So, what if the kid is now 12 and no sign of chicken pox?

[Mama Soltera]

**PLEASE SEE UPDATE IN LAST POST**

I guess my title says it all. Any other moms that have been there? What did you decide to do? I read all of the threads about this in the chicken pox section but they were mostly about younger children.

Edited by Mama Soltera - 6/7/11 at 2:24pm

[Marnica]

My son is only 2, but I will not get him this vax even if he has not had CP by his teen years. I had CP as a young adult, Im still here.

[SunshineJ]

Honestly I had CP in 6th grade and the worst part of it was missing the class field trip. It wasn't a big deal for me. If you're considering getting your child vaxxed, I'd recommend a titer test first. It's possible a child that age was exposed to it and is already immune.

[EviesMom]

I would do a titer check and if not immune by then, I might do the vax. I would definitely do the vax by 17.

[jeliphish]

Check his titers. If he isn't immune or he doesn't get cp before puberty, I would most definetly get the vax. There are some major consequences for sexually mature males who get cp. In these cases the benefits of the vax FAR out weigh the risks IMO.

[Arduinna]

I have a 20 year old that never got it. eh. She is old enbough to make up her own mind now but I won't be suggesting vax.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by jeliphish

Check his titers. If he isn't immune or he doesn't get cp before puberty, I would most definetly get the vax. There are some major consequences for sexually mature males who get cp. In these cases the benefits of the vax FAR out weigh the risks IMO.

What consequences?

Mumps is normally the virus of concern in males who have reached puberty, but orchitis (and sterility of both testicles) due to mumps infection is apparently so rare that there are no stats on it. I have not heard of chicken pox being of particular concern.

[JBaxter]

Originally Posted by Emmeline II

What consequences?

Mumps is normally the virus of concern in males who have reached puberty, but orchitis (and sterility of both testicles) due to mumps infection is apparently so rare that there are no stats on it. I have not heard of chicken pox being of particular concern.

I was under the impression that happened so rarely that there arnt even statstics on it

[ammiga]

I would just let nature run its course. CP is not something I would vax for. By the time any normal childhood disease isn't contracted by a child, they are close enough to being an adult that they can make their own decision.

[SoCaliMommy]

Not worry about it.

I'm almost 28 and was exposed alot as a child and never got it and i'm not immune to it either.

[millermama]

I was pondering this also with my thrice(knowingly) exposed soon to be 12 year old son. I guess a titer is the only way to know for sure. My biggest concern for him should he contract them as an adult is that he won't have mom there to help him feel better and he might have to miss work!

[frogautumn]

I'm 31 and I just had the pox 2 months ago. I've had worse cases of poison ivy. If he hasn't encountered it naturally by now, chances are he might never...

[Luckyinlife]

Hi!

My son was getting a blood test done for something, can't remember right now what it was for.. a physical or something but anyway! I asked the doc to run the titers and he came back immune to CP!!! Never had a vax in his life. He was 10 or 11 at the time.

[Mama Soltera]

Thank you for all of your responses. He has already started puberty. I did go ahead and get the titer test done and it said he has no immunity. I'm worried about the vaccine causing shingles (I know someone who this happened to and have heard it is not uncommon). I've talked to him about it but I'm still not sure what to do. I'm tending to agree that if he hasn't been exposed he never will be. Also, he has a really strong immune system. Still pondering. Thanks again.

[treemom2]

I agree with pp, if you are contemplating the vax, I'd go ahead and get a titer first. That being said, I'm 36 and have never had chickenpox. Both my DC have had it, I've been exposed loads of times. . .still haven't gotten it. When I was pg the doc recommended I get a titer, but I never did. . .I'm not too worried about it.

About the shingles connection. . .from what I've read it isn't the vax that causes shingles it's that we aren't exposed as often to the virus (because of the vax) so our immune system isn't getting that little "booster" (like from our kids getting chickenpox, or the neighbor kids, etc. . .) therefore leading to shingles.

[nia82]

It is anecdotal, but I never had CP and received the vaccine as part of green card procedures. You are supposed to have titers after 2 shots. I got 4 shots as there were no titers. Still no titers. The vaccine doesn't work. At least for me.
My otherwise vaccine happy sister actually skipped the CP vax for her son due to too low efficacy rates. So it is known among doctors that it rarely works.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by treemom2

About the shingles connection. . .from what I've read it isn't the vax that causes shingles it's that we aren't exposed as often to the virus (because of the vax) so our immune system isn't getting that little "booster" (like from our kids getting chickenpox, or the neighbor kids, etc. . .) therefore leading to shingles.

The vax "causes" shingles because the vaccine virus lays dormant in the nerve endings just as it does after a wild case. If your body is not harboring the virus from any source you cannot get shingles.

[MissE]

DH had chicken pox at 18..the day of his graduation. the worst part about it was the grad picture . Love it.

Anyway, DD is now 20 months old and I"m thinking about exposing her to cp some time this spring, rather than getting her the vax.

[momofmine]

I have a family member who is 40 years old and was exposed several times, but has never had it. I would focus on maintaining a good immune system and not worry about it.

[Mama Soltera]

Well, he's 13 now. What to do???

I feel like we're at the point now that people would consider more dangerous. And I did have the test done to see if he was immune and he's not.