Chicken pox vaccinations

[shoutymcshoutsmum]

My 5 year old girl has never (to my knowledge) had chicken pox, despite number of exposures at nursery and school. I also have a 2 year old boy and a 6 month old baby so have my hands full! Does anyone know where I can get them all vaccinated for chicken pox? I live in Wimbledon in South London. Thanks.

Basuto clinic in fulham
Or one of the international travel immunization clinics in town I think one off oxford st

thanks anonymosity.

Why would you want to vaccinate? Out of interest

In the US you have to vaccinate by law, in order to attend school. Varicella (chicken pox) Hep A, Hep B. other standard ones, which is how I know of these places as I had to get my children vaccinated before moving to the US.

To be honest I would seriously consider vacinating any future children after my experience with chicken pox.

DS1 was 2, and had a fairly mild case

DS2 was 7mo and had them everywhere, he couldnt eat, couldnt drink, they were in his mouth, he was dehydrated and nearly admitted to hospital. He thankfully responded to additional meds so avoided the admission.

But if there were a way to not put my child through that again I would. Majoritively chicken pox is mild, but sometimes it can be rather scary, serious and even lethal.

I thik the only reason the chicken pox vaccine isnt standard is due to the concern that it would cause more cases of shingles later in life.

I don't really understand that logic as anyone whose had chicken pox can get shingles anyway...

HelenLG, I understand the argument is that if everyone is vaccinated, it becomes less common and so people don't get routine exposure after having it, which boosts their immunity. That makes them more susceptible to shingles later in life (although you can be vaccinated against that, too).

But in the UK, where CP is common, you would get the exposure and that does boost immunity acquired through the vaccination too.

I had my children vaccinated and it is the best money I've ever spent - DS still caught it but was not unwell at all, had only 15 spots (25% of people who are vaccinated will still catch it but you are guaranteed a mild case). DD's vaccination worked completely.

It was lovely not to have to worry about them once I knew they'd been exposed.

I don't really understand the argument that vaccine = mild case. They may have had a mild case anyway! How can you know that the vaccine made it milder? If they caught it, the vaccine didn't work. What is the point in introducing another risk(with a vaccine) to a usually mild disease?

Not meaning to be rude, but I think the pro / cons of vaccinating have really seriously been done to death on mumsnet already.

This was just a thread asking where the vaccinations might be available...

Well the chickenpox vaccine is a fairly new one in the uk so I don't think it has been done to death yet anon :) give it time though. Once the media gets hold of it and we start hearing all the chickenpox horror stories it will really take off.

Yep. Try your local travelclinics that's where we had our dd vaccinated (in Oxford). Money well spent in my view. Although the recommendation now is to have booster a couple of months later to give better protection. We have not done so yet

Thanks everyone. I just don't want to play the lottery - will it be bad or will it be mild? I have enough trouble juggling the three of them, without them all being ill too. My GP said I should suffer like every other Mum ;-)

Shouty, the vaccine can't guarantee anything either (ie they could still catch it) but if it makes you feel happier then go for it. Just be aware that you will need to take them for boosters and remind them to do it when they're older too because CP is much worse as an adult.

I go to Dr J O'Connell at Parkside - but there is now a private GP on the Ridgway that will do it for cheaper.

Have not been here but www.wimbledonprivategpclinic.co.uk/ have spoken to them on the phone and they sound good.
Dr O'C is an excellent local paediatrician.
You should get your 2 yo's 1st jab as well while you are at it!

On a sidenote Chickenpox in a child will in 99% of the time have them running around as if there is nothing wrong with them once you have dosed them with calpol and piriton. It's the ones who take to their beds you should contact your gp about.

Chickenpox as an adult is horrendous, i had my bout mid 20s and its the illest i've ever been. Brother got his late 20s and was even worse than me.

God I'd have CP over shingles any day.

Children have to be a year old to be vaccinated

DS1 was vaccinated and I am keen to get DS2 (10 months) vaccinated too. My GP was happy to vaccinate him now although DH feels uncomfortable about vaccinating 8 weeks early.....still pondering as there seems to be lots of CP around at the moment.

The vaccination does offer protection against shingles I have been told.

bubbleymummy once the booster is given (6 weeks later) you wouldn't need to be vaccinated again.

Thanks everyone. My two had their first set of C-pox vaccinations this afternoon at the Westover in Wandsworth. No fuss, no stress, just a rather large bill! Relieved I've done it though.