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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Chicken Pox Vaccine

47 replies

Sunnydaysarethebestdays · 07/04/2021 19:23

AIBU to consider giving my children the CP vaccine.
My 6 Year old daughter has never had CP and worries every spot is CP and if she got it I fear she would scratch the spots and would get herself in a bit if a state with it.
Also my 9 year old son had it at 4 months but not had it again. I’ve heard that if they have it under a year and are breastfed at the time they don’t build the antibodies to protect them for the future.
I’ve always thought the telling time for his immunity would be when DD got CP.
WIBU to to get the both vaccinated?

OP posts:
Bringonspring · 07/04/2021 19:26

Definitely have it, CP can be worse with age. Both of mine have been vaccinated, a friends child was in hospital with it.

CatBumJuice · 07/04/2021 19:27

I got mine vaccinated. Chicken pox can be really horrible and I just would rather they avoided it. It was expensive, but I reasoned that it wouldn't be much more than having to take time off work to look after them if they got it!

FireBelliedToad · 07/04/2021 19:30

I fear she would scratch the spots and would get herself in a bit if a state with it.
Yes! The doctor prescribed it for DS for exactly this reason.

MaryShelley1818 · 07/04/2021 19:32

I had my son privately vaccinated (Superdrug) and will be getting my daughter protected to when she is old enough - she's currently only 9wks.

Beseigedbykillersquirrels · 07/04/2021 19:35

Definitely vaccinate. If you can afford it then go for it. Chicken pox isn't always the mild illness it's made out to be. I got my child done as soon as they were old enough.

ReadyPlayerGo · 07/04/2021 19:36

I had both of my DC vaccinated. At Boots. I think it was £120 each. Need to be over 1 years old and have 2 jabs a month apart.

My friend’s little one had chickenpox now and she regrets not getting the vaccine. Not only does it avoid them being poorly, it also saves taking time off work to care for ill DC.

PolarnOPirate · 07/04/2021 19:36

YANBU, you just know that when one gets it for 2 weeks, the next one will get it and you’ll have a month stuck at home or whatever with miserable kids. That thought was enough to get mine done - Superdrug, spot on.

FullLaundryBasket · 07/04/2021 19:36

I’ve had my kids vaccinated against it.

There is no need for you to justify and explain your choice to anyone tho, so no need for you to ask if you’re reasonable or not. Is someone making you doubt yourself?

Whydoelephants · 07/04/2021 19:38

Yes it was a no brainier for me. Why put them through a horrible illness if you don’t have to?

terribleg · 07/04/2021 19:38

I was planning to do mine & then they got it but if they hadn't I would have.

Iwonder08 · 07/04/2021 19:39

I am thinking about the vaccine too. Read a lot about it. Does anyone know, perhaps spoke to a pediatrician if the immunity from the vaccine is as good as from having chickenpox?

Betsyboo87 · 07/04/2021 19:47

Coincidentally we were offered it for DS (9mths) today. It’s offered as standard where we live (non UK) and covered by our insurance. We decided to wait until DS is school age to see if he catches it but if not we will get him vaccinated. The Dr said this was also his decision for his children. Reading the above comments I am now wondering if we should just have it now though.

GappyValley · 07/04/2021 19:55

I paid for it for DC. Had it done in the local Superdrug and was money well spent.
No side effects, no CP when it ran wild through nursery, no stress.

Even the mild cases I’ve seen in friends kids look miserable for days, so very glad we did it

Hfjshdhs · 07/04/2021 19:58

Definitely worth doing, I’ve had my DD done. A friend booked a trip of a lifetime holiday with her kids then one of them got chicken pox while they were there and it ruined it.

The only thing is as women it’s important to have a booster at 18 as if you get chicken pox when pregnant it’s obviously dangerous for your baby.

Jumpers268 · 07/04/2021 20:02

Sorry to jump on your thread but just curious how effective is the chicken pox vaccine and how long does immunity last? As in will you need to get a booster as a teen/adult to prevent possibly getting shingles?

Dinosaursdontgrowontrees · 07/04/2021 20:06

Both my older children have been vaccinated (little one is too young atm) it’s a no brainier as far as I’m concerned.

SnackSizeRaisin · 07/04/2021 20:07

The downside is that it's only effective in 9 out of 10 children, and it doesn't last that long so your child would need to keep having boosters throughout life. Chicken pox as an adult is worse still. Natural infection induces lifelong immunity (shingles can obviously still happen though)

HermioneKipper · 07/04/2021 20:09

Got my daughter done at 18 months and glad I did as there was a nasty bout of it at nursery not long after. Quite a few of her pals were very unwell with it and one has visible scars on her face 3 years on

MissConductUS · 07/04/2021 20:09

It's standard in the US, recommended by both the CDC and the WHO. I was a bit shocked when I found out that it was not provided by the NHS.

Here's the CDC webpage for it, with lots of good information.

www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/varicella/public/index.html

So YANBU to get it done privately.

CryMeAnAquifer · 07/04/2021 20:12

A paediatrician friend had all hers done (I was considering it anyway so I asked her opinion) - she saw so many children come with very serious complications of CP, it wasn’t anything she thought long and hard about.

Then I remembered a boy I went to primary school with who caught it and he was off for the longest time and when he eventually came back, he was never the same again.

Went to Boots and had born of mine at the same time.

OverByYer · 07/04/2021 20:12

My DS2 had CP when he was 8 weeks old, having caught it off his older brother. It was hideous, he was so unwell. I still can’t bear to think about it 18 years later. As far as I’m concerned it should be part of the regular childhood vaccine programme

buzzandwoodyallday · 07/04/2021 20:19

I've got my two DS' aged 1.5 and 2.5 booked in for the first one next week. I can't bear the thought of them both being ill with chickenpox either at the same time, or immediately one after the other. For the sake of around £250 for the both of them, it's a no-brainier for me. Fingers crossed they don't catch it in the meantime though, as that would be just our luck!

mamawithfive · 07/04/2021 20:19

My older three didn’t have the vaccine, coped fine with getting chicken pox. However, now we live abroad and it’s the norm to get kids vaccinated, and free with the local healthcare so will be having my 3 year old twins done, whenever we can get in the surgery!

Suzi888 · 07/04/2021 20:22

My DD had it a few years ago, it’s given routine elsewhere but not in the U.K due to cost.

MaryGubbins · 07/04/2021 20:22

I had my kids done in the pharmacy for 3 reasons.
1: seeing lots of friends with same aged kids floored as baby and toddler catching it One after the other
2: friend of a friends kid contracted a neurological side effect and v unwell
3: I caught chicken pox in my teens and was unwell for weeks. Have sone pretty massive scarring.

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