Chicken pox vaccine

[ShleepyMumma]

Has any one had their baby/ toddler vaccinated against chicken pox? It’s not offered on the NHS but you can have it done privately. Offers the same immunity as if you have chicken pox in childhood. I just think it’s a good idea, no scratching, no pain, no upset, no surprise for when or if it happens. Just wondered if anyone had immunised their child from it?( but I guess excluding those who had to due to being immunosuppressed etc)

That's interesting as I had chemo during covid and before I started I saw that I could get it on the NHS for our baby because I would be immunosuppressed, so we had both the chickenpox and first MMR as soon as he turned 9 months and was old enough.

If we had a second child then I would certainly get it privately although I don't think we would have really considered it so soon for our first if I hadn't read that we could get it.

We were told ideally 4 weeks between doses, I’m sure.

I got my boys vaccinated when they were 1 and neither had any side effects at all. There was a chicken pox outbreak in my eldest’s school and about 75 of the class got it and he didn’t so the vaccine seems to have done its job. I had it very badly at a similar age so I’m glad he can avoid it.

*75%

No. But wish I had. My daughter got chicken pox quite badly and has 2 scars on her forehead to show for it.

Yes, I got my daughter vaccinated at 1 year old. I went to our local independent pharmacy and paid half the price charged by larger pharmacies so it is worth shopping around. I am so glad I did as chicken pox is roaring through our town at the moment to the point that everywhere is sold out of poxcillin and calamine lotion and people are sharing bottles on social media. I am really glad I have spared her pain and illness, and also that I don't have to ask for time off work to care for her after the shitshow of the pandemic. I didn't see any side effects after the vaccination and she did not even cry when injected.

Yes, we got it done when he was 1. I had it badly as a young adult and wanted to avoid that for my child.

It's everywhere at the moment, I know so many people who've had to cancel holidays or have had nearly a month at home because their DCs got it one after the other. Babies absolutely covered in spots. I'm so glad we got it done.

The NHS reasoning is odd, because it only stands if the vaccination isn't part of the childhood schedule. If it was, we would gradually get to a point where very few people would be exposed to chicken pox because it wouldn't be around, and no-one would be getting shingles.

I think it's a live vaccine so you can have it/be around it before you start chemo, but not if you are already immunocompromised.

Both mine have had it. It’s done the rounds on school this year so I’ve been glad of them not being ill and also not having to cancel plans last minute.
A pp mentioned upthread, it’s not part of routine childhood immunisations because there would be a risk to the older population if CP wasn’t circulating every year. I think I’d being exposed to the virus each year stops us getting shingles??! I may have got that bit wrong but the reason it’s not offered is definitely not because it’s not in the child’s best interests.

DS had the vaccine at 1, I got double boots points on it! Absolutely worth it imo, there's been several outbreaks at preschool and I know a couple of children that have been hospitalised with it.

Thanks so much @MonicaGellerHyphenBing

I didn’t for my dds and they had cp - it was miserable but not severely ill. We did have to cancel a holiday the day before departure which was annoying.

I then did get ds vaccinated partly because of that and partly because I now know a child who was extremely poorly in hospital with it (it was touch and go).

I think the only thing is kids who had the jab may need a booster in late teens / early 20s - when I last looked into it that seemed to be suggested to ensure lifelong immunity but it’s a grey area.

I was slightly concerned with my DDs because if the vaccine doesn’t give quite such good long term immunity then it could potentially be a risk if / when they are themselves pregnant as adults because cp can be v dangerous in pregnancy. Obviously this wasn’t a concern with DS hence I got him vaccinated without a second thought.

Youngest was after middle DC had it 3 times, first time was horrific, even in his eyes and under foreskin. Wasn't going to let one of my kids go through that again.

I’ve had my boys done privately but was told it’s not recommended for baby/young girls because of the risk of CP in pregnancy and the risk of the efficacy of the vaccine wearing off and the woman then being vulnerable when pregnant in later life. Anyone else heard that? I was slightly raised eyebrow about it but told by a doctor.

Yesss best decision! No side effects from vaccine and one less (potentially really awful) illness to worry about.

I got my DD's vaccinated at 3&1. I'm just going to keep an eye on the research and if they need a booster we'll get one.

They know that they are vaccinated as it has been around their school a few times and they didn't catch it.

We just make it a part of the discussion that they might need a booster in their late teens/ early 20's.

They also aren't at risk of shingles as they never had wild chickenpox in their system. So it can't reactivate as shingles. My DM is still in pain from a bout of singles over 10 years ago.

DD had vaccine to avoid chicken pox for an upcoming special trip. The timing of catching chicken pox was awkward with my other DC, including just before I had a new baby. I asked my GP at the time and he said a lot of other countries routinely vaccinate and he thinks the policy is funding related in UK.

DD had it when we lived in the US, it’s an MMRV vaccine there so the chickenpox is included with the MMR, and since our state had mandatory vaccination for school/daycare enrolment, we didn’t really have any choice in the matter. First dose at 12 months, second at 4 years.

DS was born in the UK, had his privately at Boots . First dose at 14 months (it either has to be given on the same day as the MMR or you need to wait 4 weeks), second 6 weeks later as recommended by the pharmacist.

It’s on most developed countries vaccination schedules now, the US has been vaccinating since 1996 with the earliest recipients now in their 20s so I would like to think we’d know by now if there were any issues with it!

DS was vaccinated on the NHS because he was seriously ill with an unrelated infection when he was 2 and ended up in ICU. The consultant offered it to us when he had recovered from that infection. I'm planning to get DD vaccinated soon too.

Yes I had my 2 girls vaccinated earlier this week

Someone told me this is why they didn't vaccinate their daughter, so certainly some GPs are telling people this. But surely that would be a problem in all the countries that do offer the vaccine as standard (the US, Germany, Australia...)?

I did look into the research and so far there isn't seeming to be any reduction in efficacy. They have around 25 years of data now, so you'd think it would show up. Also, it's possible to catch chicken pox twice (although second time will likely be mild) so a pregnant woman who was infected as a young child could very easily catch it again when she has young children and is pregnant.

No. I didn't really want the hassle of potential boosters when they were older and it was quite pricey for them both. They both just had chickenpox, thankfully very mildly so glad it's out of the way now.

@Numbat2022 The doctor said it's not almost as much of an issue in countries like the US etc. that vaccinate as standard because rates of the disease are so low, the risk of exposure as an adult is virtually nil. But if the vaccine doesn't reduce in efficacy, it's not an issue anyhow!

Absolutely, got both of mine vaccinated as soon as they were 12mths.
Yes it's not cheap but absolutely worth it if it saves my children suffering, it's rife here atm and 2 friends have had children hospitalised, don't understand why anyone would risk that when there's an alternative.

Yes. It's on the childhood schedule in Australia. At four where I am. Surprised it's not in the UK.