Need some support re: Chicken Pox and vax'ing friends... - Page 3

[bushpiglet]

Hi

Hope your kids are better now. They will still be contagious until after the spots have crusted over


Good Luck

[rabbitmum]

Originally Posted by Deborah

So glad to meet someone from Norway!

I've been wondering, what is your vaccine schedule like? Are vaccines required for school? Do doctors push vaccines?

And one more question (as if that isn't enough already), do you know anything about the system for adding vaccines to the schedule in Norway?

The reason I'm curious is that Norway has some of the healthiest kids in the world and a much lighter vaccines schedule than the U.S.

Sorry for late reply, I did write a nice, long reply shortly after your post - but my computer ate it!

This is the Norwegianvaccination programme according to WHO (http://www.who.int/vaccines/globalsu...duleselect.cfm: )

BCG Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine 14 years;

DTaPHibIPV Diphtheria and tetanus toxoid with acellular pertussis, Hib and IPV vaccine 3, 5, 12 months;

DTaPIPV Diphtheria and tetanus toxoid with acellular pertussis, and IPV vaccine 7 years; children born after 1998

HepB Hepatitis B vaccine birth; 1, 6 months; defined risk groups

IPV Inactivated polio vaccine 15 years;

MMR Measles mumps and rubella vaccine 15 months; 12 years;

Pneumo_conj Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 3, 5, 12 months;

Td Tetanus and diphtheria toxoid for older children / adults 11 years; children born before 1998

The BCG will be removed from the programme this autumn, the HPV vaccine will be added. I think we have about half the vaccines that you have in the US. (?) In general there's a lot of skepticism towards what is seen as unnecessary medication here - my English husband is always complaining about not being able to get medicines that he is used to from England.

Vaccines are not required for school here, and it's not necessary to fill in any forms or get an "exemption", as vaccines are not compulsory in any way.

Still I would say that they are pushed, since they are part of the standard health care programme for children, and on check-ups it's assumed that you will have them unless you say otherwise. Most people follow the official programme without asking, even though you can say no thanks and no-one will try to push you.

I don't know much about the criteria for adding vaccines to the programme. I'm assuming that the vaccine against chicken pox will never be added, as it's not a serious illness at all, as far as I know. I have heard that the vaccine is given in the U.S. because businesses don't want their employees staying home with sick children (?). The right to stay home from work with sick kids is strong here in Norway, so that kind of argument will never lead to a vaccine being included in the programme.

[My3guys]

You intentionally exposed your kids to chicken pox and then intentionally let them play with other kids and share toys and the like and now you want to lie? I just don't think that is cool at all. Obviously, what is done is done. However, if you intentionally exposed your kids to CP you should have informed the parents of other kids that your child might be ill. That is simple common courtesy. Especially if these people are your friends.

Yes, you didn't know your child was developing CP but you certainly knew it was a very strong possibility based on the fact that you intentionally exposed the child to the disease.

If asked, you simply must be honest with your friends. That is what friendship is all about. However, be prepared for some of the friendships to take a big hit from this. I know I would have a hard time maintaining a friendship with someone who did this to me.

Good luck

[Deborah]

Thanks so much for answering all my questions. You didn't say anything overtly, but it seems obvious that there are no huge epidemics sweeping through Norway, despite children getting half the vaccines they do in the U.S.

[rabbitmum]

Originally Posted by Deborah

Thanks so much for answering all my questions. You didn't say anything overtly, but it seems obvious that there are no huge epidemics sweeping through Norway, despite children getting half the vaccines they do in the U.S.

He he! No, there are no huge epidemics that I know of at the moment.

[lolabelle]

I was in the same boat a couple of weeks ago. My youngest got cp from his older brother. I was waiting to see a fever or cold indicating the pox were coming and since I didn't see anything our family went to visit out great friends who were in town for the weekend. They also had a sister there with a couple of children...9mos and 5yrs as well as their own 2mos., 2yrs, 5yrs.
I felt horrible when my youngest broke out the following morning and email them letting them know and how sorry I was. I also knew that my friend exclusively bf her baby and how that was likely protection for her...though my son never had contact with the baby. Both families were very understanding and said.."it's only chicken pox! we all had it and we lived" that was from the one I was most worried about..and she went on to say that if the baby gets it, she won't have to worry about the vaccine and if her vaccinated son gets it, she won't have to get the booster! I was very suprised at their laid back attitudes because I guess I was expecting the worst. I too am also the crunchiest of all my friends! You just might be imagining to worse, when it might not even be a big deal...though I wouldn't say your children's exposure was intentional.