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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Chicken Pox

88 replies

Chely · 12/02/2022 12:23

Would you intentionally take your child to see another child with chicken pox so they catch it?

YABU - no way!

YANBU - yes, best they have it young.

OP posts:
watchtheglitterdustswirl · 12/02/2022 13:27

@LoseLooseLucy

I may have been misinformed dementedpixie, I was told it wasn't available until the child was 10? I absolutely will have it done now if it's possible, my son is autistic too so the itching would be near impossible to manage if he did get it.
No, both of mine were vaccinated at 13m and then 15m, as early as I could get them done (they must be 4 weeks clear of their MMRs).

This was recently (one five years ago and one two years ago).

dementedpixie · 12/02/2022 13:40

Other countries give MMRV where V is the varicella vaccine against chickenpox

TreeLawney · 12/02/2022 13:43

I would never do this but would get them vaccinated. My ds still has long term health implications from the chickenpox he had as a baby. He’s 7 now. I still get flashbacks from the 2 weeks we spent in hospital.

MadgeRussell · 12/02/2022 13:43

Got mine vaccinated too. When I was a kid I was also allergic to the actual virus that causes chicken pox and had a terrible time.

notforonesecond · 12/02/2022 13:47

Not a chance. Both of mine were vaccinated at 1. Both doses as soon as they were allowed. Totally worth the money.

Original poster
Chely · 12/02/2022 13:49

At £140 per child the vaccine is not affordable to many, especially with cost of living rises atm.

Our eldest had it at 6yr, caught at school and not very unwell or many spots. She passed to 2nd, 13mth old with lots of spots which left scars but not very unwell. I was pregnant with 3rd at the time and she got it the next year at 7mth old, lots of spots but not very unwell and no scars. Our twins 6yr and 6mth old have not had it yet, will probably catch it at school at some point.

OP posts:
Porfre · 12/02/2022 13:50

I got both mine vaccinated. They were around 2-3 years old.

At least I dont have to worry about this. I wouldn't worry about them having exposure to chicken pox now, would just assume either it would just strengthen their immunity, or they would get an ultra mild version if they did get it.

JassyRadlett · 12/02/2022 14:27

@Chely

At £140 per child the vaccine is not affordable to many, especially with cost of living rises atm.

Our eldest had it at 6yr, caught at school and not very unwell or many spots. She passed to 2nd, 13mth old with lots of spots which left scars but not very unwell. I was pregnant with 3rd at the time and she got it the next year at 7mth old, lots of spots but not very unwell and no scars. Our twins 6yr and 6mth old have not had it yet, will probably catch it at school at some point.

Yes, it’s a total scandal that protecting our kids from chicken pox as they do in the US, Australia, Germany etc is only available to those who can afford it.

The NHS website on the issue is perilously close to misinformation, too, particularly on the idea that circulating chicken pox in children reduces the risk of shingles to adults. Even if you leave aside the dodgy ethics of using children as human booster doses for adults, and therefore setting them up for an increased risk of shingles themselves, the data from countries that have been vaccinating for years and studies doesn’t show any consistent link.

And even if we were ok with the idea of making kids sick to protect adults, and were totally ignoring the actual evidence… a shingles vaccine for adults exists.

It’s a disgusting, dishonest argument.

Porfre · 12/02/2022 14:29

Luckily it was around £75 a dose when I did it

Porfre · 12/02/2022 14:30

I've just checked bot
Its website.

Its £140 for the full course or £75 for one vaccine.

grey12 · 12/02/2022 14:33

Definitely yes!!!!

Actually I got a bit upset because DD2's best friend had it this week but DH was visiting (he works abroad) so I couldn't risk the kids being unwell

If you can get the kids to have chickenpox young, but after 1yo, then it's ideal Wink not only are symptoms milder but you know it can cause infertility, right?

JassyRadlett · 12/02/2022 14:35

@grey12

Definitely yes!!!!

Actually I got a bit upset because DD2's best friend had it this week but DH was visiting (he works abroad) so I couldn't risk the kids being unwell

If you can get the kids to have chickenpox young, but after 1yo, then it's ideal Wink not only are symptoms milder but you know it can cause infertility, right?

To me, ideal is protecting them from getting it at all, and also preventing them from a higher risk of shingles in later life.

I accept I’m out of step with the majority though…

BooksAndHooks · 12/02/2022 14:35

No if I particularly wanted them to have immunity and they hadn’t already had it I would have them vaccinated. Mine have dreadful scars, I have a very deep one on my face so not something I would do intentionally. Unfortunately mine caught it before they could have the vaccine.

Babyvenusplant · 12/02/2022 14:38

I had chicken pox as a child and then had shingles in my early twenty's. I was extremely ill with shingles so I don't understand the attitude of infecting children so that "they've had it now, isn't it that a relief".

ThirdElephant · 12/02/2022 14:40

Chicken pox can kill. And there's a vaccine for it.

Heavymetaldetector · 12/02/2022 14:41

DS had his at 3 and I'm so relieved we did. He's on his way to getting an autism diagnosis and has huge sensory issues so I can only imagine how he'd have handled being covered in pox. It's doing the rounds at school and we just don't have to worry about it.
It's a scandal that it is £140 we had to save up for a bit to afford it, we are on less than 20k a year between us and both self employed so it was a stretch but I think it was worth it. Why it isn't part of the standard vaccines like in other countries I just don't understand. It can be very dangerous.

grey12 · 12/02/2022 14:43

@JassyRadlett from this thread it looks like the vaccine is not very affordable, it may not be as long term as natural immunity, and, like any vaccine, it doesn't mean you won't get it at all. So in that case, the other option is diving in and catching the disease 🤷🏻‍♀️ which is known to be less bad if the person is quite young

Look, if my children were immuno compromised, then I would definitely consider the vaccine. Since they are healthy and I'm even a SAHP, it's just a week of two of annoyance......

JurgensCakeBabyJesus · 12/02/2022 14:45

I have a few scars from having it as a child, my brother had it much worse and was hospitalised, he's also had shingles as an adult. My friend's DS was hospitalised, his skin was covered his fever unmanageable and he even had the spots in his throat. DS is vaccinated, eight of his pre school are currently off with it and I'm sure there will be others, he's fine. I think it should be part of the vaccination schedule but it isn't. I wouldn't deliberately expose a child to chicken pox

Casheeeew · 12/02/2022 14:47

No I've paid £140 and vaxxed my DS

JassyRadlett · 12/02/2022 15:02

[quote grey12]@JassyRadlett from this thread it looks like the vaccine is not very affordable, it may not be as long term as natural immunity, and, like any vaccine, it doesn't mean you won't get it at all. So in that case, the other option is diving in and catching the disease 🤷🏻‍♀️ which is known to be less bad if the person is quite young

Look, if my children were immuno compromised, then I would definitely consider the vaccine. Since they are healthy and I'm even a SAHP, it's just a week of two of annoyance......[/quote]
The not very affordable is true. I’ve agreed with that.

The ‘it may not be as long term as natural immunity’ isn’t borne out by any current evidence, as explained by a number of posters on the thread. We have evidence for as long as the vaccine has been around for, basically. Hence ‘at least’.

Vaccine effectiveness of the two dose vaccine is around 90% effective in preventing all infections and close to 100% for severe disease, when given in childhood. VE drops when it’s given in the teenage and adult years. And we now know it also massively cuts their risk of shingles - which is a significant factor for me. Knowing that one of my kids is much higher risk for shingles because I didn’t vaccinate him soon enough - it’s more than ‘a week or two of annoyance’, even if you are relaxed about the CP itself.

bobsholi · 12/02/2022 15:08

Check your local travel clinics because it is often cheaper there than having it done at boots. We paid £270 total for 3 DCs at our local private clinic, whereas it would have been £420 getting it done at boots! It's still a lot of money, but between the 3 of them we would have lost much more than that in wages having to take care of them if they'd got chickenpox.

NeverForgetYourDreams · 12/02/2022 15:28

@Lou98

My Son is only 9 months so not thought about it yet but I'm sure I read on here the vaccine is only effective for 10 years or something like that? Surely it's then more of a risk if they get it as an adult. Can anybody tell me if that's true? If not then I'd like to get my Son vaccinated when he's older but after reading it on here it put me off!
I had my DS vaccinated at 12. Have diarised for him to have again when he'S 22...
Willyoujustbequiet · 12/02/2022 15:37

Only an idiot would deliberately expose their child to chickenpox. It can potentially be fatal and also have life changing consequences.

To knowingly do this is negligent at best.

Footnote · 13/02/2022 09:04

If I couldn’t afford and couldn’t save up for the vaccine I still wouldn’t deliberately expose my children. If they don’t catch it circumstances might change and you might be able to afford in in a couple of years.

itwasntaparty · 13/02/2022 09:43

Nope. Both of mine ended up with suspected sepsis and one has a giant scar in the middle of her forehead.

What I would do is get them vaccinated. I didn't know if it as an option at the time.