To worry my 8 year old hasn’t had chickenpox?

[Wannakisstheteacher]

Talking to a friend today reminded me DS3 hasn’t had chickenpox. His elder siblings had it before he was born. Is this something I should worry about, or maybe pay to have him vaccinated against now as he’s unlikely to catch it at this point? Having asked a few other friends DS is the only one not to have had it 😱

I know a 60 year old gp doctor who hasn't had it and is unvaccinated. Both her children got it when they were little and she has been around thousands of little ones with it at her surgery over the years and she has never caught it or become ill.

It CAN be serious if you catch it in adulthood but it is still very rare for it to be serious at any age. So what I'm trying to say is that you don't have to worry so much. Take precautions sure, and get the vaccine/ mix him with little ones if you feel the need.

I'd get the vaccine. I'd decided if DS2 hadn't had it by the time he was 5 I'd get him vaccinated. DS1 had it at 11 months and it was very mild. He got it just after he turned 4. He still has scars and they'd gone into his mouth, ears and bum and it was very, very painful for him. I regret not vaccinating him when he was younger to save him getting it at all.

Im 52 I've never had chicken pox.

I took DS to get vaccinated but then had to wait as he'd been exposed at nursery that week before.

He ended up with chicken pox which wasn't so bad, but a complication of it was that he got transient synovitis, which was horrific.

He wouldn't walk and was screaming in pain, but was too little to tell me where the pain was properly. Took him to hospital and was accused of child abuse until he was xrayed and properly examined by a doctor and they spotted the swelling in his hip fluid.

I got it around 17 and it was savage. Even worse it turned out my sister's hadn't had it either and they both caught it at 23 and 29 which put my "savage" case into context

Neither my dh, ds nor dd have had chicken pox. I do think it’s possible to be naturally immune. They’ve been around those who have had it and still haven’t caught it.

You're not negligent for not letting him get it!

In the USA they vaccinate for it, just as we do for Measles. I'd just book the jab and then you won't need to worry about him getting it as a teen/adult.

I think DS2 had it very mildly at a week old when DS1 had it as a toddler. He certainly got a few mild spots.
Now 16 and never had it again.

I'd probably pay to vaccinate. I know a couple of guys who had it as young adults, and were really unwell with it.

Also it would help protect a potential future female partner who was pregnant, as chicken pox during pregnancy is quite dangerous.

Showing my age, I didn't know there was a chicken pox vaccine available! I'd go for it before too long OP. I had chicken pox at about 15 and remember it being very unpleasant. I still have some scars and my Mum, I believe, gave me a sleeping pill as I was so itchy, which was actually very helpful!!

My kids got it at 8 and 9 years old. My sister got it at 48! She wasn’t unwell at all. I wouldn’t worry about it. I wouldn’t get them the vaccine either.

I was worried when DS was the same age, had researched vaccines as he’d never got it when his friends did and then he finally caught it from his sister!

I came on to say that I caught it when I was pregnant with DS2. It can be very serious indeed when you are pregnant as it can cause deformities in the baby. I was given extra scans and was monitored throughout. Fortunately it was all ok and we had ruled out all complications apart from cataracts before birth. DS was fine. I felt very ill, but was given anti-virals to stop the spread to the baby.

I see your child is a boy, but were they a girl, I would definitely be recommending the vaccine to prevent all the worry I had.

I’d def. get the vaccine, at least partly because if and when he does get it, Sod’s Law will decree that it’s e.g. just before you’re due to go on holiday. CP can really screw your plans up.

I didn't have chicken pox until I was 30. It wasn't bad at all. My sister had it at a similar age and it was minor too. I wouldn't worry.

@YukoandHiro

My four year old hasn't had it and can't get the vaccine as she has anaphalaxis to eggs.

I've tried hard to find people who have it so she can catch it, but so many people immunise now it's never going round

The chickenpox vaccine doesn't contain egg so it's not a danger to those with egg allergies @YukoandHiro. My DS who has anaphylactic reactions to very small amounts of egg (even when cooked) has had this vaccine with no difficulty. A small number of vaccines do cause issues for people with egg allergies, but the chickenpox one is fine.

@Jakie7700

"Why on earth would anyone these days purposely expose their children to chicken pox? You do realise many children each year get very unwell from it and a small number even die from complications "

Exactly

Serious complications from chickenpox include:
• Bacterial infections of the skin and soft tissues in children, including Group A streptococcal infectionss_
• Infection of the lungs (pneumonia)
• Infection or swelling of the brain (encephalitis, cerebellar ataxia)
• Bleeding problems (hemorrhagic complications)
• Bloodstream infections (sepsiss_)
• Dehydration
Some people with serious complications from chickenpox can become so sick that they need to be hospitalized. Chickenpox can also cause death.

Source: www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/about/complications.html