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

[cherrybun01]

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!

Mine had it. From what I've read, it's still unclear how long immunity lasts but there will be more studies in future years. We decided we will pay for boosters for them in their teenage years of research shows it is necessary but indications are immunity may well be life long.

We had ours done as we've seen how bad it can be. We know serious complications/death is unlikely but possible and even a normal case can be very unpleasant.

I didnt and wouldn't unless my children hadnt caught it naturally by the age of 8 or so.

Will be getting my DD vaccinated as soon as she is 1. Both my DS's had it last december, one very mildy and the other was floored by it. He had blisters in his eyes on his genitalia they were literally everywhere and he now has scars. So im not risking DD getting it that bad.

My daughter had the vaccine we paid for two doses . No side effects and worth every penny.

I think I'm going to get it for her and whilst I'm at it talk about the ones I didnt have as a child when were at the GP in the next month or so.

it was honestly something I was dreading as I remembered when I had it as a child, was told all kids get it at some point and itll be fine but when I saw there was a vaccine for it all i felt was relief that there was a way I could hopefully shield her from it. well, until my mum put in her opinion and made me wobble on it but from reading responses on here I can see far more pros than cons personally

I paid for both my kids to get this vaccine. I did it because a friend who is a GP recommended it to me. No side effects and no chicken pox. If you can afford it I would recommend doing it.

My youngest has had the vaccine - most of Europe and the States use it as standard...many think it’s barbaric that we consider it a standard childhood illness and don’t protect our kids from it....BUT the nhs would have to fund it and, as we all know, cash ain’t exactly swilling around!!

I've paid for my DS, have gone private (Uk as well). My reasons? When I was 18 both my brother (12 at the time) and I had chickenpox. It was unbearable for me. But he spent 2 months in the hospital, my parents told to prepare for the worst. He developed complications, encephalitis. He lost half his body weight, sight,speech,mobility. He didn't recognize people. He made a recovery yes but had to relearn to walk, speak, needed specialist rehabilitation and medication, had to see a neurologist,psychiatrist,physiotherapist,speech therapist. His rehabilitation lasted 10 years.
I'm not an alarmist, I don't go around retelling my sob story not even to my old friends who've turned antivax.
I remember what it was like being told my brother might die and me not being able to see him (I was at my GPs house) for the last time. That has never left me.
My son was fine, two doses 2 weeks apart, I believe it was £65 each.
My MIL believed we shouldn't have, I &DH explained it was our decision to make. No mention of my experience as I know it makes people uncomfortable. Trust yourself.

My son had it. No adverse effects, quick and simple.

My daughter had the vaccine. She was fine, no side effects. £170 at Boots. Well worth it as my sister nearly died from CP as a child. She ended up in a wheelchair.

The same happened to my sister theotheranna.

More children die from CP every year than have to date died from C-19.

I would get the vaccination. My youngest had it at 4 months. Covered head to toe, one pox was in his eye and became very seriously infected. Was admitted to hospital twice. It can be very nasty.

I bought it for my child. Cost £70. No side effects.

It is a standard vaccine in America, Canada, and some European countries. The only reason it isn’t a standard vaccinaton here is because we have so many anti-vaxers, and so it is thought to be better for the virus to be in general circulation so that everyone in the population has had exposure young, thus reducing the risk of shingles in old age. The thinking is that if the NHS offered it and most people other than anti-vaxers had the vaccine, then the anti-vaxers would eventually end up with shingles when old which would be more expensive for the NHS. Look it up, that’s the reason.

20 children die from chicken pox in the UK every year. A simple vaccine which is standard in most equivalent countries would save them. I think its shocking that it isn’t on NHS.

I got ds vaccinated after dd had it badly (there’s a big age gap so he wasn’t born when she had it) and o didn’t want to see another child go through that.

Also at the time I was self employed and couldn’t have taken the time off work. Sounds cold but also a responsible decision in the circumstances.

Thank you JS87..good advice xx

Both mine were vaccinated. No scars, no complications, no miserable two weeks.

DD booked in for next week for first dose. It’s a very safe well established vaccine. Some kids get it on the NHS anyway if high risk.

I have horrible scars from chickenpox, would do anything to help stop DD having to have it.

My 1 year old nearly died from chickenpox 10 years ago, it is not a mild illness.
Second child has had vaccine, didn't care how much it cost, I had to do everything I could to prevent it happening again. Second child suffered no ill effects at all from the jab and was fine within 20 seconds.
Get the vaccine done.

Ours had it, no hesitation from me.

@theotheranna - what an extreme case your brother had! Happened he's doing ok now.

This discussion makes me think CP is in some ways similar to Covid. Some have mild cases and some have near fatal cases. If there were a vaccine for covid I'd surely take it. Even more so if it had been around for 20 years.

• Hope (not happened!)

My DS had the chickenpox vaccine as part of a trial and I'm really pleased he had it. I was so poorly with it and also my BIL still has pockmarks at age 40.

Yes, and I have had both my kids vaccinated in Boots. It’s available and we could afford to do it so why wouldn’t we? It’s a no brainier really. I remember having it myself and it was horrible and my sister still has the scars to this day. It can also be quite a serious illness in some so I thought, if it’s available then obviously yes.

almost 100 percent certain I'm going to get it for her, it really is something I would like to avoid for her if I can!

also going to be inquiring about the implications for myself having missed a lot of my own jabs when i was a youngster (appreciate that it was a different time with a lot of conspiracies but not sure if that can justify why my younger sisters have also not had theres)

My son was hospitalised and it was very frightening. He still has the scars on his face and body from the worst infections. I didn't even know there was a vaccine, but had I known what it would be like for him I certainly would have paid for it. I hate it when people talk about 'chicken pox parties'. People are strangely flippant about it.