Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

News

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Vaccination against Chicken Pox...

43 replies

SoupDragon · 08/11/2007 11:33

here. Interesting - for a start I didn't know that being around infectious children reduced the likelihood of developing shingles.

I particularly liked the statement "They said that one option for universal vaccination - adding the chickenpox jab to the existing MMR vaccine - might not win public support." Really? What a surprise

OP posts:

AussieSim · 09/11/2007 08:21

Chicken pox is on the schedule here in Oz - just this past year. It is scheduled for 18mths and totally seperate to the MMR. There is not much noise against any vaccinations over here at all. I got DS1 done because I was pregnant with DS2 and didn't want to risk picking it up. I reckon if you are a working mum, staying home to look after a couple of kids with chicken pox is probably something you would rather avoid.

amidaiwish · 09/11/2007 08:32

tbh i think adding a chicken pox vaccine is just going to confirm to me that all those people who don't do the MMR, and prefer to let their children get the illnesses instead, probably have a point!

both mine had chicken pox - DD1 was barely ill with it at all and enjoyed her few days on the sofa watching TV. DD2 was really quite ill (had it at 7 months and hasn't slept through the night since but i still wouldn't vaccinate against it.

it would actually make me think about whether the MMR is needed. Measles is such a scary illness to me with horrible potential complications, but maybe the reality is like chicken pox, almost everyone who gets it would be fine.

meemar · 09/11/2007 08:43

agree with amidaiwish - I wonder if after the vaccine is introduced Chicken Pox will suddenly become described as a 'deadly disease'(like measles), when it has always been described as fairly harmless.

Not sure if I would be happy for my child to have it.

Rosa · 09/11/2007 08:46

It Italy it has been included in the list if reccomended vaccinations already. It was given to dd when she had her mmr under the advice of her paed and also 2 Uk GP's as wanted advice. No mention was made of a booster in the future. She also had no initial reaction to the jab but temp 14 days afterwards for 2 days and a few tiny red spots

amidaiwish · 09/11/2007 08:48

why vaccinate children?
why not offer the vaccination to adults / vulnerable like the flu jab?

this really has bothered me this morning...

i did the MMR under guidance/recommendations - measles is such a terrible illness to get etc etc etc.. however if they are not saying that about chickenpox, well what a joke.

amidaiwish · 09/11/2007 08:49

sorry, should say "however if they are NOW saying that about chickenpox"

meemar · 09/11/2007 08:52

I agree, was in two minds and fretting for months about getting the MMR. We eventually went for it, not really for the mumps or rubella, but because we were led to believe that measles was such a horrific disease.

Now I look at what they are starting to say about chicken pox and I just think

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 09/11/2007 09:17

AussieSim - are they planning boosters in Aus or is it a one-off jab?

And does that mean a child has the potential to get shingles? I understand it that the natural disease lies dormant in the body and can be reawakened as shingles.

lemonaid · 09/11/2007 09:21

IIRC there used to be 100 deaths a year from measles before the measles vaccine was introduced -- not sure how many when there was just a single vaccine and no MMR (back in my young day). So a lot more than from chickenpox.

Mind you, I do have a friend whose otherwise perfectly healthy toddler died from chickenpox, so since then I've always thought of it as something potentially dangerous even for children without compromised immune systems. But it is statistically far less dangerous than measles.

KerryMum · 09/11/2007 11:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AussieSim · 09/11/2007 11:46

I don't think that there is talk of a booster over here, but the reason I wanted DS1 done when I was pregnant is because having had CP as a young child is no guarantee that you couldn't get it again as an adult, so I doubt that the vaccine lasts forever. Just like I had a rubella (measles) vaccine as a teenager, but apparently have low immunity now - which is a risk for DC3 - so I am hoping I don't bump into any children with well-meaning parents who didn't get their kid vaccinated.

Earlybird · 09/11/2007 11:47

It is also on the immunisation schedule in America. DD had the shot, and then a year or two later had a very mild case of chickenpox - maybe 10 spots, all on her torso. TBH, it was a relief to avoid a full blown case of itchy spots for a toddler.

pagwatch · 09/11/2007 18:06

Kerrymum
...Ahhhh ( the penny drops)
I doff my cap and beg your pardon. Apologies !

Flipping hate "scaremonger" !!!
Got called that by a smug mum at DD's nursery once and I hate it so. It is like rubbing salt in the wound after all we went through. It makes serious issues, something that changed the lives of my whole family, sound like tittle tattle.

I am so sorry I misunderstood you

KerryMum · 09/11/2007 21:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Theclosetpagan · 09/11/2007 21:47

I'd have loved it for DS. However, this was for the entirely selfish reason that I had never had chicken pox myself. Eventually had it last year after DS did. Thankfully I knew I was not immune and took massive doses of anti viral drugs plus had a vaccine given. Still got it but just mildly (ie I didn't feel too ill but was covered in spots).

Cocobear · 09/11/2007 21:53

The point about protecting adults is a good one. Apparently there is now a vaccine for shingles - my mom in the US was just given it. Actually it was her having shingles that passed chickenpox on to DS, so he won't be needing a vaccination!

I'd have DD vaccinated if she hadn't picked up CP by, maybe, 10 years old or so. Surely no need to vaccinated young children, though? And I say that as someone whose kids get every vaccination on the schedule PLUS typhoid, rabies, Hep B, Hep A, yellow fever, menigitis ACWY... and a few others.

scienceteacher · 09/11/2007 21:55

My younger two were vaccinated (we were living in the US), and I'm pretty glad. My older kids had mild cases of CP, but I do like having the control over the disease.

mm22bys · 10/11/2007 07:23

I'm sceptical about any new vaccine being targeted at a whole age group (including the cervical cancer one) - screams money-making tactics by drug companies to me!

CP is relatively harmless to the vast majority, but some will die, like with any childhood illness.

I dispute the pp and her stats regarding a baby's potential to handle thousands of bacteria / viruses etc. That may be the case if the child came into contact "naturally", but by injcting these viruses the body would not be reacting normally.

My two DSs are fully immunised BTW.

Flip

1 2