Chicken pox vaccine for toddler, on NHS?

[soggybanana]

I'm pregnant and have toddler. Chicken pox is going around our area and I want to get my toddler vaccinated.

Is it possible on the NHS as I am pregnant? I've read that if a parent is vulnerable then it can be free.

I am willing to pay but it would be a much needed saving.

Have you had chicken pox?

I have

In what way are you vulnerable to chicken pox?

Then you’re not vulnerable, so no you can’t it on the NHS.

The examples the NHS gives for household contacts are those living with someone with leukaemia, or with someone on active treatment for cancer.

As you've had chicken pox, you are very unlikely to get it again. It's possible, but very rare (and usually only seen in people with immune system issues).

So I don't think your cohabitants will qualify for the jab on NHS. But it is available privately.

NHS website says if you have chicken pox, to not go near newborns or anyone pregnant as it can be dangerous for them

You’re not vulnerable if you’ve already had it. Are you in the UK? If yes and if you want your toddler to be vaccinated, which I agree would be a good idea for their sake and the new baby, then you’ll need to book it privately.

You won't get them as you've had it so it's completely fine. My little boy had them a couple of weeks ago and I was reassured by the midwife as I'd had chickenpox as a child. My son was covered in spots but no issues for me. The vaccine doesn't guarantee that your little one won't get chicken pox anyway as far as I'm aware.

That’s in case the pregnant person hasn’t had chicken pox yet, as pregnancy can lower your immune system so it could be dangerous to catch it. But if you’ve already had chicken pox there’s no issue.

I live in Scotland and our GP wouldn’t give my child the chicken pox vaccine despite having treatment for breast cancer at the time . It was rife in nursery and he caught it . I had to go and stay with my mum !

I wish I’d paid to get it but money was so tight at the time.

You can get chicken pox twice ( rare but possible) so yes all pregnancy women should avoid individuals with it if at all possible. Weather that qualifies you for a free vaccine for your toddler on the nhs I don't know. It would probably be worth a conversation with your GP and they can tell you alot better then mumsnet

You’ll be fine as you’ve had CP.

Get your kid vaxxed anyway though as it can be very nasty and nobody needs that. Especially a newborn! (As in, the one you’re pregnant with… would be classic timing for your toddler to get CP while the new baby is a newborn).

That's reassuring.

This wouldn't qualify you for an NHS vaccine. If it did, every family with more than 1 child would have been entitled to it.

You will need to pay, unless you have very specific circumstances which mean chickenpox will be especially dangerous for you or another child in your home, beyond the normal level of dangerous.

What a difficult experience for you, sorry to hear that.

Yes I was thinking about it tonight as I was reading it's in my area, I will update the thread when I find out.

Unfortunately you won't get the vaccine on the NHS as it's not risky enough.

But that's not the same as no risk at all.

When I was 6 weeks pregnant I was exposed to my nephew who had CP. Drs would not confirm I was safe because I had CP as a child. In fact they sent me for a blood test to check whether I had antibodies - I did so all good. But there a chance that despite previous infection I would not have had immunity. In that situation they'd have vaccinated me then to try to limit the risk.

Is there any way at all you can pay to vaccinate your son? It would also mean he wouldn't suffer the misery of chicken pox.

Also, I actually asked the practice nurse when DD could have her second CP dose around her preschool MMR booster (same day or 4 weeks later if you’re interested) whilst obviously heavily pregnant and there was zero suggestion the NHS would offer it, which makes sense because if what you were saying was a real thing then that would mean all kids with a younger sibling, so about half of all children, would be offered it and that obviously isn’t how it works. It being in your area isn’t a thing either, because it’s in everyone’s area, all the time!! I would just get done privately if you can afford it.

Yes I think we would pay, I'd never heard of the vaccine until reading on Mumsnet.

You can still catch it and be contagious even when vaccinated unfortunately, just won'tbe anywhere near as bad. My daughter currently has it, but very mildly, i.e. barely feels ill just a bit more tired than normal and obviously some of the spots. Luckily i had it as a kid, but concerned about my new baby as hes due any time now, hoping shes no longer contagious by the time he arrives!

Chicken pox vaccine is only available if you pay privately. Not on the nhs.

Also, It's a live vaccine so it wouldn't be recommended for your child to be around pregnant people or those with immune disorders because they would be able to pass on the virus.

I have paid for the cp vaccine for my son, I don't want to deal with him having it and don't want him to be ill he was miserable with hand foot and mouth

No, those currently entitled on NHS are e.g. severely immunocompromised. JCVI have recommended population level vaccination but hasn't come in yet. You'll have to do it privately.

That's only someone pregnant and non-immune - on the assumption that you won't know if e.g. your pregnant colleagues is immune, so best to avoid her.

@soggybanana I had the same concerns about a month ago as my son was sent home with suspected chicken pox.
I phoned my midwife and she said at the booking in appointment where they do bloods they do actually check for antibodies against chicken pox. As I'd already had it when I was 7 my blood work showed immunity to it and therefore the risk of me catching it was very very low. Could you ask your midwife to check your blood work or if they didn't check for it they can do an additional blood test to check? At least it would give you a bit of reassurance.