken pox. I didn't know anyone who had it while they were younger so they just never came into contact with it.

Tbh though even if I had know someone with it I would have actively avoided them as ds2 is disabled and does not do well with taking medication or having anything applied to his skin. He has small patches of psoriasis as it is and absolutely refuses to let anyone put anything on it so the idea of him having chicken pox all over and not been able to do anything to help him just breaks my heart and he would not understand what is happening to him.

Aibu to feel a bit weirdly guilty that they've never had it when I hear people talk about how much worse it is as an adult? Wonder if I have set them up for more pain and discomfort in the long run

@Skyejuly
Vaccine wears off though,?

No evidence/data to support that at all.

I was vaccinated as an adult. Only thing that survived the chemo, MMR, Polio had to be redone, but I still had immunity to CP.

Ah ok. A doctor told me to consider if my ds would be able to get a vaccine again later on in life to prevent wear off.

@Skyejuly

I've met a lot of hematologists in the last few years. They all recommend getting it.
It hasn't been around long enough for long term data.
If you are curious about immunity then it's a very simple blood test and the vaccine is easy enough to get.

I never had chicken pox as a child even though my sister was plastered in it. However I caught it from goodness knows who when I was 32.

Don't feel guilty, there is still time for them to get it.

I had it at 19 and it was horrible. I was in halls at uni - went to the GP, was immediately quarantined, my friends had to bring my stuff and I had to wait two days in the quarantine bay of my GP until my parents were able to pick me up.

My child will be vaccinated when he's old enough. Why put them through what could be a serious illness if you don't have to?

Also there is increased risk of stroke after chicken pox which is a real thing but doesn't seem to be well known!

It's part of the vaccination schedule here in Spain. I got it as a kid, very mildly and then suffered shingles as an adult.

Get them vaccinated. I had it when I was 17 years old. It was awful, was covered head to toe, even inside my mouth. Weeks of cold baths in January was not fun at all, and over an hour to apply calamine lotion to my whole body. I wouldn't wish it on anyone as an adult

The worry was that it may not be available in the future?

Turns out my 15yr old didnt catch it even when his younger sisters had it a few months back

Definitely worth speaking to your GP to see if they'll do it on the NHS but don't bank on it - I was turned down even though DH is immunocompromised. I got it done privately in the end - well worth it in my opinion.

My 14 to ds had chicken pox earlier this year. We had discussed the vaccine because he has a primary school aged younger brother, but never actually followed it up. Oh how I wish we had. He was almost hospitalised. He was quite poorly. The gp was ready to send us (mainly because he had one on his eye and that can be dangerous, but also because he was just so ill) so I'd absolutely recommend investigating the vaccine and actually getting it.

Ds recovered and is fine now, but he was in bed for a week. And didn't feel 100% for 2 weeks after that.

Weird isn't it. I think ds will miss out on the hpv vaccine so I'm keen to get that done now. Especially as my mum died of head and neck cancer. You've galvanised me into action!

@Skyejuly

The worry was that it may not be available in the future?

Why wouldn't it? It's becoming far more common, not less common.

@SVRT19674

Hola! I'm in Spain too. We got our DC privately vaccinated at the CAP, the year before it was put on the schedule. Also had the Men B vax.
CP went through the DCs school between us having the vax and it going on the schedule. They were one of 5 kids still in school (the others also had vax), CP took out 3 (P3, 4 & 5) years of kids and 2 ended up hospitalised.

I saw a sign outside Boots yesterday that they administer the chicken pox vaccine.

The chickenpox vaccine also boosts immunity to shingles, and shingles is bloody horrible.

I didn't actually know they had a vaccine already, thought they were just talking about creating one! Yes they are both boys so no worries about pregnancy but still. Seems like the best option when I can afford it.

Ds2 is not good with injections, he would have to be held down for it but I suppose it's better than the alternative

I'd get them vaccinated. I had it when I was 15 and it was awful. I was really Ill, much worse than my kids were.

Seems like the best option when I can afford it.

Honestly, go and see if your gp will authorise it for medical reasons. If you have good reason to vaccinate (I presume your ds2 is at high risk of infected spots I.e. risk of complications) then you won't have to pay.

Feeling guilty because your children didn't catch a disease is beyond unreasonable.

If you think they would be better being vaccinated then sort it out, otherwise just leave it. Some people never catch it.

Just be aware that is a live vaccine so you can't go near pregnant women, elderly, new babies for 14 days but cancer research state that anyone with Cancer or people having chemo should stay away from people who have had the vaccine for 6 months so that's something you need to consider.

I would get their immunity checked first, and then the vaccine if they need it. Neither DH or I have ever had chicken pox but all our children have. DC1 got it when I was pregnant with DC2, the doctor did a blood test and found that I was immune. We didn't check DH's antibodies but he has been exposed to all of our children and never got it so we assume he is also immune.

It might be that they don't have to have the vaccine at all.

DS had it as a toddler but DD has never knowingly had it. We were even on holiday one year with their cousins (one of whom must have been brewing chickenpox, as he came out in spots the day they went home) and she didn't get it. Sure some of her close school friends had it in primary school too (and again she didn't catch it from them), so I suspect she does have immunity already.

You'll be able to get it on the NHS in your circumstances. I did.