To choose to vaccinate 1yr old against chicken pox?

[welliwasntexpectingthat]

I have 2 older children who have had it and i feel like it will hang over us, ready to pounce just before a holiday or another inconvenient time. I can't see there is any real detrimental effect of doing it on him....or am i missing something important?

I would. I am sure there are valid reasons it's not available on nhs but it is widely used in other countries.

I did with no regrets.

I vaccinated my third too. My second was extremely ill with chicken pox and I wasn't going to risk that again.

Many many countries include chicken pox in the standard vaccination schedule. I believe the NHS doesn't because it's an expensive vaccine.

Some people will tell you getting chicken pox is good for their immune system and it rarely causes severe complications and blah blah but if I had my time again I'd pay for vaccines for all of mine.

I think the only 'valid reason' it isn't available on the NHS is cost, so NBU to vaccinate. It can be v miserable despite being termed a 'mild illness'.

I did for exactly that reason. We had a close friend's destination wedding booked and there was no way I was risking that. DS was nearly two when he had the first of two doses. Best thing we ever did. Money well spent

I did, simply because I'd seen other people's children have it and some really got it bad and my logic was that if it was prevebtable, why not? I have no regrets.

Go for it. One of my dc was very ill with chickenpox and I vowed never again, I got the next one vaccinated.

I did and no regrets. Depending on research available at the time, I will pay for a booster for them when they're in their late teens as there's conflicting info about how long immunity lasts at the moment.

We were actively planning on vaccinating DD for chicken pox via the health care service in DH's home country - we pop over every couple of months for the weekend and she would have been eligible to any additional vaccinations not currently offered by the NHS as a duel citizen. But of course she then caught the pox last year really badly just before we were then next due to go! It was really horrible couple of weeks so I would without doubt get it done asap if we have any other DC in the future!

Of course you are not U to vaccinate if you are concerned about it.

But I wish people would stop saying that the NHS doesn't do it because of cost. Their reasoning is about shingles, not cost. That said, for most kids it is a mild illness so perhaps the cost/benefit analysis doesn't stack up but they don't want to say that.

We did no regrets.

I would vaccinate save yourself the hassle of it. The disadvantage is mainly financial so if you're not bothered by the cost then go for it.

Do it... my three kids have sailed through chickenpox outbreaks without even an itch. They are teenagers now. When ours were babies, the chicken pox vaccination was very new, and we had to pay quite a lot for it (not in UK). At this time, a friend’s 3 month old granddaughter developed such a severe case of chicken pox that she developed lesions on her brain and didn’t make it. Didn’t stop to think too much when I heard this story. I also bear scars from repeated shingles outbreaks just underneath my eyebrow. It’s extremely painful and it makes you feel very ill. I’m happy to protect my kids from developing that as well!

DD1s nursery had chicken pox going round, just as she was about to start so I delayed her start date and got her the vaccine. I will get it for my DD2 as well.

I understand that the NHS's reason is about protecting the adult generation from shingles. And also the risk is higher for unvaccinated kids if they then catch chickenpox as adults when it's worse. They'd prefer the virus to circulate.
But if you don't care about contributing to protecting the general population and only want to protect your own child then no reason not to go ahead.

I wish I had. My eldest was 3 when he caught it and was so ill. He still has scars.
My then 4 month old caught it off him.
I didn't know a chicken pox vaccine was available. Wish I'd known and had it done.

If I'd know how awful it would be, I definitely would've vaccinated. My dc really suffered and my youngest ended up in hospital because it went into his eyes! They are now covered in scars.

Do it.

The shingles theory doesn't just pertain to the UK - shingles can occur as a reactovation of the chickenpox virus in any country. Funny how it's only in the UK it's been decided that this trumps protection of children 🤔

And it's also funny how the usual MN consensus has been turned on its head on this thread - usually it's those who don't vaccinate their children who get anger and snide comments - not those who do.

It's standard in the US and recommended by the CDC. I was shocked to learn that the NHS doesn't offer it in the UK. The WHO also recommends it.

I'd like to get DS vaccinated privately. Does anyone know what age is best to do it?

Whilst the majority of chicken pox cases come to nothing, I do know one child that it nearly killed. He developed massive complications from it and it was touch and go for a while. Absolutely terrified his parents. IF you want to buy the vaccination then definitely do. It's not vital but there's no harm in having it either.

i vaccinated mine. the nhs doesn’t do vaccinations to protect the adult population from shingles (which are a direct consequence of chicken pox). not a good enough reason for me to expose my child to something that can get very serious

@coffeeforone there is a vaccine for shingles if people can‘t be asked to get it for themselves, i refuse to expose my child to something potentially very serious for their convenience.

Another one here who vaccinated both DC. DH got done at the same time as DC1, as he'd never had chicken pox and it's really nasty if you get it as an adult.

We got ours done. The NHSdoesnt do itasa cost cutting measure. In countries with better healthcare systems itssstandard part of the vaccination schedule andis usually done at 1 ands halfish.