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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to pay for my daughter to have the chicken pox vaccine?

187 replies

cherrybun01 · 14/10/2020 14:01

hi,

UK based so this isnt part of routine immunizations here (as I'm sure many know). I have seen you can pay to have it done in children, I was really for it but have now had doubts put in my mind.

my partner was a bit on the fence but his 4 year old niece had it this year and was very uncomfortable and unwell so he decided okay let's do it. but my mum, who is not massive on vaccines anyway but whole other story there, has said it is completely unnecessary as it's a mild illness and how do I know a vaccine that is not routine over here is "safe"

she has not dropped it since and has made me paranoid and anxious. I just feel like if I can avoid my baby getting in the state that 4 year old niece did and being fortunate enough to be in a position to avoid that why not?

has anyone here had this vaccine for their children? how was it? would anyone not do it, on the flip side, and if so why?

thanks!

OP posts:
Feellikedancingyeah · 14/10/2020 14:02

I would have. Our DS got it bad and he was really poorly with it

SWLondonTown · 14/10/2020 14:03

Got it for my son, two injections about a month apart, I think. Meant he avoided it when it went around nursery. You can tell from your nieces experience it’s not always mild and I’ve known of kids v poorly with it. If you can afford it I would do it.

Onekidnoclue · 14/10/2020 14:05

I booked DS in for it but he got it while we were waiting for the appointment! I’m pregnant now and will get my second vaccinated to save him the horrible week my DS suffered through.
Your mother is right in that the majority of cases it’s mild BUT it isn’t always and it’s still bloody nasty for them! If I could pick I’d have a stab in the arm rather than chicken pox so that’s what I’ll do for my child.

edwinbear · 14/10/2020 14:07

I was advised not to for my DC. It was doing the rounds at nursery when I was due to have an operation which would leave me in hospital for a week, followed by a further 6 weeks recuperating at home so the timing would have been bad - isn't it always!

My GP said the problem with the vaccine is that doesn't offer life long immunity, so they can catch it when the immunity wears off, the DC are older and affects them more, I was particularly worried about DD then potentially catching it when pregnant. So our personal decision was to let them have it 'naturally' which should protect them for life.

Bearnecessity · 14/10/2020 14:07

I wouldn't and didn't. Re:safety ask for the details of the vaccine from whoever you are planning to do it, research its validity, UK standards and requirements.

QueSera · 14/10/2020 14:09

Yes I definitely would. I tried to get one for my DD but as she had had a "possible" case of very mild (inconclusive to our GP) chickenpox already, they wouldn't do it. But I would definitely have otherwise.

grandmasterstitch · 14/10/2020 14:10

We got it for DS. Chicken pox isn't always mild and I think in 20 years time it'll be routine and people will be shocked we let kids catch it. Re immunity, it's not a problem in countries where the vaccine is part of the routine vaccinations and I don't think there's much evidence that the immunity wears off. I just thought if I could stop my son being miserable for a couple of weeks then why wouldn't I

SeasonallySnowyPeasant · 14/10/2020 14:10

My two had it as I'm immuno deficient. My GP surgery did it for free on the NHS.

'Not part of the routine vaccination schedule for children' doesn't mean it's unsafe, just that the NHS has decided they won't pay for it on a large scale. It's got to go through the same approvals as any other vaccination in the UK.

Findahouse21 · 14/10/2020 14:11

I won't get it for either DD because as a previous PP has pointed out, it doesn't offer immunity long term. I was 11 when I got it and was really poorly, due in part to my age or so my Dr at the time said. I'd hate to think how bad it could get as an adult.

VinylDetective · 14/10/2020 14:12

My GP said the problem with the vaccine is that doesn't offer life long immunity, so they can catch it when the immunity wears off,

I seemed to have a natural immunity as a child and failed to catch it despite being surrounded by it several times. I was infected by my five year old when I was 26. He was a bit off colour for a couple of days. I was in bed for several days. It’s far better to get it as a child.

Original poster
cherrybun01 · 14/10/2020 14:14

hmm, she has her 1 year vaccines coming up so I'll put it to my GP as well and see what she thinks. always good to hear from those who have/havent in real life though!

OP posts:
Crazymadame · 14/10/2020 14:15

I got my daughter immunised. Is it worth 2 weeks off school or nursery and an itchy miserable child for the sake of 2 injections?

If your mum doesnt like it don't tell her. She's your child.

whatswithtodaytoday · 14/10/2020 14:17

I paid for my son to have it. It's part of the routine vaccinations in many other countries, including I believe Germany and the US? Maybe Australia? It's been around for about 20 years so plenty of data.

Chicken pox isn't always mild, you will have to keep them in and take a week or two off work, and if they don't get it as a child they could get it when older and suffer quite badly (as I did).

You also reduce the spread in the community if your child doesn't get it - and we're now experiencing first hand how important that is.

GwendolineMarysLaces · 14/10/2020 14:17

There's loads of evidence from the US where this vaccine is given to children routinely that it is safe. Potential things to consider are that it is unclear how long the protection from the vaccine lasts, and if it wears off in adolescence/adulthood then the person may be at higher risk of complications if they catch chickenpox as it tends to be more severe after childhood. Boosters will therefore likely be required. Also, while Chickenpox itself can be unpleasant for children the risk of complications is low. This is the main reason we don't routinely vaccinate in the U.K., as well as that having some chickenpox circulating in the community helps to protect everyone from shingles.

kittykat35 · 14/10/2020 14:20

Yes I got my two vaccinated, unfortunately I know a child who died from complications from chicken pox. Sad

randomsabreuse · 14/10/2020 14:20

I would have, cheaper than 2 weeks off work...

Tediously DC1 caught it in reception just before DC2 could have it. She was spotty and very bored, not ill. DC2 had a much more miserable time of it - in hindsight I'd have vaccinated DC1 at the same time as she had her MMR (delayed for DH to recover from chemo) and then done DC2 at 18 months regardless of my intended return to work timescales!

StareyCat · 14/10/2020 14:24

I got it done for both ours with no issues. I had CP as a child - not badly, but it was horrible and itchy. According to our HV, it's a pain in the arse if your kid gets it on holiday as they won't be able to board the plane (assuming we all ever get to fly off on holiday again!), it's routine in other countries, and it was cheaper than two weeks off work.

Tell your DM to drop it and don't discuss vaccines with her again if she's being a PITA.

tyrannosaurustrip · 14/10/2020 14:24

We did, I somehow never picked it up as a child and was terribly ill as an adult when I did get it. I'd spoken to a doctor about a vaccination as an adult because I was worried I might get pregnant never having had it and was advised the vaccine doesn't work so well on adults.

No reaction whatsoever from my toddler, GP suggested doing it a month after the 1 year old vaccines so not too much at once. Having had it, there's no way I'd want a child to go through it given there's a risk of them having complications. But also, increasingly there's the risk of them not having it and then potentially getting it while older. Even if immunity doesn't last for ever, its quite likely they'd get a milder version having been vaccinated. So I'm a big fan of it.

TheSandgroper · 14/10/2020 14:26

It’s on the schedule here in Australia, thankfully. It meant that when DM was in hospital for a month with it trying not to die, we were allowed to visit. No way would they have let sn unvaccinated person in.

Vaccines are not for today, they are for the life you are yet to lead.

Justgorgeous · 14/10/2020 14:26

Had it done two years ago for my daughter, didn’t hesitate. My ex husband had chicken pox at 38 he was extremely ill.

TheHoneyFactory · 14/10/2020 14:29

All my 3 have had it (all under 10). its a routine vax in Aus. None of my children have had a reaction to any vax so cannot comment on adverse reactions or affects.
It wasn't a regular vax when i was a child, i contracted it as a 15 year old and it was truly horrible, so am pleased to be able to either prevent or lessen the virus if they are exposed (they were actually exposed recently via a social contact but nothing came of it so presuming its effective?).
just dont tell your mum - your kid your choice.

ButterflyWitch · 14/10/2020 14:31

Absolutely do it. Chicken pox can lead to lifelong complications and be fatal. I had planned to vaccinate both my kids but they fought it before I had the chance.

ChickensMightFly · 14/10/2020 14:31

I wish I had known it was available. It is routine in Oz where my sister lives and it is a well proven vaccine. There are potential complications in later life from catching chicken pox in childhood which it would have been good to rule out. My two both had it, very mild, hardly suffered at all. I would still have had it because if the future complications following a mild illness.

turquoise50 · 14/10/2020 14:31

Those who are saying it doesn't (or may not) offer lifelong immunity, do you have a source for that please?

DS was born abroad and they gave it to him as part of his normal round of vaccinations, but we missed the booster so paid for him to have this aged 6 once we were back in the UK.

Does it give lifelong immunity with the booster? I’m worried now as our sole reason for doing it was to protect him in adulthood; ExH had a friend who died of chickenpox aged 40 having caught it from his DC, and my DM was also very ill when she caught it from me when I was small, so it's the adult immunity which is the issue.

Jubaju · 14/10/2020 14:32

Yes, we vaccinated our daughter- money well spent.150 at boots I think it was.

My niece nearly died due to complications so tell your mum that’s it’s not always a ‘mild illness’. There is a reason that a lot of other countries routinely vaccinate against it. NHS don’t due to cost.