wwyd - to expose or not to expose

[Code Name Mama]

dh has never had chicken pox - nor for that matter, has anyone in his family (isn't that odd?? it's like they have some weird natural immunity!).

we haven't vax'd ds at all, he is almost 14 months old. we have friends with pox, and they are throwing a pox party this weekend.

i can't spend the next two weeks away from dh, but i'd hate for him to get CP.

so what would you do? expose and hope dh doesn't get them? not expose and have dh get the vax?


tia!

[nikkiethridge]

Hm, I would be very worried about your DH. Isn't varicella almost deadly if contracted as an adult? I haven't done much research on that...but it may be wise to look and see the possible complications your DH may have if he contracts the pox, and then weigh the pros and cons before taking your LO to the party (if you decide that's the right thing to do).

ETA:
Has your DH had his blood titers checked at all? He may be immune and not even know it.

[Gitti]

cp is not that serious in adults. Not like measles. I bet your dh has natural immunity. My son in law was titre tested for med school and had immunity to cp even though he never was in contact with anyone who had it.

So, I would expose my child and not worry about dh (so much).

I would also keep Vita C (AS or AA) on hand plus CLO in this instance.

Any viral infection responds well to vita A (hence the CLO).

[jul511riv]

clo?

[plunky]

I think exposing your kid is a valuable goal. But if you really can't keep it away from your DH this time, might be a good idea to pass on this one. You'll get other opportunities.

[Super Glue Mommy]

why cant you spend the next 2 weeks away from DH? bring him with you if you can conclude he has natural immunity, otherwise, 2 weeks in the scheme of things sounds worth it to me, unless this is truly a matter of can't be away from him versus would prefer not to be

[Juvysen]

Originally Posted by jul511riv

clo?

Cod Liver Oil, I think?

[peainthepod]

I would have DH get his titers checked before making the decision, if possible. That said, I know a few people who have had CP as adults and while it wasn't fun, it wasn't life-threatening either.

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by peainthepod

I would have DH get his titers checked before making the decision, if possible. That said, I know a few people who have had CP as adults and while it wasn't fun, it wasn't life-threatening either.

I am one of those adults....it wasn;t fun and I have several pox scars to remind me of my week I spent in an oatmeal bath, but it was far from daedly. If your DH is otherwise healthy and takes care of himself...boosts him immune system, takes vit c and A and doesn't take anything to lower a fever should he get one, I think he would be fine. I would expose and not worry about it...maybe he won't even get it.

[plunky]

I find it logically inconsistent that so many posters are recommending that you ignore the possible danger to your DH, just so you can prevent a possible situation like this in the future for your DC. After all, the reason you are trying to get a natural immunity in your kid is so they don't get chicken pox as an adult.

[Super Glue Mommy]

so many posters? can you quote the posters to which you are referring plunky? the ones that are implying they should ignore the possible danger? and to those who did imply that, can you not consider that while we want our children to get CP as a child so they dont get it as an adult, some of us feel that way not because we think CP as an adult is extremely dangerous, but just that it is worse for an adult then for a child. can you maybe consider, that many parents are willing to sacrafice many things for the sake of their children?

but I did not see "many" posters saying to ignore risk. I saw some posters say CP as an adult isnt a big deal, and some recommend checking him for natural immunity, or leaving him behind if possible.

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by plunky

I find it logically inconsistent that so many posters are recommending that you ignore the possible danger to your DH, just so you can prevent a possible situation like this in the future for your DC. After all, the reason you are trying to get a natural immunity in your kid is so they don't get chicken pox as an adult.

this was a WWYD question was it not?? This poster is asking what would you do in this situation....I told her what I would do based on my own experiences.......end of story.

[Ophelia]

We are in basically the same situation. I have had CP twice (second time at 14) so I don't feel I am at high risk in getting it again, plus the exposure would boost my natural immunity.

DH doesn't believe he's ever had CP, so when we discussed exposure he was all for it, and I advised him of his choices (stay or leave for the duration), and he decided to stay. He could always have titers drawn but I doubt he would do that. I advised him of which supplements to take to help his immune system so that hopefully it wouldn't be too bad if he got it.

Apparently my second case of it was a lot worse than my first, but mainly I just had a lot of pox and itched like crap.

I think your DH is just going to have to decide what he wants to do, the nice thing about planned exposure is that you know CP might be coming so you can plan for it.

[jeliphish]

can he afford to miss the work if he is exposed and gets CP?

[Code Name Mama]

We really would not want him to miss work, that's a good point. I think we will have his titers checked and discuss getting him the vax if he is not immune.

Thank you for all of your input!

[Ophelia]

Just an FYI, I'm not sure if anyone really knows exactly how long the CP vax is supposed to last, so if your DH gets it, just to be sure he is aware of that. here is a great article on CP and the vax:

http://insidevaccines.com/wordpress/...-sure-why-not/
and
http://insidevaccines.com/wordpress/...ork/varicella/

[kiwiva]

[QUOTE=MahnaMahna;13136369]We really would not want him to miss work, that's a good point. I think we will have his titers checked and discuss getting him the vax if he is not immune.[QUOTE]

I've had the chicken pox vax twice (4 doses total) in the last 10 years and am still not immune according to titers.

How does he feel about it? My concern about getting it now is not that it is so dangerous to get it at my advanced age, but that it will be a huge pain to care for my toddler if we both get it together.

I believe you can get an immunoglobulin shot post exposure to help you not get chicken pox (not sure how much this helps or whether they still do it). I got this when I was in my late 20's. Kicking myself now, of course, as I'd much rather have had it at this point. But at the time I didn't want to miss work : and thought vaccines were the thing and so several months after that shot I got my first dose of the vax.

[Code Name Mama]

[QUOTE=kiwiva;13137265][QUOTE=MahnaMahna;13136369]We really would not want him to miss work, that's a good point. I think we will have his titers checked and discuss getting him the vax if he is not immune.

I've had the chicken pox vax twice (4 doses total) in the last 10 years and am still not immune according to titers.

How does he feel about it? My concern about getting it now is not that it is so dangerous to get it at my advanced age, but that it will be a huge pain to care for my toddler if we both get it together.

I believe you can get an immunoglobulin shot post exposure to help you not get chicken pox (not sure how much this helps or whether they still do it). I got this when I was in my late 20's. Kicking myself now, of course, as I'd much rather have had it at this point. But at the time I didn't want to miss work : and thought vaccines were the thing and so several months after that shot I got my first dose of the vax.

honestly that's why we haven't gotten his titers checked. i have heard so many anecdotal stories of "i've had the vax 3 times and my titers show i'm not immune" or even "i had it when i was a kid and my titers show i'm not immune."
the other reason i'd love to expose ds now is that we're going to TTC soon, and i'd rather ds get CP now instead of waiting throughout pregnancy and while the next baby is tiny.

[rhiandmoi]

I had chicken pox 3 times as a kid, and even though I got a good case the last time, I don't think I'm immune. But considering that he hasn't ever come down with the disease, he might not be susceptible to it in the first place. And you don't know that your son would be susceptible either. He could go to the pox party and not pick them up.