Chicken pox vaccine am I doing the right thing ?

[Rebecca12356777]

I’m planning on getting my child vaccinated for chicken pox this week. He isn’t high risk but after researching it seems other countries offer this vaccine as standard and I really don’t want him to catch it and be in pain and have sleepless nights and I’m worried about the serious complications that can happen although am i right in thinking this is rare ?

I feel slightly nervous about the side effects of the vaccine, have any of your children had an adverse affect to it? Also what can I expect will he very unwell after the injection?
Am I doing the right thing by getting the vaccine ?

Thank you

In the country I live in children have the chickenpox vaccine as part of the standard vaccination programme.

I wouldn't worry about it at all

Both of mine have had and no side affects after the vaccine for either of them. DC1 was one of only a handful of children who made it through a bout of chicken pox that spread through nursery. I know a few children who've ended up in hospital from CP - I know it's mild in most cases though.

DD had it. It’s given routinely in other countries. No side effects, nothing.

My daughter had it. I don't remember any side effects out if the ordinary. I'm glad she has had it. I believe it means a lower risk of developing shingles in later life.

Just be prepared for people not to know what you're talking about and some confused conversations if chicken pox comes up.

DS had it. By far the easiest vaccination, zero side effects.

We just did it as dc hasn’t had cp at 12

All fine no side effects

We've had our DS done, best decision ever when they had a chickenpox outbreak at nursery and he sailed through with no symptoms.

Mine didn't have any side effects from the vaccination.

Both mine have had it. I paid for it when we lived in the UK.

Both were absolutely fine after it.

I too am in a country where it is given at the same time as the MMR. No side effects.

Yes I did it after a horrible chicken pox for my older child. It's well worth it

Eldest had it, no side effects. I’ll get younger one done soon. It’s standard in much of the world. My reasoning was even a mild case is miserable with time off school/work and risks of infection and scarring. Then there are potential serious complications.
Here have been cases at school and nursery and it’s one less thing to worry about

I paid for it for both my kids. Absolutely delighted with my decision as it avoided them going through an uncomfortable, unpleasant illness (with very rare but very serious complications - encephalitis for one. The boys’ paediatrician had lost several kids to chicken pox complications at the big childrens hospital he was based at). On the more superficial side, it saved us having to take 2 weeks off work x 2 and avoided having expensive holidays cancelled (seen numerous friends bin long haul holidays pre covid thanks to chicken pox).

In terms of the jab no side effects whatsoever. Any side effects would pale in comparison to the actual virus.

DD and DS were vaccinated as soon as possible and had no side-effects. Both times their nursery had a chickenpox outbreak a few weeks later; we also know someone whose child was hospitalised with it. So no regrets at all.

Both my kids have had it at Boots age 1. Both fine, no side effects at all. I am very glad we did it for them, spread like wildfire recently, one less worry. dd started nursery when I was still pregnant with ds and I was worried about an outbreak of it with a newborn. That was the reasoning at the time and then we thought why not with ds. Worth it to us.

Both ours had it with no problem. Chicken pox can be nasty, and even a mild case can be pretty annoying. I’d recommend it.

Why would you not do it? How much does it cost that the money would put you off? Surprised it is not standard in UK! If you refuse childhood vaccinations here in Aus (which are free) you will have difficulty enrolling in school or nursery, and you miss out on tax breaks for parents.

Mine had it, no side effects at all. He's been through two outbreaks at nursery and close contact with a cold who developed spots the next day, so seems very effective.

Chicken pox can be a horrible illness, not all children get it mildly and it means time off work with them while the spots crust over. It was an easy decision for me.

We paid £90 per dose (2x) but that was during lockdown when only the private hospital was doing them, it's probably cheaper elsewhere.

*close contact with a child!

If you get it at boots you get boots points!

My ds had the vaccine age 3. No side effects.

I wish I'd done it. DS got chicken pox (so we and a GP thought) at around 16 months when I was pregnant with DD and when his bloody jab was booked He then actually got it at 3.5 during a nursery outbreak and had a mild case.

However, DD also got it 2 weeks later at 17 months (she had health probs at birth so jab risk/benefit wasn't clear cut) and she had it very badly. Was on verge of hospitalisation. 5/6 weeks later and some of the scabs still haven't dropped off. Her chest/back will scar, proper pox scars like you see on ex small pox pictures. I am devastated. Thankfully, now she's fine.

Plus, a week off work each time 2 weeks apart didn't make us particular popular with our employers (we did split it between parents)

@KangarooSally - vaccines are free in the UK but our medical association doesn’t consider chicken pox necessary as it’s a mild childhood illness. So it’s not in our vaccine programme. We can however pay privately for it at around £100. But not many people do.

OP - I’d do it. My DD has got pox now, a week before her vaccine was booked 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ She’s fine but she clearly feels poorly bless her. I’ve had to take annual leave this week to look after her which is really annoying! If your little one goes to nursery, get it done ASAP before they catch it anyway 🙈

Doesn't seem like a good economic decision - each case means people that can't work and can't contribute to the economy. And holidays that have to be cancelled is money that tourism operators are not earning. Plus hospital / doctor costs for the children and floor adults that get shingles later in life. Many people might not be able to afford 100 pounds. That's a bit rough