Would you bring your child to a measles party? - Page 3

[Th1Th2]

Not in a million. It's like bringing a child to a ped clinic for vaccination. Children are NOT supposed to get extraneous diseases. It is not a healthy choice either.

[peachweenie]

I don't know how people can say that measles is a mild childhood disease. It's not. I've had measles and was okay, but my little sister was very, very ill from it in the mid-1960's with a terribly high fever. We were all so worried, I still remember that 40 years later. I wouldn't intentionally expose a child to it for any reason!

By the way, I have terrible allergies too.

[Georgia Richard]

When my daughter is a little older I will definitely look for measles, mumps and Chicken pox parties.  I had them all and it was no big deal and I dont worry about contracting them as an adult.  To call them deadly diseases is a grosse overstatement and beyond common sense.  BTW, my daugher has never been vaxed and will not be under my care. ^^

[HappyMommy2]

What a great question!  I stopped vaxing about 2 years ago.  Kids are 5,3, and 3mo.  I am very interested in learning about this.

So .... if I can be so bold as to summarize the reasons TO go to a pox/measles party according to above posters ... 

1. Because the... symptoms? danger? are increased if one contracts the disease as an adult vs. as a child.   

If this is the case, and there is really only a 1 in 3million chance of contracting measles naturally in the US ... then that is something for a mom to weigh.  What is the chance of contracting cp naturally in the US?

2. Contracting the disease improves your immune system (and not just against that one disease)

3. Because there is a much greater risk to your unborn grandchild if your daughter gets these diseases as a pregnant adult.

4. Contracting the disease lowers the risk for allergies (or "may lower the risk for allergies")

5. Because you don't vax, and some jobs/schools require vax or titers

Are these right???  Is that an appropriate summary?  Please elaborate, correct, and add more reasons.  This is a fascinating topic!

Edited by HappyMommy2 - 4/21/11 at 11:33am

[Marnica]

I'm interested in your statement that one has a 1 in 3 million chance of getting wild measles - where are you getting this data?

I think your list of reasons you've summarized as to why a parent might want their child to get measles is accurate, however I would add what I think is probably one of the most important reasons - Natural lifetime immunity.

 

Originally Posted by HappyMommy2 

What a great question!  I stopped vaxing about 2 years ago.  Kids are 5,3, and 3mo.  I am very interested in learning about this.

So .... if I can be so bold as to summarize the reasons TO go to a pox/measles party according to above posters ... 

1. Because the... symptoms? danger? are increased if one contracts the disease as an adult vs. as a child.   

If this is the case, and there is really only a 1 in 3million chance of contracting measles naturally in the US ... then that is something for a mom to weigh.  What is the chance of contracting cp naturally in the US?

2. Contracting the disease improves your immune system (and not just against that one disease)

3. Because there is a much greater risk to your unborn grandchild if your daughter gets these diseases as a pregnant adult.

4. Contracting the disease lowers the risk for allergies (or "may lower the risk for allergies")

5. Because you don't vax, and some jobs/schools require vax or titers

Are these right???  Is that an appropriate summary?  Please elaborate, correct, and add more reasons.  This is a fascinating topic!

[kitchensqueen]

No WAY would I purposely infect my kids with a disease... in rare cases measles can cause fatal complications. Why take that risk?

[Wild Lupine]

I might take my kids to a chicken pox party, but not measles. I wouldn't be upset if my kids came by it naturally, but unless we're planning to stay completely out of contact with other people until the incubation period is over, I won't expose them on purpose. Measles can be pretty serious for some people and it spreads easily. I'd feel really awful if my kid then infected someone's newborn or an immunocompromised person.

[Katc8910]

Well said, mbravebird.

[Katc8910]

I'm reading a lot of posts re the right age for exposure to ensure lifetime immunity. I'm currently looking for CP (not sure about measles yet). What is the minimum age for exposure to CP to ensure immunity? Is 19 months too young? I'm not worried about chickenpox complications, but I also don't want to have to expose my DD more than once.

[HappyMommy2]

Originally Posted by Marnica 

I'm interested in your statement that one has a 1 in 3 million chance of getting wild measles - where are you getting this data?

I think your list of reasons you've summarized as to why a parent might want their child to get measles is accurate, however I would add what I think is probably one of the most important reasons - Natural lifetime immunity.

 

Somebody said that upthread .... that's why I wrote "...if there is really only a 1 in 3mill chance...."

I'm interested to know if that is true or not too!

And ... I am not trying to be argumentative, just curious (assuming that stat is true) ... do we really need Natural Lifetime Immunity to something with a 1 in 3mill chance ... so badly that we would purposely infect our kids?  Or perhaps that is a spin-off thread - since everyone would have a different threshold.  1 in 2? 1 in 10?  1 in 100? 1 in a billion?

[kathymuggle]

Nope.  Measles can have serious complications (does not usually) and I would not purposely infect someone with it.  I would not be able to live with myself if something horrible happened and I purposely gave it to my child.  In many way, it is the same reason I do not vax.  I am also fairly sure the stats on a person actually getting measles in this country naturally are pretty low - so it is not really a concern of mine.

Chicken pox is a concern.  I would like my youngest to get it now rather than as a teen or adult.  I might do a pox party (would have to research way more if the party presents itself).  Unlike measles, CP is almost always fairly benign in kids and there is a decent (although declining) chance they will get it so controlling the factors by which they get it may be in order.

I agree with whomever above said "do the math"

What is the likelihood of them contracting the disease naturally?  is it something you have to worry about?  What is the likelihood of serious complication in your age group and child?  Are the numbers small enough that you can take the chance?