To be worried about/not want my dc to get chickenpox

[Dowhatdowullywup]

So I went to a party today where a child very obviously had chickenpox.

The mum said they had crusted over but the spots were still there and very red.

I have 2 dc 2 yrs old and 4 months old.

Firstly, AIBU to think these sores still looked active?

Secondly, AIBU to not want my kids to be around it if can be helped and them potentially getting very ill or is it always quite mild in children? Mostly worried about my 4 month old

Most have cp vvv mildy some have it bad. Correct me if wrong but I always thought the vaccine only last ten years. DD had it aged 3 mildy luckily

I found they looked redder and angrier when crusted over, they were a light pink when active.

My 2 got them at 3.5 and 4 months and both were totally fine, 3.5yo was more ill than the baby. I'd intended to get them vaccinated (had it booked!) And the spots came out before the appointment.

And I think getting it before they are 7 is much better. Obviously there's the odd kid that gets it badly but it really is a mild illness in most.

The reason people say immunity doesn't/might not last is that it's only been around for about 20 years. There is ongoing research to keep an eye on whether immunity fades, but so far it shows antibodies continue like any other childhood vaccine. If it does start to fade you can have a booster. I had my child vaccinated and have a mental note to check the research when he's late teens to see if he needs a booster (when we'll be getting on for 40 years of data).

Chicken pox is usually mild but can be very serious and dangerous. Lots of countries have the chicken pox vaccine as part of their regular childhood vaccinations schedule. You can, rarely, get chicken pox twice - and that second time will most likely be when you're a parent. If you don't get chicken pox you can't get shingles. I can't imagine why, once you know about it, you wouldn't get your child vaccinated (barring lack of money of course, it is bloody expensive).

Also, just to add - my son's been through three outbreaks at his nursery in three years, it's absolutely rife. He hasn't had it.

I had chicken pox at 19 and it was hideous, I was really ill. My partner had shingles in his teens and has a big scar from it. We both wanted to avoid our child getting it if at all possible.

This would annoy me too. Could you get your kids vaccinated? We had our DS vaccinated and it really wasn't that much.