Chickenpox vaccine

[mumsthewordi]

Nearly everyone in daughters class (she is four and just started reception), has had the chickenpox vaccine

I had not even considered it as an option , I don't know why they've all gone this route as now daughters got reduced exposure and she may get when older which I would be more nervous about,

Should just get her to have it too ?

I don't know why they've all gone this route as now daughters got reduced exposure and she may get when older which I would be more nervous about

Well I would guess that they made the decision to vaccinate and safeguard the health of their own children rather than worrying too much about them being used as a carrier to infect their future classmates who hadn’t considered the vaccination themselves.

If you can afford it then yes. A week off school for them and work for you or DH whilst they’re uncomfortable and itchy is the absolute best case scenario. A bad case can be far, far worse. If you can pay to avoid the suffering and hassle then why wouldn’t you?

Of course people vaccinate their children against chickenpox if they can afford it. It’s uncomfortable for the child even if they don’t get serious complications or scarring, and means they could have shingles as an adult.

If your local PCT offer it then pay to have it!!!!

Ours don't endorse it so although I desperately wanted dd vaccinated (she is immunosuppressed and on therapeutic chemo) I couldn't. Best case scenario if she catches it (she is now 11) at least a week in HDU on IV antibiotics. Worse case...i don't even want to think about.

My DD is 9 and has just recovered from CP. I haven’t given her that particular vaccine (wasn’t offered on NHS when she was smaller) and it’s not as if I’ve gone to great lengths to shield her from it (how could I?!) but honestly, it was the lightest and easiest case of CP I’ve ever known! None on her face, a few on her scalp & back, only 2 on her leg and one on her hand. That’s it! Barely itched much though the ones on her scalp hurt. Didn’t even need any creams or lotions just paracetamol and 7 days off school!
Overall though, being 9, I fully expected her to get it badly and be covered in them 🔴🔴🔴🔴
My point is, don’t assume that not having the vaccine automatically means a serious case of it will be coming her way, as that’s clearly not the case.
If you can afford to pay for it privately and it gives you some peace of mind then go for it. But if you can’t then don’t worry! Especially if she’s not medically vulnerable in any way.

If your local PCT offer it then pay to have it
What’s PCT? I had DD vaccinated with a private GP (she’d had one dose abroad so only needed the one) and DS by the pharmacist at Boots. I thought Boots and Superdrug offered it nationwide? Probably other places too but those are the big ones.

If your daughter is immunosuppressed she can’t have the chickenpox vaccine - it’s a live vaccine and contraindicated in immunosuppressed people.

It's on the standard vaccine schedule in the US and many other countries. It's madness that the NHS doesn't offer it.

It's likely going into the vaccination schedule in the next couple of years as it's now been recommended by the JCVI.

It's routinely vaccinated against in Europe, USA and Canada but not done in the UK. I'd be interested to know why this is the case but an increase in private vaccinations will mean a partial herd immunity and increase problems later down the line in the UK with people potentially catching it later in life. This seems vastly unfair to poorer families who may not be able to afford a private vaccine. We haven't yet vaccinated but it's been on my mind to look into. It wouldn't surprise me if the government introduced it as a routine vaccination in the coming years as we can't really rely on partial herd immunity with a virus that becomes more deadly the older people catch it.

I really thought it was only for those children offered it if they were in contact with those who are immune compromised or vulnerable, yes I can afford it but never would have considered a chickenpox vaccine because I thought it increases daughters long term immunity to have a mild case of it before she gets older and overall it can increase the case of shingles

It's because it was previously believed that there would be an increase in adults getting shingles as they'd loose the immunity boost from CP going around in the community.

However a study from somewhere that's had the vaccine for many years (either the USA or aus, I can't remember which) has shown that isn't actually the case.

Also much older people are protected now with the shingles vaccine being available.

overall it can increase the case of shingles

That's not been shown not to be the case.

I had dd done at Superdrug, cost £150, but she hadn't had it by age 10 and looking into the potential ramifications of getting it at an older age, particularly for a female, I decided it was not worth the risk.
My other dc caught it at very young ages and it was just itchy.

Does it matter if you've not had the first dose as a baby as advised ?

I would get it for her, yes. Not only does it protect against chicken pox, but more importantly it protects against having Shingles in later life (which happens when the dormant chicken pox virus re-activates).

No it doesn't matter, as long as she gets the full course.

Vaccine has been on the standard schedule for nearly 30 years old in the US and there are no known issues with immunity waining and actually it seems the risk of shingles is reduced with the vaccine vs. catching it. And besides, there’s a shingles vaccine now too which is routinely offered to the elderly. In addition there is never any guarantee of only a ‘mild case’. I agree it’s not well publicised in the UK, I had DD in the US where it was mandatory to get it (along with all the other routine vaccines) to attend daycare so that’s how it got on my radar. But now you know about it, and if you can afford it, it be a really good thing to do.

I can send you a photo of my DD in hospital when she was 4 with chicken pox. I can't tell you how much I wished I'd got her the vaccine. It was an awful time.

It’s 2 doses given 4 weeks apart. Doesn’t matter what age you are!

I genuinely thought that Chickenpox is typically a mild illness in healthy children, and contracting it naturally often provides lifelong immunity and also vaccinating against it could potentially delay the infection to adulthood? when the disease is more severe and my dr friends have always told me natural chickenpox infection might reduce the long-term risk of shingles by boosting immunity.

So sorry to hear of your dd! Hope she recovered In full though how scary

Any side effects of the vaccine ?

@mumsthewordi so did I until my healthy 4 year old was hospitalised for a week. It's more common than you think as I found out from the doctors.

She was allowed it before the chemi meds were started thanks at the hospitals request, however my PCT (Primary Care Trust) don't offer it so you cannot get it here either via NHS or privately.