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AIBU?

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Original poster

To have my child vaccinated against chicken pox...

176 replies

MummaT86 · 13/07/2023 07:48

... even though there's no medical reason to do so (i.e. chicken pox doesn't pose a risk to anyone he's in contact with)?

To be honest my reasons are kind of selfish for getting him vaccinated - he picks up everything from nursery so it's only a matter time I think. We've got a holiday booked in September and I understand you can't fly for 7 days after the first spot.

Has anyone had their child vaccinated privately and why did you do it? I haven't read any cons to the vaccination itself in respect of the child being vaccinated; only to the wider population hence why the vaccine isn't part of the routine NHS program.

OP posts:
modgepodge · 13/07/2023 08:13

I’ve never met anyone who regrets vaccinating their child against it. Plenty who regret not doing so!

the main reason the NHS don’t do it as standard like most of the developed world is financial. Other countries don’t seem to have this concern about shingles or (plus…shingles vaccine) or developing it in 20 years.

Peacoffee · 13/07/2023 08:14

... even though there's no medical reason to do so

Of course there’s a medical reason to do so, it prevents him from getting chickenpox which is an uncomfortable illness that can be avoided.

MRex · 13/07/2023 08:15

We did mostly because of the reduced risk of shingles in later life, but also to avoid scarring.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 13/07/2023 08:21

Chicken pox near on ruined our holiday last year- vaccinate!!!! Even if it’s just to remove the stress of will they catch it a week before our next flight

Sunshinelollipopsandrainbows1 · 13/07/2023 08:21

I got mine vaccinated. I remembered how horrible and itchy it was as a child and my siblings still have scars from it. Kids have both caught it since when it was going around school and it was so mild - just a few spots, no painful itching and no scars. So very glad they were vaccinated.

IkeaMeatballGravy · 13/07/2023 08:22

It really annoys me that older people at risk of shingles are offered a vaccine for shingles, but children are not offered the chickenpox vaccine to protect adults who don't take up the vaccine offered to them. Why should young children have to go through an uncomfortable illness that can have further complications, and families have to lose a wage for 2 weeks to protect adults who won't take responsibility for themselves. Other countries have thier priorities right.

I'll be paying for my DS, luckily we can afford it.

ThickSkinnedSoWhat · 13/07/2023 08:26

I have just had my 4 year old vaccinated, to very mixed reactions. They are awaiting assessment for ASD (its clear it will be a diagnosis) and have SLD. They have very limited communication and won't always listen or understand what I'm asking. Therefore, should they get chickenpox, it would cause a lot of distress and if I was to tell them not to scratch, it is unlikely they'd understand not to do this. They are also starting a special school in September and I was very aware of the fact there could be clinically vulnerable children within their school. With that in mind, I didn't want to risk my own child spreading chickenpox to any children with vulnerabilities.

BlastedPimples · 13/07/2023 08:29

I did when my ds was 9.

All my other dcs had the virus itself but he never got it so I got him vaccinated.

I wouldn't want them to get it as adults.

IamfeelingHopeful · 13/07/2023 08:29

The world health organisation has chicken pox vaccination on its recommended list. Australia and US do it as standard childhood programme. Not helpful but if any brits go to Oz you can get it free on Medicare there - that’s where I did my kids

WonderingWanda · 13/07/2023 08:30

Yes do it. Chicken pox is horrible and when you are older you can then develop shingles which is also very unpleasant.

sunnydayhereandnow · 13/07/2023 08:32

Totally go for it. The vaccine is standard where we live, and it's one less week of miserable kids, one less reason to have to take a week off work...

MissTrip82 · 13/07/2023 08:35

I’m 40 and my face is scarred from chickenpox as a five year old,

It’s now one of the dozen or so vaccines I’m required to have to work in intensive care (I’m exempt bc I had a blood test showing immunity through infection).

LittleMy77 · 13/07/2023 08:42

They vaccinated DS as standard (we lived in US) really glad they did, as when we moved here the pox has ripped through school 4 times, and in his class twice. Lots of his friends were off upward of 7 days. He’s been fine and not caught it

SamanthaVimes · 13/07/2023 08:55

I got DD vaccinated and I’m really glad I did. DS caught it as a baby (so wasn’t old enough to have the vaccine) and it was miserable for me because he didn’t sleep for a week.
DD didn’t catch it from him so it must work!
Well worth the money in my opinion.

OrderOfTheKookaburra · 13/07/2023 08:58

It's a required vaccination in Australia.

Glitterstars · 13/07/2023 09:01

Yea I will be doing. My eldest had it last year and was soooo poorly with it. Wasn’t covered in spots but had a fair few but the illness side was terrible. Temp of 41 which we couldn’t bring down which then resulted in her having convulsions and being confused was a rough week for her . My little boy is 8 months I believe you can’t have it til 1?
wish it was part of our vaccination programme like it is in America and other countries.

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 13/07/2023 09:04

Flo84 · 13/07/2023 08:04

I was thinking about this too. I was going to wait until my son is seven or eight and then if he hasn't caught it vaccinate him as apparently it's worse to get the older you are.

Why wait? Do it now and save the hell of them having chicken pox before he is 7

MrsCarson · 13/07/2023 09:08

My Dd was vaccinated for CP too.
She went on to catch chicken pox twice but had very mild doses each time. I wondered if having the vaccine stopped her having a more severe case. She was hardly unwell and only a few spots each time.

TedLasto · 13/07/2023 09:12

We vaccinated DD at 12 months. It’s been round both her nursery and school a couple of times and she avoided it so pretty sure it worked. Saved us stress, saved her pain, it can only be a good thing.

cocksstrideintheevening · 13/07/2023 09:14

My daughter was hospitalised with cp. I don't know why you wouldn't.

She had it over ten years ago and I didn't know about the vaccine. In many other countries it is part of the childhood vaccination programme.

reluctantbrit · 13/07/2023 09:18

We would have done it if DD wouldn't have caught it before junior school age.

She was just under 3 when she had it at nursery and while fairly ok, it can be dangerous for people around her as you are infectious before spots appear. I remember a case at work when I was pregnant and was told to check with my midwife immediately.

While it can be mild as DD was, it can also be dangerous and the older you are the worse it does get.

In Germany they vaccinate as routine together with the MMR and the risk to get shingles actually decreases for them. So you would think that mass vaccination does decrease and lesson shingles on the long run.

quietnightmare · 13/07/2023 09:22

Vaccinate

  1. protect your child - makes lesser symptoms and shorter illness

  2. protect other vulnerable children -
    If your child is vaccinated reduces the risk of it spreading to vulnerable children where chicken pox could kill them

StrawberryWaterIce · 13/07/2023 09:25

Not catching chicken pox is a pretty valid medical reason. It's technically harmless but very hard to predict how hard it hits. Just saw a hysterical FB post from a mum whose son recovered but his face is covered with little holes & scars and she's terrified they won't go away. By then it's too late so why even go through that when there's a vaccine available.

I had chicken pox as a teen and still have scars from it. Luckily not in obvious places but it's not a lottery I'd want my children to go through.

PrayerFactory · 13/07/2023 09:29

Fleur405 · 13/07/2023 08:07

I had my daughter vaccinated because I’ve never had CP and I don’t want it (it’s worse in adults apparently and the vaccine less effective)

We did the same, as DH and I had somehow avoided it as children, and DS never got it, despite it doing the rounds of his school year at least twice. When I saw just how ill one of his classmates was (pox had ulcerated, she was briefly hospitalised), I got us all vaccinated at a travel vaccination clinic, as the local Boots didn’t do it.

WoolyMammoth55 · 13/07/2023 09:36

Hi OP, I didn't vaccinate my kids for CP just because of lack of availability - we live rurally in SW England and the places we can get it done were all over an hour away and constantly booked up...

My eldest got it from school at 5 years old, my youngest got it 2 weeks later, when he had just turned 2 years old. I gave the little one Rhus Tox homeopathic remedy from the point of exposure and he had a much milder dose - literally never itched! My eldest was poorlier, had a couple of bad nights itching and crying, but has no scars and had a very straightforward recovery - back at school 5 days after the first spot appeared.

I know we are lucky - obviously it can be dangerous for some kids - so if it's easy for you to access the jabs then go for it! But if for whatever reason you don't get around to it then you might find it's not too terrible.