Has anyone had their child vaccinated for chickenpox?

[Tryingandhoping2020]

Pros and cons? If it works well I'd be happy to shell out to save my DD some suffering but I don't want to make it more likely she'll get it when she's older? Does it work for life?

We did and will be for our second child too. Pros have been she didn't get chicken pox when but went all round pre-school and most other kids had time off with it. Also she didn't catch it from her cousin when the in-laws didn't tell us she was at their house with it at the contagious stage! Cons are cost but we thought it worth it.

Yep, we did ASAP and will do the same when DC2 arrives. The cost is negligible IMO compared to the inconvenience and unpleasantness of CP.

My son had cp when he was around 3 but my daughter is now 8 and even though it’s gone round her class a couple of times, she hasn’t caught it. I mentioned to dh that I’d like her to get vaccinated as I had it as an adult and it was horrible and I wouldn’t wish that on her. Maybe we should just bite the bullet and get it done ASAP.

Yes I did. Self employed so cheaper to pay for vaccination that take up to 2 weeks off per kid. Read it was 65% effective and they need booster in teens. Kids were exposed three weeks ago and no sign of spots, whereas another exposed child has had them. Interestingly the pharmacy who did it asked if I was a doctor, as they said almost all the customers for this vaccination are.

I will be if the twins don't come down with it shortly - eldest has just recovered - luckily all over within 4-5 days but if the twins go down it with one after the other that could mean 3 weeks off work 😬

I did as my daughter had febrile convulsions when she was small and apparently chicken pox are a common cause. She was absolutely fine after the jab. However, a couple of days later, she sneezed literally into my face and I ended up with shingles (it's a live vaccine). In her words (she was 3) "I coughed and jingle into mummy!" 😂

Yes - I had it badly as a child and am scarred. I didn't want that for my child.

Yup, DS had it at 18m ish. Pros are pretty obvious but mainly not catching a very uncomfortable and horrible illness. Cons were exactly the same for us as with all the other vaccines he had in his 1st year so we could deal with that. I'd say if you can afford it, do it.

I wish we had done it. DD didn't get it when she was small (or possibly got it very, very mildly - we were never quite sure). She then got it as a teenager and was really very poorly with it. It was horrible and I wish I could have spared her from that experience. The spots make teens feel very self conscious too - and adults, I imagine!

I didn't even know that Boots offered it! DD(2) hasn't had it yet, in spite of it going around at nursery. I'm pregnant and really don't want her to bring it home when we've got a newborn as well - it'll be well worth spending my Christmas money on it for the peace of mind! I remember having chickenpox as a child and it was miserable, so having the option to spare her the whole experience is great!

@MONSTERSALAD

I didn't even know that Boots offered it! DD(2) hasn't had it yet, in spite of it going around at nursery. I'm pregnant and really don't want her to bring it home when we've got a newborn as well - it'll be well worth spending my Christmas money on it for the peace of mind! I remember having chickenpox as a child and it was miserable, so having the option to spare her the whole experience is great!

Definitely get it if you have a newborn

When I got my kids vaccinated for Chicken Pox at Boots a few years ago, the pharmacist asked if I was a doctor. When I replied that I wasn't she explained that she mostly noticed it was doctors bringing their children in for the vaccination. That told me a lot - plus I had only known about it as recommended by a close friend who is Dr and had seen some horrendous cases or Chicken pox in her time. It really isn't well publicised I don't think.

I intend to have my child vaccinated when he or she arrives and may look into getting vaccine myself - never had CP But prospect of getting it as an adult (and especially now while I’m pregnant) does worry me.

For those who got it, how did you? Can you just turn up at Boots or do you have to book it?

www.boots.com/health-pharmacy-advice/vaccinations/chickenpox-vaccination-service

Says you book in advance as not all stores will stock it

Thanks!!

Travel vax clinics normally do it too - that’s where we got it x

We had it done at a private GP.
Funny enough after posting here this morning I've heard of two local families with it. One We spent hours with yesterday.

I had no idea you could get this, thank you for posting

Did mine when DD was 13 months or so. My GP recommended I get vaccinated because I've never had it and it can be horrendous in adults and I decided to get DD vaccinated too and avoid something that can be very unpleasant indeed.

It’s done routinely and is free where we live. Both my kids got vaccinated as babies. They both still got CP at ages 10 and 9 when there was a large outbreak at school and had a very mild illness for one day, then fine again, which was the same for their vaccinated friends. Definitely worth getting vaccinated.

Both my kids were done at 18 months as per the schedule here in Aus.

I had chicken pox as a teenager and it was fucking horrific, I even had them all through my mouth and I couldn’t walk or dress myself. Lasted 3 weeks

@RelentlessForwardProgress

We've vaccinated ours, 2x shots each at Boots.

To be honest we find the NHS rationale for why they don't vaccinate when other western countries do, to be absolutely ridiculous.... I have absolutely no truck with the idea of deliberately leaving children open to infection so that it will boost the immunity of adults who might come into contact with them.

From the NHS website:
"Being exposed to chickenpox as an adult (for example, through contact with infected children) boosts your immunity to shingles.
If you vaccinate children against chickenpox, you lose this natural boosting, so immunity in adults will drop and more shingles cases will occur."

This in spades.

There's a vaccine available to protect against shingles anyway, so no need to let kids suffer. All comes down to cost to the NHS I would think.

@Callmecordelia he could have had a blood test to check for immunity. I had one several years ago when DM couldn't tell me whether I'd had chicken pox or not as a child