In thinking you should vaccinate against Chicken Pox if you can afford it?

[shutyourlittleface]

I just don't see the downside.

I currently have two mum mates moaning about their nurseries having confirmed chicken pox cases. They could just have their kids vaccinated to alleviate the worry surely?

I thought that vaccinating puts you at greater risk of shingles as an adult which has much more risky outcomes?

I always maintained that if my ds’s hadn’t had chicken pox by the age of 10 I would vaccinate them. I was weeks away from booking 9 year old ds1 in for the vaccination when he caught it. He’s 8 year old brother got it soon after.

I’m pretty glad tbh, $125 per vaccine and they need 2 each. That’s $500. I would have spent it if I needed to but that’s a lot of money for something that is usually a mild childhood illness. So I understand why parents don’t get the CP vaccine.

As it happens, ds1 was far more poorly from his recent case of strep throat than he was with chicken pox. Ds2 wasn’t poorly at all, he just had the spots.

If it was added to the vaccine schedule, I think more people would take it up and I do think they should add it in.

@WhiteRedRose Forgive me if I misread, but are you suggesting chicken pox always starts behind the ears? Because it doesn't. Mine started on the back of my hand, then my chest (age 19, so I remember very clearly). Also it is possible to get it more than once - there will always be people who don't become immune.

@WhiteRedRose a doctor confirmed it was chicken pox. I'm not immune compromised. 🤣
I'm hale and hearty. Just have rotten luck with chicken pox.
I only ever get it in patches now (I know, sounds like shingles, it isn't I've had it confirmed that it's chicken pox by medical professionals) and each time I've had it, it's because I've been around people who were infectious. (Most recently my DD, there was a spate of it at school - about 4-6 pupils in her class were off with it)

At the most recent event (Easter) I had 7 pox spots on my back and 2 on my ankle. They were itchy and I felt fine (I could have hidden them and no one would have known) but I took the week off with my DD and hid at home. The worst symptom I had was the absolute tiredness.

The time before that was July 1997. I remember if well because I had to have a confirmed diagnosis to inform the family of the baby I had babysat for and I couldn't visit a brand new baby in my own family until I was all clear.

The nhs website says it might increase adult risk of shingles to have chicken pox vaccine. Is this not true? If it isn't I might consider this for my DD

You can get him if now shutupyourface- why wait! Get in there.

Yeah, no, they have to be 9. Are you being so combative on purpose?

"I thought that vaccinating puts you at greater risk of shingles as an adult which has much more risky outcomes?"

As I understand it, it puts the adults (me and DH) at greater risk of shingles. But you get shingles from the dormant chicken pox virus (like the cold sore virus- both the herpes family) and so if you never catch chicken pox due to being vaccinated you are not likely to develop shingles.

As in, adults who have had chicken pox are at greater risk. This is because being exposed to the chicken pox virus boosts our immunity which we have from having had the disease. But you could also just get a shingles booster yourself. Plus I'd rather protect my kids than me.

Very unlikely that they'll get it as an adult if they've been vaccinated. They can have a booster anyway.

Just a comment on that. This thing about needing a booster as an adult is true for ALL vaccinations.
But how many people actually do it? and how are we ever told to do so and encouraged?
The tetanus vaccine for example. We should be getting a booster at least every 10 years. We dont. Insted they give you the vaccine when you arrive at A&E if it looks like you need it.

And of course, re CP, its relying on the child, who is now an adult, to actually go and do it.....

I don't understand the argument that chickenpox should be allowed to circulate in order to protect older people from developing shingles when we are also advised to isolate children with chickenpox in order to protect immunocompromised people and pregnant women. If exposure to chickenpox was really important for preventing shingles, children with chickenpox ought to be spreading it as far as they can, not hiding at home!

My DC have the vaccination because it was worth £150 to me not to make them suffer through weeks of illness and isolation, let alone undergo the risk of having a serious case with complications.

To the PP who wouldn't vaccinate against rubella - I know someone with lifelong disabilities due to congenital rubella syndrome and you are very wrong to consider its effects on her as "mild".

It puts the older population at more risk of shingles because they're less likely to be around the wild CP virus which strengthens immunity or something

You could give these people a call, they don’t specify an age. Worth a check surely, since it’s so incredibly important? fleetstreetclinic.com/services/travel-health-specialist-vaccines/vaccinations/vaccine-clinic/hpv-vaccine/

ep.bmj.com/content/104/3/120.full

There is a recent article in the bmj that most likely answers all you questions, problem is that it's behind a paywall.

What do you mean it's not mainstream? If course it is in many parts of the world. Here in the US, you can't find anyone under the age of 30 that's had chicken pox. It's a terrible disease that scars and can maim in extreme cases, of course they should pay if they can afford it. I bet if it was on the NHS tomorrow everyone would be clamoring to get it. Neanderthal thinking's Alive and well I see!

You could give these people a call, they don’t specify an age. Worth a check surely, since it’s so incredibly important? <a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=fleetstreetclinic.com/services/travel-health-specialist-vaccines/vaccinations/vaccine-clinic/hpv-vaccine/" target="_blank">https://fleetstreetclinic.com/services/travel-health-specialist-vaccines/vaccinations/vaccine-clinic/hpv-vaccine//*

He doesn't need it yet. He's not sexual active at 16 months old. But thanks for the link.

You're very very odd.

@Cyw2018 Have you read it?

Ah right. So it’s only CP and HPV vaccines that you’re willing to pay for then?

This page explains it well.

www.ox.ac.uk/research/everything-you-need-know-about-chickenpox-and-why-more-countries-don%E2%80%99t-use-vaccine#

It puts the older population at more risk of shingles because they're less likely to be around the wild CP virus which strengthens immunity or something

Yes and one of the arguments for getting children vaccinated against flu is that it helps protect the elderly as children are big spreaders of it.

I have no idea why it appears that the elderly are being prioritised.

Formerbabe they may have had it very mildly. When I was pregnant for the second time I was worried as my mum, a nurse said I'd never had it and I had a toddler in nursery. But I was tested and am immune and they said it was quite common to have had it so mildly you never knew!

@Passthecherrycoke You're still being very, very odd

I’ve been considering it, but it’s a lot of money when you have more than one child and we’d have to make a 3 hour round trip to do so. I’m also put off by reading things about it wearing off/shingles. There doesn’t seem to be a consensus on whether it’s better to catch it. I don’t know anyone IRL who has had anything other than a fairly mild illness lasting a week. Yes it’s unpleasant but the vast majority cases are fairly mild. Yes there can be complications but there can be complications for any illness, (I had sepsis last year so I’m fully aware of how quickly mild illness can escalate). But Surely if you’re pregnant and haven’t got immunity then you get the vaccine on the nhs?

@NailsNeedDoing

I'm aware that mumps could cause fertility issues in men but it probably wouldn't if caught by a child and treated effectively. I had it when I was little, it was very mild. As for rubella, I'd rather see women of childbearing age be given the vaccine, instead of it being given to small children, half of whom will receive no benefit from it.

I had mumps a couple of years ago. I was early 30's and can assure you it was the most painful thing I've ever had that lingered for weeks and affected my life a great deal. It cannot be treated only managed.
Vaccination stops the spread of this hideous illness!

People really need to vaccinate! Not only to protect their own children but to provide herd protection for the vulnerable and for people like me who for some reason the vaccine didn't work for. (No idea why, maybe I was sick or something when I had the vaccine etc 🤷🏻‍♀️)

@StealthPolarBear

Yes I have heard of that and wondered if my ds may have had a mild version without me realising. He has been directly exposed to it and it went round numerous times at his nursery and primary school.

passthecherrycoke why are you being so obtuse? Most parents choose to prioritise their children’s health. The CP vaccine is an easily available, relatively cheap option that prevents your child from getting an illness they would otherwise get. I live in a relatively deprived area and I’d say around half of the parents I know have immunised their kids against CP. It’s not unusual, even for households on a fairly tight budget.

You’d prefer to spend your money on days out. Well, good for you but please don’t be surprised when people think you’re an idiot.