The Mock Turtle

I'm planning to get Topsy and Tim vaccinated against chicken pox. It sounds like a bit of a no brainer really, apart from the cost and I think I'd rather pay a little to not have to deal with them being ill.

Has anyone had it done? Or anyone who wouldn't? Just wondering if there's anything I've not considered as I've not really looked into it beyond hearing about it and thinking it sounded like a good idea.

It’s on the vaccination schedule here so both of mine had it. They have had no adverse effects and haven’t ever had chicken pox even when there have been confirmed cases in their daycare/school.

It is a standard vaccine in the US, required for schools, nurseries etc and Liv had it done. George had to prove he'd had chickenpox in order for the Drs to sign the school forms!

my friend is part German and briefly lived in Berlin when her kids were little and had the CP vaccine because its standard there. I don't know why we don't. We treat it like a right of passage

I had both of mine done, it’s not on the vaccine schedule here so I paid for it privately. We’ve been through two outbreaks of chickenpox in school and E has escaped both times so I think it has taken. No adverse effects either, although H had a large lump where he had the jab.

I remember chicken pox as being so miserable that I figured the vaccine would be a better idea.

I think I’d do it if widely available & reasonably priced. My kids have both had it now.

I'm a bit conflicted about this (and have no reason to do the proper research to resolve the situation ). I looked into it a bit as my mum recently got the shingles vaccine, which is apparently available for free (to oldies?) on the NHS but they don't publicise it as it's expensive, or so Mum says. I was discussing it with her and thought at first that CP should be mandatory to avoid the shingles issue, then found US research that either said it had no effect on shingles cases or might have said it made it worse. Although presumably not in the same person, this was a population effect.

My older two both had CP when they were in preschool. We paid for E to have the vaccination privately before she started school as it’s so standard in many places (plus we were going to NZ and I was totally paranoid she’d get it and it would fuck up our trip).

Yep, I got Theo done. He refused to catch it given all the opportunities he had We had a holiday coming up where we'd be sharing a house with my pregnant sister so I wanted to get it out the way. See also a not insignificant health anxiety so I needed it over.

It was fine, two separate injections and he didn't experience any side effects. That was about 6 years ago and he still hasn't caught it elsewhere so I assume it worked?

smalex wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2020 9:09 pm I don't know why we don't. We treat it like a right of passage

We do! I really thought like this until after my three had all got it out of the way, but would seriously consider the vaccine now, especially as P can't build immunity to it. (I'm too tight to suggest paying just for him now his closest sources have had it, and it would never occur to him )

Interesting that it may worsen shingles though. I would want to look into that more carefully. Surely there should be reliable data given that it's standard in the US and Australia?

Oh you’ve reminded me, we came to the same conclusion and booked one, but it was still lockdown and we felt a bit weird about taking her into a public place (only city centre places were taking bookings) so we cancelled it and haven’t rebooked yet. We will, but we’re still not sure about telling anyone about it so we don’t need to debate it.

We had to prove the boys had had it too before moving here and everyone was horrified that we just ‘let them catch’ CP rather than vaccinate against it.

I had the vaccine back in April/ June as I never caught it from nursery/ school/ my own siblings & children and don’t have immunity either.

I became faintly terrified of catching it as an adult as I’ve heard a lot of horror stories and no side effects so far. I’m sure I read that that the UK rationale was cost based which is why it isn’t mandatory.

I had it when I was 15 and that is the only time in my life suicide crossed my mind! Only for a day, did I not want to exist, until my mum got me some antihistamines that sent me to sleep - not permanently - and stopped the terrible itching.

I thought the time old fashion was to have Chicken Pox parties when one of the kids at school had it, to get it over and done with. Or did that go out with the 70s?

Both my brother and I had chicken pox several times (and I have had shingles several times).

My kids had their chicken pox vaccinations as it's on the schedule here. I haven't heard of anyone actually having chicken pox here, it's just not a thing.

This seems to cover the 'making sh
ingles worse' thing quite well. https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/features ... chickenpox it looks like it was a theory that's not been supported by any evidence.

In any case, the theory is that it'd make it worse for me and P rather than Topsy and Tim.

I've had shingles as a child which was horrible but it doesn't seem to be a reason to avoid it for them.

I'm also a bit surprised it's not just on the schedule here but it's money I guess.

That's sounds really awful, Disco!

Oh, you mean chickenpox make you feel suicidal not the vaccine!

I've said this before but S hasn't had it. His mum got it when she was heavily pregnant so the theory is hes immune, he was exposed when W had it and also when nephew 2 would've been very contagious so hopefully that proves he is. Let's hope!

My parents always told me I never had chicken pox, so for years I thought I'd have to worry if friends' kids had it or whatever.

Then I came down with shingles aged 35 which rather contradicted my parents' assertion. I suppose I must have had it very mildly.

S has had the vaccine but due to availability and my slack parenting he had it after 3 (maybe 2) so only needed one injection. I had assumed it was still a right of passage and couldn’t make my mind up but then my friends got their daughter vaccinated. The father’s a neurosurgeon so I figured that was good enough for me.