To get DS vaccinated against chickenpox...

[RowboatsinDisguise]

Mostly because I can’t be arsed with dealing with it?

DH at the grand age of 31 still hasn’t had chickenpox apparently. He was around kids with chickenpox as a child and never got it so is possibly immune. DS will be 2 in a couple of months and is at nursery so does have the potential to pick up CP and bring it home. I’m pregnant with DC2 and can’t think of much worse than dealing with a toddler with CP, and a newborn, let alone if it turns out DH isn’t immune.

Would the GP check DH’s immunity do you think? If he’s not immune, I could just get them both vaccinated. I’m generally speaking a bit suspicious of anything that isn’t part of the routine schedule (not an anti vaxxer at all obviously, just trust the experts to make the right decisions about what is offered) but it all seems perfectly safe.

They won't check his immunity though you'll just have to pay

For those saying DH is probably immune - I had chicken pox when I was 5 and gave it to my 30 year old mum, 36 year old aunt and 35 year old uncle. They were all properly ill with it so you can't bet on him being immune.

@WhereamI88

For those saying DH is probably immune - I had chicken pox when I was 5 and gave it to my 30 year old mum, 36 year old aunt and 35 year old uncle. They were all properly ill with it so you can't bet on him being immune.

No, but equally, there are instances where a person didn't think they had it and yet was immune as an adult. I have had a cousin and a friend in this position. It's also possible that someone who gets it as an adult had it previously but didn't retain immunity.

I got my son vaccinated just after he turned one.. I remember being horribly sick with it as a child, as does my husband.
At some universities in Australia they offer top up chickenpox and MMR jabs before all the freshers join. So will likely replicate something like that for our son and get him a booster around 18 to be on the extra safe side

I was hospitalised with chicken pox at the age of about 7. It's rare but the virus caused brain inflammation and I had a seizure, which must have been terrifying for my poor mum who saw it. My 3 year old is vaccinated and my next child (due October) will be too as soon as possible.
My understanding, at least in the country where I live (non-UK) is that the only reason it is not included in the main schedule of vaccinations is that it isn't usually that serious a disease so vaccinating wouldn't save very many lives and it therefore isn't economically viable for the government to pay.

I had my son vaccinated before he started nursery, he has meningitis as a baby which puts him at higher risk of complications if he did catch chicken pox. He had two jabs and he will need another when he turns 16 and if he has children he will likely be advised to have an immunity test.

A friend's son was extremely ill with chicken pox. He nearly died and needed plastic surgery on his face afterwards. That prompted us to get our DD vaccinated and I'm very happy with our decision.

My SIL thought she was immune as she hadn't had chicken pox as a child. She got it when her children caught it though so she'd somehow just avoided it for nearly 40 years.

An average of 25 people a year die from Chickenpox. 5 of them children.

That is more children die from Chickenpox every year than have died from Covid 19

We were actually booked in to get our twins vaccinated against chicken pox... Then literally 3 days before the injections were due... They got it.

Both had very mild doses though, so we're a bit concerned they may get it again when they hit school age.

I've thought about this. DD1 didn't get chicken pox until she was 11 and she was covered from head to toe. She's autistic and also had a cast on her leg after surgery (which resulted in hundreds of spots inside the cast) and it was hideous. Even now when I think of those two weeks I feel exhausted!

DD2 is five and has been exposed to chicken pox several times and still hasn't caught it. Her entire reception class had it last year apart from her. I don't understand how she hasn't caught it already.

Its only since the whole covid thing came about that I actually realised how dangerous 'normal' viruses like chickenpox can actually be

@Ohtherewearethen Shingles is the reactivation of the chickenpox virus from a previous infection - so you can't get shingles if you haven't had chickenpox (it's a herpes virus like cold sores, so it goes into hiding and can re-emerge rather than your immune system completely clearing it) . The NHS theory is that having lots of chickenpox circulating in the population keeps reminding people's immune systems what chickenpox is, so it makes it better at fighting the virus when it tries to re-emerge to cause shingles. As there haven't been big outbreaks of shingles in the US and Australia since introducing the vaccine, I'm not convinced by the argument.

The chickenpox vaccine uses a weakened virus so is much less likely to reactivate and give you shingles. When I looked a couple of years ago all the cases I could find were of shingles in people who'd be vaccinated were in immunocompromised people.

I was about 5 months pregnant when my first got chicken pox. And still suffering with awful sickness. It started off ok and then all of a sudden got awful. I took her to the doctors and she just wouldn't wake up for ages. She hadn't done a wee for almost 24 hours and nothing was bringing her temperature down. My gp is in the same building as urgent care so they looked after her and sorted her out. And once that scare was over the itching really kicked in. 4 days and nights without any sleep. Luckily it was the easter holidays and I work in schools so no time off needed. But I wouldn't wish the experience on my worst enemy. Definetly getting my second vaccinated.

I got DS vaccinated at 13mths which was as soon as I could. It was just a no brainer for me, if you can afford it you protect your child.

Vaccinated my DC because I wanted to protect my DF who was on chemo (and couldn't be arsed taking a week off work without pay and cancelling holidays as I'd seen friends have to do (Florida, Canada etc)).

Most western countries have it as part of their vax schedule. My friend who's a paediatric epidemiologist said it's not part of the UK schedule because they've got their hands full trying to increase the MMR vax rates. She vaccinated her children against chicken pox.

It's a routine vaccination in most other developed countries... the main reason it isn't here is the cost to the NHS ☹️

One of the more severe (albeit very rare) complications in children is a stroke. For me, knowing this made paying for the vaccination a no brainer.

I would absolutely give my DCs the vaccine if I could turn the clock back. Both were really, really poorly and DD required hospital treatment due to infection. She has some quite bad scarring as a result. It is an underestimated illness as many/most people have it so mildly, but the reality is that you can't predict how seriously your child will get it.

I never had CP as a child - even though I'd been around it - I caught it from my son when I was 33 - I thought I was going to die, it was awful. I would definitely recommend your DH getting the vaccination. (As well as the children)

I was the same as your DH, I never caught it as a child despite being around those who had it, and so I decided to get vaccinated a few years ago. I partly would recommend it, but PPs are right that the vaccine doesn't last forever, I was told I'll need a booster after 10 years, not sure whether I'll need anymore after that.

if children get chickenpox they are exposing the adult population to the chickenpox virus which will top up their immunity. But if children are vaccinated they won't be spreading it and providing top up protection to adults
Yeah my kid is not here to save the NHS money by providing top up protection to others! His own needs come first. I got him vaccinated for his own benefit, I don’t give a shit if that means complete strangers are more likely to get shingles because he’s not walking around boosting their immunity. Most developed countries like US and Aus regard us as backward because we don’t vaccinate against chickenpox. It can be very nasty and even if it’s mild it can result in unsightly scarring.

Another reason the NHS doesn’t vaccinate is because they’re afraid that adding yet another injection to the schedule will freak out the antivaxxers and make them less likely to vaccinate. So my kid has to suffer because some fools are nervous about vaccinations? Nope - I paid for the chickenpox vaccination and I have zero regrets.

We had DD vaccinated at 3 precisely because we didn't want to deal with it. She suffers with various sensory issues and I knew that trying to apply cream etc would be horrific.

I believe that we will need to have her immunity checked when she's older and she might need a booster jab at some point.

Do it. Best £65 spent. DS has suffered convulsions in the last, and it's one way of ensuring he doesn't have any through catching the pox. The only thing that keeps his temp down is ibuprofen and that can't be given when they have it. So it's absolutely worthwhile. We went to our local Superdrug clinic for it, cheapest I could find and the nurse was brilliant with DS.

That was meant to to £130, in two payments. It's late, my brain isn't functioning welll

@Feelingconfused2020

The only thing I would be aware of is that it doesn't last a lifetime so you may be condemning DS to adult chicken pox which is far worse.

That said I would speak to your GP about this as I am sure your DS could get the vaccine again in adulthood and it does sound like chicken pox in your household right now could be quite tough. I know people who have had the vaccine with no issues.

That’s not true. The pharmacist told me that it does last for life but as an older adult she would need a vaccine for shingles.

I had my daughter vaccinated OP, partly because why not if you can, it’s a horrible illness, and also because my sister nearly died from chicken pox. She ended up in a wheelchair. It’s not always the mild, inconvenient illness it’s made out to be. I didn’t want to risk my child’s health.

OP, please get proper advice from a pharmacist.

I had it at 7ish. Ill for a month. Couldn't eat properly, couldn't walk and most left scars- including one on the front of my face.
Horrible disease.