10yr Old has Never Had ChickenPox - Get Vax?

[miss_honeyb]

My almost 10 year old DD was not vaccinated with the varicella vaccine when she was little, but we have never been able to get her exposed to chicken pox, and now I'm feeling like she should get the vax before she gets any older. I'm worried that if she gets any older before getting chicken pox it will be really bad, i.e. she'll get horribly sick.

One of the issues with her not getting exposed is that I've been pregnant or had a baby under 1 yr for most of the last 5 years! I am under the impression that a pregnant woman's exposure to chicken pox is dangerous for the unborn baby, even if mom has had chicken pox. Also that a baby under 1 shouldn't get chicken pox. Is this true?

I'd like to get my 2 1/2 year old and 13 month old exposed to chicken pox before they get much older, but I am pregnant (due October 2009) and will therefore have a baby under 1 until October 2010. Is that the soonest the younger ones could safely get it?

TIA for any help!!

[Emmeline II]

It is possible she has had a subclinical case; you could have titers drawn.

The few people I know whose babies had chickpox only had a mild fever and a handful of pox at most.

Chicken Pox Vaccine and Stevens-Johnson syndrome...

[medusaatemydog]

i had chicken pox at sixteen ... i broke out and itched for a few days...was completely normal in less than a week... It was nothing... it was not a death defying experience.... i was totally fine ...itchy but fine..

I would not go get a shot for chicken pox... i find that idea to be completely absurd.... but that's just my opinion

but if you are pregnant i would not delibrately expose anyone.... though people have been raising families before the vaccine came out....

[medusaatemydog]

i have to add... only since the vaccine came out have i heard that chicken pox is a bad thing.... noone blinked an eye when i got it... they just said here's the camomile lotion, stay in your room please... It's amazing the amount of fear a good PR campaigne can produce.

[PaulaJoAnne]

I had the pox at 14. None the worse for wear!

And for what its worth, my mother gave her father the mumps when he was in his late 30s. Other than being in pain and rather grumpy, mom said he did just fine!

[kriket]

I would give her the pox now before she is an adult with jobs and college and kids and gets shingles. Chicken pox isn't one of those ifs, its a when. I wouldn't give her the vax, I think the pox are safer then the vax.

[anewmama]

Originally Posted by kriket

I would give her the pox now before she is an adult with jobs and college and kids and gets shingles. Chicken pox isn't one of those ifs, its a when. I wouldn't give her the vax, I think the pox are safer then the vax.

But with the vax in use now, it's not really a matter of when anymore. It's more accurate to say if you are 'lucky'.

But the truth is that not all chickenpox is completely harmless. My newphew got pneumonia and was one sick pup.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by anewmama

But the truth is that not all chickenpox is completely harmless. My newphew got pneumonia and was one sick pup.

No disease is always harmless. You can also develop pneumonia from a rhinovirus; is developing pneumonia the normal course of either illness? no.

[just_lily]

Originally Posted by kriket

I would give her the pox now before she is an adult with jobs and college and kids and gets shingles.

You can only get shingles if you have had CP. If you never get the pox, you can never get shingles.

Interestingly enough, kids who have only had the vax are now starting to get shingles.

I am 29 and have never had CP. My titres show no immunity. I am currently declining the vax, but there is still a minute possibility I may get it at some point.

I don't intend on vaxing my daughter or any future children. If she reaches adulthood and never gets CP she can make up her own mind about the vax.

[carriebft]

ALthough I had a hospitalization experience with chicken pox, I still want my kids to get it naturally...but I am not sure I would wait too long. Right now we are shooting to get it before K but, despite two instances of being exposed (though we didn't know about it until after), we haven't had a symptomatic case. But I think it's possible we may have had it, so I will get immunity checked!

[Marnica]

I had CP as an adult. A VERY bad case. Covered from head to toe...but I'm just fine. No complications. I sat in an oatmeal bath for a week with the TV wheeled into the bathroom. I would not do the shot at 10 (I prob wouldn't do it ever) but you still have plenty of time to try fro natural exposure.

[jjawm]

I would get the vax. My dd has been exposed 10 times (she's only 2), and still hasn't gotten it. If by 10 or 11 she hasn't gotten it yet, I will do the vax.

[tinyblackdot]

I just wanted to chime in and say that th CP vaccine isnt necessarily to vax against CP its the shingles that they are worried about, and the shingles that people should really consider the risk of....Cp is just like having the flue, no big deal at all but shingles leaves many lasting complications of your body.

To the OP, i would find a CP party asap, or think about vaxing if it where me.

Best of luck!

[kriket]

Originally Posted by jjawm

I would get the vax. My dd has been exposed 10 times (she's only 2), and still hasn't gotten it. If by 10 or 11 she hasn't gotten it yet, I will do the vax.

she may have a true natural immunity to the virus. There are some people who just don't colonize things. Just food for thought.

[anewmama]

Originally Posted by Emmeline II

No disease is always harmless. You can also develop pneumonia from a rhinovirus; is developing pneumonia the normal course of either illness? no.

of course.... However, not recognizing the fact that for some children, chickenpox is a problem and that there are issues, pneumonia, stroke, etc, is not providing accurate information.

The fact is that I read people post all the time here that chicken pox IS harmless. Most times, it passes without problem. But unfortunately, now with the vax, it's not a matter of when, but if and if it's much later in life, chickenpox is not a cakewalk.

[tinyblackdot]

Oh i wanted to add that your should first get your LO a titers test to make sure that she dosnt have immunities to it already!

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by tinyblackdot

I just wanted to chime in and say that th CP vaccine isnt necessarily to vax against CP its the shingles that they are worried about, and the shingles that people should really consider the risk of....Cp is just like having the flue, no big deal at all but shingles leaves many lasting complications of your body.

To the OP, i would find a CP party asap, or think about vaxing if it where me.

Best of luck!

This makes no sense to me since one is at risk of getting shingles if they have had this vax. In fact since this vax was introduced. Rates of shingles have gone up alot have they not?

[tinyblackdot]

Originally Posted by Marnica

This makes no sense to me since one is at risk of getting shingles if they have had this vax. In fact since this vax was introduced. Rates of shingles have gone up alot have they not?

Im not hear to debate the issue, i dont like vaccination anymore than the next person, i just was putting out information.

I wouldn't surprise me at all if they where. But then i would like to see the age groups of the people getting shingles. Is it children or is it people over 30 that never received the vaccination to begin with. Does it have to do with the vaccination or doe sit have to do with people having poor immunities because of diet and lack of over all health?


But if it where the vax causing it, it would be about par to the health indusry to begin with wouldn't it?

[listipton]

I was 11 when I had the pox & was home for a little over a week. No problems. I'm not sure how accurate my understanding is of how chicken pox works, but I thought it was something that you CAN get later on in life (like when you are no longer routinely exposed to it and your body stops producing antibodies & that was why shingles mainly happened in older populations??) My Great Grandmother and Aunt both had shingles. One was hospitalized and one said it just plain sucked.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by tinyblackdot

I just wanted to chime in and say that th CP vaccine isnt necessarily to vax against CP its the shingles that they are worried about, and the shingles that people should really consider the risk of....Cp is just like having the flue, no big deal at all but shingles leaves many lasting complications of your body.

To the OP, i would find a CP party asap, or think about vaxing if it where me.

Best of luck!

Not sure what you're saying here. You don't get shingles unless you've had CP or the vax.

-Angela