Should DS have the 2nd Chicken Pox shot?

[Elizabeth2008]

DS has had very few vaccines. I gave him the DTaP because our doctor scared me about whooping cough. Then I let her talk me into chicken pox. The minute I left the office after he got that CP vaccine I regretted it. I am so angry that I let her bully me. But, in any event, it's done and now's he's had one CP shot. He's now 3.5 and I haven't vaccinated him for anything else. I would love for him to get chicken pox as a child but I'm guessing that's impossible since he had one of the shots. So, my question is - should he have the second shot or should I just let it go. If I don't give him the second shot, is he more susceptable to CP when he's an adult? ugh..!!!

[nicolebeth]

DD did not have the second shot before K (at 5) because we'd really rather her get it naturally. If it doesn't come up at a reasonable age, we'll check her titres again and revaccinate her. However, she did have "immune" titres at 5. (There have been a few exposures here and there throughout the years--once when she was 3 another when she was 4.) I would recommend skipping it--you can always get him the shot later if he doesn't get CP at an age where you feel comfortable.

[mama1803]

Originally Posted by nicolebeth

DD did not have the second shot before K (at 5) because we'd really rather her get it naturally. If it doesn't come up at a reasonable age, we'll check her titres again and revaccinate her. However, she did have "immune" titres at 5. (There have been a few exposures here and there throughout the years--once when she was 3 another when she was 4.) I would recommend skipping it--you can always get him the shot later if he doesn't get CP at an age where you feel comfortable.

Same here. I was talked into the CP vax for ds and regretted it immediately (as I do all vaxes he received). We didn't do the booster in hopes that he will acquire CP naturally.

I understand that the CP vax has a pretty low effectiveness rate so we are hoping that he does get it at some point.

[nicolebeth]

Originally Posted by mama1803

I understand that the CP vax has a pretty low effectiveness rate so we are hoping that he does get it at some point.

That's for sure! A friend's child just got CP after having had two shots. I don't think there was an "outbreak" or I would have heard about it. (I would have sent my kids over to play, but it's not a good time for us to have CP in the house; we all have colds, and I'm expecting. I did have CP, I just can't deal with it right now--well, not purposefully, anyway!)

[tanyalynn]

I'm assuming the one dose of CP vaccine DD got won't be sufficient if/when we find CP. In any event, even if it's good for a few years, at some point, I'm expecting it to wear off. I'm not willing to sign DD up for having to get re-vaccinated her entire adulthood, which seems like a plausible scenario for maintaining immunity throughout adulthood.

[rahans]

Same boat here. Vaxed DD and DS against CP - totally regret it. Will not get their boosters and hope that they get exposed to the wild virus. My DD was exposed unintentionally at 11 mths but didn't come down with it. Then, I ran out and got the vax for her at 12 mths (how I regret it). We go back and forth to Ireland so I'm hoping they pick it up there on one of our trips as they don't vax for it over there.

[maxwill129]

My DS#1 had the first CP shot and not the second one. He just had chicken pox last year. I wouldn't get the shot yet.

[svmaine]

Originally Posted by maxwill129

My DS#1 had the first CP shot and not the second one. He just had chicken pox last year. I wouldn't get the shot yet.

Ditto. We tried exposing my DS #1 several times last year and through out this summer and the last one finally did the trick. He got a fairly mild case and now the only one we have left is DS#3 that we didn't vax at all so we're on the lookout again for another pox party. So I'd hold off and hope some poxy germs work.