Is this true?

[BRmama]

Hi I have a question about chicken pox and the vaccine for it. Is it true that if you don't vaccinate your child with the chicken pox vaccine then when your child gets chicken pox he/she can get it much worse, Like inside of their eyes?

I'm not vaxing my 2 mo LO for now. I'm still researching about vaccines and immunizations and I'm finding out that the risks outweigh the benefits big time.

The person that told me this completely agrees with my decision, but this is what she said she heard, and since I'm still researching this please correct me if I'm wrong (I would like to be wrong )

[andisunshine]

I don't think so. I never had the vax and regular chicken pox didn't affect me much.

[brendaziz]

Well congrats on doing some research adn you have a LONG road ahead of you.

No, that's not true. The main objective of the chicken pox vax is to completely prevent the disease and sometiems it works and sometimes it doesn't . My nephew had the vax and then got pox- and he DID have a pretty light case- prob as a result of the vax, but you can't really be sure.

I don't vax my boys and when they were 3 years and just under 1 year they both got chicken pox from my husband who got shingles.
They both handled it really well- but they have pretty good immune systems- which i think is partly due tot eh fact that they're NOT vaxed for tons of things. But my younger one got a slightly worse case than my older- but he didn't get it in his eyes/mouth- anything like that.
When my hubby had it when he was 2 my MIL says that his penis swelled up to twice it's size! And he had it in his eyes and stuff- but i think he had immune system issues due to several reasons.

Even if I DID vax in general, i would not do the cp vax. I would rather my kids get it naturally. But that's just me.

[claddaghmom]

Originally Posted by desperatemommytobe

Hi I have a question about chicken pox and the vaccine for it. Is it true that if you don't vaccinate your child with the chicken pox vaccine then when your child gets chicken pox he/she can get it much worse, Like inside of their eyes?

I'm not vaxing my 2 mo LO for now. I'm still researching about vaccines and immunizations and I'm finding out that the risks outweigh the benefits big time.

The person that told me this completely agrees with my decision, but this is what she said she heard, and since I'm still researching this please correct me if I'm wrong (I would like to be wrong )

The only person I know who had a bad case of chicken pox came down with it 2 days after being vaccinated. The doctor said it was just a coincidence.

Anyways, everyone I knew growing up had the chicken pox just fine. But this one baby across the street that I babysat was vaxed and got it so bad he had to be hospitalized. He had it down his throat, under his eyelids, ick.

Of course, the mom remains adamant to this day that it was a coincidence b/c her dr said so.

Hey whatever floats your boat.

[emma1325]

My sister had a terrible case when she was about 6 yrs old - but she has down syndrome. She had it under her eyelids and down her throat.

I think it has more to do with the state of your immune system than anything else. It might tend to be a bit more miserable for adults, but a strong immune system is the most important factor.

[Baby_Vol]

Chicken pox was VERY common when I was a kid ...so much so that people didn't think anything of it. We didn't go to the doctor for it. We just put that pink lotion on so that we "wouldn't scratch and get a permanent scar." Yep, that's all my Mom was worried about ...the scar. LOL!

Anyway, some people did get it more serious that others. None of us were vaccinated because it was before the vax. Most cases were pretty mild, but a few of my friends got it in their throats and stuff.

[BRmama]

Thanks everyone for the posts. I feel more relieved. I agree it has to do with how the immune system is which is why so far I'm giving my two mo vitamins and probiotics everyday to build up his immune system. My brothers and I were fully vaxed which included cp vax (we're from another country), anyway my little brother and I got it all over ourselves but my older brother only got like three spots. Since even with the vax I got it pretty bad (can't remember if I got it in my throat or under my eyelids) I want my son to get it naturally which is another reason why we're building his immune system.

Brendaziz thank you, yeah very long road and might I add shocking...lol! I had no clue about all the poisons and toxins that go on in a vaccine let alone some of them don't even stop the transmission of the disease.

For the ones that get it in their throats, and under their eyelids do they still come out okay? Thanks again.

[Mosaic]

I had a bad case as a kid, as did DD - throat, eyes, ears, etc. We're fine. I don't think I even have a scar!

[Baby_Vol]

For the ones that get it in their throats, and under their eyelids do they still come out okay? Thanks again.

Yeah, I never knew of any complications of CP when I was a kid. It was a relatively mild illness ....even more mild that people think of strep throat now. I mean, it was no fun ....staying on the couch and trying hard not to scratch for a while. I was five years old when I had it. I had it all over my body, but not in my eyes or throat.

There were a couple of kids in my classes over the years that did get it in their eyes/throats ...all I remember is people talking about it. You know "Johnny has it in his throat! I bet that sucks!" Johnny would be back at school in a couple of weeks just fine. I never knew of anyone having complications.

Now, obviously, some did ....but I'll be honest, when the doctor told me they had a CP vax and that CP is a "deadly disease" ...it made me laugh. I couldn't help myself. I actually laughed at him b/c everyone I knew had CP as a kid. I thought he was joking at first, but I guess a few did get it pretty serious across the country ...just not so many as to even register on the radar of most parents at the time. I guess it would be like if you heard of someone dying from strep throat ...I'm sure it happens, but if my kid got strep I wouldn't freak out thinking he was going to die, kwim? I would assume he would recover like everyone else I know ...after having a few days of feeling really aweful.

[mommyofemma]

Im going to say thats not true. I didnt have the vaccine when I was younger and got CP and didn't have it in my eyes. My brother also did not get the vaccine and got CP and his case was lighter than mine. My little sister did get the vaccine and got a case of CP anyways.

[BRmama]

Thanks everyone. I feel a lot better. I guess I was just getting worked up for nothing. It's like someone said about strep throat that it happens and it sucks and some do get complications from it but it's not a deadly thing and the complications are very rare. I'm finding that I'd rather have my son get the disease full blown and we deal with it so he can have life immunity to it than the vax which does not give lifetime immunity, plus all of the toxins that come with it.

I'm having more fun studying about these diseases and how to cure them so I know until I'm done researching (long time from now) I wont vaccinate my ds, and dh is on board with me. Besides I was vaxed and I got the cp all over. Thanks again!

[ChristaN]

It really depends on the age at which you get it. We have, thus far, not vaxed for varicella (CP) b/c the vaccine does not appear to confer lasting immunity and I would rather they get it when they are younger than older. Despite them having been exposed to kids w/ CP neither one has come down with it yet, though, and I am getting to the point where we may wind up vaxing b/c my whole reason for not doing it in the first place was to have them come down with it when they were younger and would more likely have a mild case (and permanent immunity!).

They are now recommending a booster and possibly a new booster every 10 yrs for the rest of your life if you have not had the disease in order to maintain immunity! Kids who get varicella usually have mild cases. Teens and adults who get it are much more likely to have severe cases with pox inside the eyelids and in the genitalia -- ouch!

[medusaatemydog]

I had the chickenpox, i was 16 years old..rather mild ...i was itchy for 2-3 days...i had a poc on the lash line of the eyelid..i permanently lost and eyelash there... (pharma would make something like that sound life threatening<-snark). But overall i wasn't very sick...just itchy and rashy..NO BIG DEAL and i am grateful for the experience....

[kiara7]

I seriously don't know where people come up with these ideas. Everyone used to have chicken pox. Majority of cases were mild, some (of course) were not. It has nothing to do with vaccinating.

[andisunshine]

In Alaska varicella vaccine has become mandatory for attending school, so schools don't lose funding due to absent students. Whatever! I guess it's about the money and not the patient's best interest. One more reason to consider homeschooling in my opinion.

[Ambystoma]

Originally Posted by Baby_Vol

Chicken pox was VERY common when I was a kid ...so much so that people didn't think anything of it. We didn't go to the doctor for it. We just put that pink lotion on so that we "wouldn't scratch and get a permanent scar." Yep, that's all my Mom was worried about ...the scar. LOL!

Haha! I had the pink lotion, too!

OP, I had chicken pox at 5 years old, and my relatives all said it was the worst case they had ever seen (3 nurses & NPs in the family). I had it in my mouth, ears, every place you can think of-but pretty sure not on the inside of the eyelids. And I remember it-it was an annoying experience, but I wasn't miserable any moreso than I am right now while covered in mosquito bites from weekend field work. My brother was just a few months old at the time and he got it pretty bad from me, and he didn't even cry any extra than normal. I would worry about it as a teenager, maybe, but children usually are just annoyed by it.

[zuzunel09]

Chicken pox can be very serious indeed.

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by zuzunel09

Chicken pox can be very serious indeed.

Any illness CAN be serious including the common cold. I think it is important to emphasize how often it is serious and under what circumstances it tends to be serious and in what environment.

[emamum]

we dont have the chicken pox vax in the uk..

ds had them when he was 3, he only has 1 scar. like others have said, it depends on the persons health..

[poppan]

I always thought if you got it younger, you tended to have a milder case. I probably just thought that because I got it when I was 1 or 2, and my mom said I only had a few spots. My cousins got it when they were 7 and 9 respectively, and they had it in their throats and between their toes, etc. Maybe I just had a super duper immune system!