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?

@coffeforone why should children suffer to benefit adults? (who will be a small minority anyway as it’s only beneficial to the adults who actually come into contact with the disease). Obviously vaccinating also prevents individuals from catching the disease later in life more effectively than allowing the disease to circulate. There really isn’t any compelling reason why we shouldn’t routinely vaccinate against varicella.

I want to vaccinate DC (2 year old) but he needs to have been off steroids for over a month which he takes when he gets a cold and we haven't been able to keep him cold and therefore steroid free for a month.

I'm sure the people giving the vaccination would check but if your child is having any medication it might be worth checking with a doctor as we didn't know about the steroids until I asked.

@ILoveEurovision most countries do the first dose at 18 months or there abouts. It’s recommended that you time it so the doses don’t clash with any other vaccines you child is getting.

The NHS is considering introducing it. I read a lot of the research and as far as I could see the only reason not to vaccinate is to protect adults by ensuring everyone catches chickenpox as a child. Any adult who hasn't had chickenpox could be vaccinated, so it seems pointless to me, I'd rather protect my own son than the random herd. Every nursery we looked at had a chickenpox sign up, so I don't think the herd are in much danger.

You can get it one month after MMR. None of the vaccines have a perfect hit rate from a one-off dose, so make sure you give a booster 6+ weeks later too.

I vaccinated and have no regrets. Friends children really suffered and I didn’t want that for dd. Also, neither of us wanted to have to take the associated time off that chicken pox entails so win win as far as I’m concerned.

But aren't you worried about the mercury poisoning and autism risk?

Just kidding

Get the vaccine if you can afford it. The only real reason not to is monetary. I know it's rarely serious in young children but when it is serious it's really serious. Why take the risk?

I did with my 4th. I’d been through it 3 times already with the eldest 3, it was miserable for everyone and I wanted to avoid that.

YANBU.

I wish I had. DT1 has it right now and is so unwell - day six since the blisters started and he’s still getting new ones, and yesterday his temp went to 40.9, he was so unwell. He’s slightly better for now, but who knows.

Still have to look forward to DT2 getting it. Have tried to find somewhere to do it locally but only a couple of places do and the soonest it can be done is next Friday, I’m certain he will have it by then if he’s going to get it.

I costed up the potential time off and worked out it was cheaper to vaccinate. We had a horrible strain locally that hospitalised a few small children and left DDs best friend with visible scarring on her face and chest.

Its seemed a more than reasonable decision to vaccinate.

I did with DC3, no regrets. Dc1 and 2 had it, it was horrible particularly for dc2 and I didn't want DC3 to have it.

Mine are all vaccinated. It's actually two vaccines. The oldest two had chicken pox when they were little in the UK but had a booster/vaccination in Brazil. The youngest two had two vaccines one in Brazil and their second in the USA, where it's mandatory for school entry.
I've heard it's very expensive in the UK as it's not part of the routine vaccines. Likewise Hepititis A and B are not given in the UK either, which my children also received as part of their routine vaccinations in Brazil and the USA.
My children all had their BCG at birth in the UK. I've heard in some parts of the UK it is not given at all, yet babies in London for example are considered at risk, so routinely given it. Do they think people don't travel? I just don't really get it. The UK attitude towards vaccines is odd sometimes.

Yes I did it for both of mine. 1 month after NHS 12 month vaccinations. 2 doses for £65 each at super drug, was a professional nurse that did it, very good experience.

Why would you even consider this to be unreasonable?

Do it. The reason it's not offered is to protect older people from shingles ... but it's completely reasonable for you to prioritise your child's health! Chicken pox can be really nasty, and the vaccination is offered routinely in some countries.

I planned to pay for my two to be vaccinated against chicken pox, but before I got around to it my daughter saved me the £££ by catching it :grin:

The shingles risk seems to be overstated when you look at what has actually happened in countries with vaccination programmes - there seems to be a significant increase among young (31-40) adults rather than in the elderly.

The question of the ethics of risking the heath of children and increasing their lifetime risk of shingles to protect 31-40 year olds from a vaccine-preventable illness is pretty iffy.

Britain is an outlier in terms of this issue. It’s worth questioning the complacency.

Personally I wouldn't, just because it's my understanding the older a child gets (even if they don't get it into adulthood) the worse the virus is. It's better to make sure they do get it as a child to make sure it's over and done with!

But you ANBU for your reasons, another year probably wouldn't hurt!

I go between thinking we should just do it and thinking I'll give it till she's X age and if she hasn't had chicken pox then we'll vaccinate. Can't make my mind up.

I like to think I am reasonably intelligent, but I had to read the NHS info about the chickenpox vaccine three times to fully understand it. From what I understand, getting chickenpox as a child and then being exposed to it as an adult is the best protection against shingles in adulthood. The NHS doesn't offer it because a) it would put unvaccinated people at risk of getting chickenpox later in life (tough shit, get your kids vaccinated!) And b) the immunity of vaccinated adults or adults who had chickenpox as a child wouldn't be boosted because they wouldn't be exposed to it. Surely if chickenpox were eradicated we wouldn't have to worry about that in the first place?? I am normally a big fan of NHS advice, but this is a case of extreme mental gymnastics...

Mine were vaccinated. Had to save up for a bit but worth every penny.

I heard it only lasts ten years, so unless you're really good at getting it done on time, you're wide open to the shingles risk in later life. Anyone know if that's true?

You can only get shingles if you’ve had chicken pox, so no.

This from an American doctor is quite poignant
cpmgsandiego.com/2011/12/22/chickenpox-and-shingles-what-you-might-not-know/

Watching this with interest, still unsure not because I'm into any of that antivax bollocks but more like do we just go with the norm and let DC have it (currently 16 months) or have a risk of catching it as adults, but that shouldn't happen if they have boosters right? Hearing about the cases where it has struck badly makes me worry. I know if I ask my mum or MIL it'll be a chorus of "just let them catch it when they catch it then it's done, don't be so silly"

I caught it in my early teen years and apart from the terrible itching wasn't too bad. Sorry if I've come across as ignorant, hearing people's opinions on this is good, as well as reading into it.

I vaccinated both mine. Was worried that they would get it badly and be uncomfortable and I could have done something to prevent it. Also, it would be just typical that they caught it at a really inconvenient time!