chicken pox question

[Dancinmommy]

My dd's preschool is requiring the chicken pox vaccine (which i really dont want to give). The problem is, I know it is a live vaccine, and I am having a baby around Halloween time. I def don't want to give the new baby chicken pox! Is it safe to give it to her now? I have had the chicken pox, so in theory, there should be no risk to me in pregnancy, right? How long is the "contagious" period for, after the vaccine is given? TIA!

[Angela512]

The vaccine does shed...but I've never found a "concrete" time period for which it does. I believe that the consensus is that it will shed for 14-21 days afterwards...

[blessedwithboys]

It's not the school that requires a vaccine, it's the state or school board. And you can get an exemption from vaccines. Don't feel pressured to vaccinate your children. If you have questions, file an exemption and do some more research. You can always vaccinate later.

[Dancinmommy]

thank you-yes i was going to declare religious exemption, and then i got a handbook yesterday that stated in bold print that if religious exemption were to be made, that we'd have to provide a documentation from a known church organization...and we certainly aren't really religious or belong to a church...lol. so I dont really know what to do. I feel stuck. I do want her to have some vax's but not all of them, and def NOT chicken pox! grrrrr

[slaggyc]

I am in the same boat as you. I can't believe they require the chicken pox vaccine! Ugh. We are in California and can use personal belief as an exemption, but I'm wanting to start my child in a Montessori toddler program that is private. I guess since they are private, they can reject us for not having that vaccine.

[Angela512]

Wait...you live in Chicago? They cannot, by law, demand that you provide "proof" of your faith/religious beliefs, etc. I would just write the exemption and turn it in without touching on anything about church, etc.

I've had places tell me the same thing (my kids are fully unvaccinated) and I've always just handed in the exemption. If it's a private school, they can refuse you for not vaccinating, but they cannot break the law and demand that you "prove" anything. What if the church you belong to doesn't have an opinion either way about vaccinations? Does that mean that you must be the same way? You cannot have read your Religious documents and made your own interpretation as to what is best for your children and supported by the documents? No, they cannot make you prove anything and they are not supposed to discriminate against you for your religious beliefs.

Again, just write the regular exemption (don't mention anything about church, etc) and turn that in. If they come back and say that you need proof, that's when I would take the gloves off...but chances are...they put that in the literature so people who are like you, and feel that they cannot take a religious exemption if they do not formally belong to a church, will just get the kid(s) vaccinated.

Good luck!

[Angela512]

Wait...I missed your other post...I don't think you can claim religious exemption if you are selectively vaccinating...

[vorasynja]

I have selectively vaccinated, and used the exemption. In Texas, the exemption is for "reasons of conscience" and I wasn't required to claim affiliation with any religious organization.