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Original poster

Chicken pox vaccine am I doing the right thing ?

76 replies

Rebecca12356777 · 15/02/2022 19:56

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

OP posts:
GromblesofGrimbledon · 15/02/2022 22:35

At what age can you get your child vaccinated for chicken pox?

NewNormalLife · 15/02/2022 22:37

it's recommended over 1 year old. I think its £60 per dose in superdrug and boots. 2 doses 6 weeks apart. My daughter felt fine after it.

emsie12345 · 15/02/2022 22:59

"KangarooSally

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"

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JacketOnTheHook · 16/02/2022 00:45

My elder two got it as part of a regular vaccinenschedule free in the country we were living in. Dd was born in the UK. Each time we booked she was exposed, then actually got it the third time, so no jab. The elder two, despite being vaccinated still got it, albeit mildly. Must have been a different strain. The elder two also got covid the DAY the jab was booked. I don't have much luck with bookings Grin

Marynotsocontrary · 16/02/2022 00:52

The chickenpox vaccine doesn't prevent shingles in adults KangarooSally (or have I misunderstood what you've said?)

PoshWatchShitShoes · 16/02/2022 08:06

Both of my DC vaccinated at Boots. Quick, easy, no side effects. Lots of our friends didn't do this and regret it now they've experienced their little ones getting poorly.

I had CP twice as a child and I remember it was awful!!

SherryPalmer · 16/02/2022 08:16

The chickenpox vaccine doesn't prevent shingles in adults KangarooSally (or have I misunderstood what you've said?)

Yes it does

randomsabreuse · 16/02/2022 08:25

Wish I'd done it with my 2 but missed the boat. Was a
Planning to get them both done once younger one had had the 1 year old vaccines but old one picked it up at school and brought it home.

Younger one was pretty ill with it - ended up in A&E with a temperature that wouldn't shift on New Year's DayBlush

CaMePlaitPas · 16/02/2022 08:41

My kids had it, and my third will be having it too. The only side effect has been that they never got chicken pox.

Original poster
Rebecca12356777 · 16/02/2022 09:24

Thanks everyone I’ve booked it now. I do feel guilty that he might get ill afterwards but I’m really hoping he doesn’t. I think lots of my family don’t understand why I’m getting it as there children just got it mildly but going by what people have said on here that’s not always the case.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rebecca12356777 · 16/02/2022 10:57

I will probably ask the pharmacist this but thought someone might know on here … I’ve read the vaccine provides 10-20 years of protection so what happens in there adult years , do they need a booster? Or will they be more at risk of catching it’s an adult which is apparently worse?

OP posts:
Ginandvomits · 16/02/2022 11:08

Mine both had it. It's part of the standard childhood vaccination program where I live and you very rarely hear of people with chickenpox.
I'm very glad they've had it as well as Covid jabs.

Poppy709 · 16/02/2022 12:18

My DS had no side effects, he usually reacts to his jabs with high fever etc but with chickenpox you wouldn’t know he’d had it. I think they can get a booster at 18.
It doesn’t prevent them getting shingles, the nurse specifically said this, the only way to guarantee not getting shingles is never being exposed to chicken pox.

Phos · 16/02/2022 12:22

I wouldn't worry about it. If you want to vaccinate your child, do it. It CAN be mild but it can be very very unpleasant.

I was recommended to get myself jabbed when my DD was a baby because I've never had it (my GP didn't believe me and sent me for blood tests to prove I had. She was wrong.) and it can be horrendous for adults. I decided then to get DD done at the same time, stopped me waiting for her to come home from school or nursery with them one day! She had no side effects at all. She was 1 when she had it. Our Boots don't offer it (or didn't then) so we went to a private GP.

LittleSnakes · 16/02/2022 12:25

I got it for mine. Lots of stories form friends with their kids getting CP really badly. Not to mention the isolation time of you have multiple children.

stargirl1701 · 16/02/2022 12:28

We decided to wait until secondary school. If they caught it before then good, if not we would vax.

They both caught it in primary school. All good.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 16/02/2022 12:35

DD got it when she was 9 months old, and was very, very ill for a week. Sustained temp of over 40 degrees for 4 days. Totally covered in spots. If we’d been at home, she’d have been in hospital.

DS was 3, also rather unwell, but ill enough that I’d have had any subsequent children vaccinated. I didn’t know about the vaccine when my dc were little.

HappyHippoWhatAMess · 16/02/2022 12:44

@Rebecca12356777

I will probably ask the pharmacist this but thought someone might know on here … I’ve read the vaccine provides 10-20 years of protection so what happens in there adult years , do they need a booster? Or will they be more at risk of catching it’s an adult which is apparently worse?
This is a really good question and the answer will depend on whether the UK starts vaccinating routinely for varicella. A vaccinated person who is regularly challenged by wild-type chicken pox (as will happen in the UK now) will be having their immune system “reminded” on a regular basis and should retain high levels of immunity. If you were to move to a highly vaccinated country like Australia, that immunity may wean more quickly due to lack of regular re-exposure. However, you would be less likely to catch chicken-pox because it doesn’t circulate widely. Even if the serological testing shows waning immunity, being vaccinated still appears to prevent severe disease (needing to be admitted to hospital).
Rainallnight · 16/02/2022 12:46

Only a medical professional can really answer your question, but FWIW, I really wish I’d had my DC done. I didn’t know it was an option.

DS caught it a couple of days before my brother’s wedding. My mum was in late stage cancer and was highly immunocompromised. So I had to go to the wedding on my own (in another country) and DP had to stay behind to look after infectious DS and potentially infectious DD. My mum died shortly afterward and it was the last big family thing we ever did with my mum, so I’m so sad my DC weren’t there.

I should probably still get DD done even though I’m pretty sure she’s had it mildly at some stage because she didn’t catch it from DS that time.

Trunumber · 16/02/2022 12:47

DS had the vaccine with no side effects at all and he gets side effects with every other vaccine

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 16/02/2022 13:28

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads

DD got it when she was 9 months old, and was very, very ill for a week. Sustained temp of over 40 degrees for 4 days. Totally covered in spots. If we’d been at home, she’d have been in hospital.

DS was 3, also rather unwell, but ill enough that I’d have had any subsequent children vaccinated. I didn’t know about the vaccine when my dc were little.

When I say DD got “it”, I mean chicken pox, not the vaccine.
whoruntheworldgirls · 16/02/2022 13:30

My daughter had it, no side effects and later nursery had a large outbreak of it and she avoided catching it.

Prometheus · 16/02/2022 13:35

We did it for DS age 11 last summer before he started high school as he hasn’t had it and I didn’t want him missing weeks of school if he caught it. Two doses, zero side effects other than slightly sore arm.

Vebrithien · 16/02/2022 13:37

Both DD and DS were vaccinated, at around 14 months (so after MMR but before nursery start). We paid £75 a dose (X2 per child) from our local private surgery.

DS had a very mild fever for about 24 hours after his second dose. Neither child got any spots at all.

They have now both been exposed several times to CP in the wild, and have sailed through.

Our GP said that, regarding waining immunity in adulthood, at 18 the children could choose to have a blood serum test, and if needed, could them have a third, booster, dose. However, exposure to CP in the wild will help to keep their immunity high.

BringBackCoffeeCreams · 16/02/2022 13:41

@KangarooSally

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.
The country I live in don't offer it either. They say it's because the protection from it wanes putting people at greater risk of catching it as an adult. Catching it as an adult is way more serious than catching it as child. So all you're doing is shifting the risk to when people are more vulnerable.