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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:
ShowOfHands · 13/02/2022 09:54

My dh can't create immunity to cp and has had it both times the DC had it, as well as in childhood. A couple of years ago, he had meningitis and the lumbar puncture showed it was caused by chicken pox so he'd clearly been exposed again.

I really worry about him coming across it again as each time he's had it, he's become progressively sicker with it. Selfishly, I've started to wish we could add it to our vaccination schedule.

KeyWorker · 13/02/2022 10:14

YABU so so unreasonable. Why would you risk exposing your child to an Illness intentionally. Not only will you expose them them to the unpleasant illness that is chickenpox but also the complication from skin infections, sepsis and encephalitis. I understand what you are saying about the vaccine being expensive but please protect your child by not intentionally exposing them perhaps while you save for the vaccine.

gab254 · 13/02/2022 10:24

@Willyoujustbequiet

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.

This and this again!

My DC nearly died from complications from chicken pox. I would never knowingly expose my child to chickenpox. I wish I'd known how dangerous it could be, I'd have had my children vaccinated.

Yes your child might get it and be fine, like 2 of my DC. Or they might get it and nearly die - like my other DC. Is it worth that risk?

Hanna3459999 · 13/02/2022 10:37

I wouldn’t… I’m about to get my three year old vaccinated I can’t really afford it right now to be honest, but I really don’t want him to be poorly with it it’s an awful disease. It’s disgusting the UK doesn’t do it routinely like other countries.

I’ve read they are trying to change this and have it added to the childhood immunisation schedule.

NightOwl19 · 20/02/2022 09:31

Sorry for the hijack, my DD has just turned one yesterday and has woken up with about 15 spots and abit out of sorts, do I need to get her checked to confirm or just ride it out and manage at
Home

georgarina · 20/02/2022 09:38

YANBU

DS got it when he was 1 and was totally unaffected apart from a few spots that he didn't even scratch.

I think it's milder the younger you are.

Crimesean · 20/02/2022 09:40

We got DS vaccinated at 13 months, 2 doses. I had chicken pox really badly as a child, I'd not want poor little DS to get it like that.

We're very lucky that we can afford it, though.

Simonjt · 20/02/2022 09:41

No I wouldn’t, I had my son and myself vaccinated, I’ll also be vaccinating our daughter when she turns 1.

Giraffesandbottoms · 20/02/2022 09:47

People not vaccinating their children against this gives me the rage

dementedpixie · 20/02/2022 09:51

@Giraffesandbottoms

People not vaccinating their children against this gives me the rage
Are you going to pay for everyone to have it? Dd had CP at 3years old and ds caught it from her and was 6months old.
Giraffesandbottoms · 20/02/2022 10:32

@dementedpixie

Not everyone can afford it. Plenty of people can and don’t.

GrumpySausage · 20/02/2022 10:38

@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.
My DD had her vaccination at 2 years old. I paid for it through Boots. My DS had chicken pox bad before she was born and I didn't want to risk her having the same experience.
Giraffesandbottoms · 20/02/2022 10:50

@GrumpySausage

Out of curiosity, how much was the jab via boots? We had both children done via our paedatrician so it was exorbitant but I am curious about how much someone can get it done for. It’s available from the age of 1

dementedpixie · 20/02/2022 10:51

Boots website says £140 for the 2 doses

dementedpixie · 20/02/2022 10:53

Superdrug also says £140 for both doses

Giraffesandbottoms · 20/02/2022 10:55

Thank you

GrumpySausage · 20/02/2022 11:01

[quote Giraffesandbottoms]@GrumpySausage

Out of curiosity, how much was the jab via boots? We had both children done via our paedatrician so it was exorbitant but I am curious about how much someone can get it done for. It’s available from the age of 1[/quote]
It was £65 per jab (two doses needed 4 weeks apart I think it was). I'm in the East Midlands, not sure if it varies country wide.

LoseLooseLucy · 20/02/2022 11:08

It's £140 if you're paying for both doses together, or £75 each time if not, and they're 6 weeks apart. DS has his first on Tuesday 😬

EarPlugAfficionado · 20/02/2022 11:08

@JassyRadlett

This is such a bizarre attitude. Most kids aren’t seriously ill but some have a nasty time and are left with lasting scars. And you’re setting them up for a lifetime risk of shingles.

If you can afford to have them vaccinated privately instead, I would do that every time.

I didn’t get my eldest vaccinated soon enough and he had quite a nasty case with a lot of pain and he still has visible scars nine years on, and I know he’s more likely to get shingles in adulthood too.

The UK is such an outlier in terms of vaccinating kids against chicken pox.

You can have chicken pox twice
ddshocker · 20/02/2022 11:10

No, because I know a child that died from complications after chicken pox.

bellabasset · 20/02/2022 11:12

As a child I had measles, German measles, whooping cough. I caught chicken pox at 23 and ended up with flu so quite ill with it. My uncle was ill with shingles in old age. I'm lucky enough to have had a shingles injection. If I had young children now I would seriously consider getting them vaccinated.

FloodTheBathroom · 20/02/2022 11:14

My kids are vaccinated, they were done at a travel clinic, luckily my mum paid. It's part of the vaccine schedule in many countries, the NHS doesn't want to pay for it so there's a lot of crap talked about it to put people off.
I do think it's got nastier as time has gone on, children seem to really suffer now, I wouldn't out my kids through that if I could afford not to.

Iheartmysmart · 20/02/2022 11:26

I had chickenpox as a child and came very close to being hospitalised with it. Have been left with lots of deep scarring over my face and body.

DS caught it at nursery school before I had chance to get him vaccinated. Fortunately he only had a mild case but he gave it to ex-DH who was extremely unwell with it and ended up on antivirals. It was the only time I ever saw him go to bed unwell in 26 years together.

Original poster
Chely · 20/02/2022 11:27

@NightOwl19

Sorry for the hijack, my DD has just turned one yesterday and has woken up with about 15 spots and abit out of sorts, do I need to get her checked to confirm or just ride it out and manage at Home
You can ring the doctors but as it is very contagious they are unlikely to want you to go in, it's usually manageable at home. I was told I could use paracetamol and piriton, I got aqueous calamine cream for ours too.
OP posts:
SolasAnla · 20/02/2022 11:38

@NightOwl19

If you are sure its mild and chicken pox you could manage it at home.
www.nhs.uk/conditions/chickenpox/
But NB
If your not sure or need medical help call 111. If you visit a GP and make sure they know its chicken pox so they dont seat you with others.
If you have a car they may ask you to remain in it and call in. Try stay off public transport to avoid transmitting it to others.

Have a read of the meningitis page below, as its sometimes mistaken for less aggressive illnesses such as chickenpox.

.www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/