Should dd have chicken pox vaccination when she has already had chicken pox?

[savoycabbage]

My dd's both had chicken pox at the same time. Dd1 was three and dd2 was eight months. Now I live in Australia and dd2 is five and she has just started school last week.

The school is pushing for me to have her vaccinated against chicken pox as it is the norm here. As she has already had the disease I don't know what to do and would appreciate any advice.

As she was 8 months when she had chicken pox, I would just get her the vaccine as a booster now. DS had chicken pox (quite badly, so many spots) at age 6 months and caught them again.

Thanks. Yes, I don't want her to get it again. They are being really pushy as I don't have any 'evidence' that she had it, its not in her red book and we are immigrants so I think they don't believe me.

I just want to do the right thing but I don't know what the right thing is.

If she caught chickenpox before 12 months old, her immune system probably wasn't functioning well enough to create the 'memory cells' needed to keep lifelong immunity, as they don't start working until a child is over a year old.

If you're worried about vaccinating, then it is possible to have antibodies checked, but I'm not sure if there is anyone in Australia who would do this. Is there a support network for non-vaccinating parents who might be able to point you in the right direction?

The alternative is to get a blood test, if you prefer that. Interestingly, my DD had a health check today and they wanted her to get a second varicella vaccine (to work in a hospital) and when I told them that she had been exposed when her little brother had chicken pox, they didn't bat an eye lid and just accepted it...

Savoy, as others have said, she may already be immune from having it but it would be worth testing just in case she was too young when she contracted it to gain full immunity.

Thanks everyone, I didn't know you could have a test. I will look into it.

FWIW - DD, who has had the vaccine once at age 4, went for a pre-hospital job health check yesterday and the nurse was about ready to give her another varicella vaccine (which I deem unnecessary because she was exposed to her little brother both times he had the chicken pox) and we settled on titres before shot (and Mantoux instead of BCG) :)