Would you purposefully expose your children to chicken pox?

[bass chick]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum to post this in.

We don't vaccinate.

One of our friends sons is 3 and has the chicken pox. He is still contagious.

I am thinking of exposing my 2 boys. They are 5 and 7. They have never been exposed to chicken pox before that I know of. I worry about them contracting it as adults and I would prefer them to be exposed as children. On one hand, I want them to have immunity, but on the other hand it seems so awful to purposefully expose them to a disease that has killed people.

I would appreciate some input from those of you with more wisdom.

[Monkeygrrl]

Yes, I would. In fact, I'm trying to find someone local who has it so I can have a playdate with my 5yo, who hasn't had it yet.

If your kids get it, can you send me a lollipop that they slobbered all over so I can give it to my boy? :)

[Chloebelle]

I'm SO glad my kids got CP. Thank-you to DH for getting Shingles ;)

I would give it a try. Better to get it now than later. As far as killing people, so has the common cold in certain cases. If your children have normal immune systems, I wouldn't worry about it. CP is not much fun though, so be prepared for some grumpy kiddos for a few days!

*edited for gammer :)

Edited by Chloebelle - 8/22/11 at 1:28pm

[Turquesa]

Originally Posted by bass chick 

I'm not sure if this is the right forum to post this in.

We don't vaccinate.

One of our friends sons is 3 and has the chicken pox. He is still contagious.

I am thinking of exposing my 2 boys. They are 5 and 7. They have never been exposed to chicken pox before that I know of. I worry about them contracting it as adults and I would prefer them to be exposed as children. On one hand, I want them to have immunity, but on the other hand it seems so awful to purposefully expose them to a disease that has killed people.

I would appreciate some input from those of you with more wisdom.

Hey!  Where are you???  May I come crash the party?    I'm only half-kidding....

[mamakah]

I just exposed my 3 yr old to chicken pox 12 days ago. Technically we're still in the incubation period, so I don't know if he "caught" it.  If it doesn't happen for us this time, then I'm hoping we'll come across it again someday. 

ETA: Chickenpox parties were very common when I was a kid and there was no vaccine.  My mom exposed me when a friend's child had it.  I remember waking up one morning, my mom looked at me and (with a big smile) said, "You have chicken pox!!!" I was about 5.

[Arduinna]

Too many variables at play. I'm not really one to purposely seek out illness, although I'm not against other people making the decision to expose their kids. 

[abelitz]

Absolutely.  I hope I can find a child with chicken pox for my soon-to-be child to play with before we hit school age.  The chicken pox vaccine or "proof of disease" are mandatory for school here.  I am much more at ease dealing with a case of the chicken pox than I am feeling forced to vaccinate for it!!  Just have oatmeal baths at the ready! :)

[ammiga]

Yup. When I was a kid, my sister came down with CP. First thing my mom did was fill up the tub and plop us both in.

[Mulvah]

I selectively vaccinate on my own schedule, but yes, I would expose my children to chicken pox.  I never thought I would say that, but I much prefer that to them getting the vaccine.  

[ma2two]

Absolutely, especially at those ages. You might not get another chance before they are teenagers.

I'm assuming they are of normal health and are not taking steroidal medication.

It's best to not give them any medication for fever.

In 2004, Mothering Magazine had an article about chickenpox parties.

http://www.whale.to/vaccine/wimer.html

Edited by ma2two - 8/22/11 at 10:43pm

[prescottchels]

Another vote here for purposeful exposure to CP! I remember at least one CP party at the neighbor's house when I was a kid, but didn't get it. Probably was too shy to get close enough to get exposed thoroughly. I caught it in my 20's from the kiddos I was a nanny for and it was one of the worst experiences of my life!!! Seriously.

My fever spiked at night a few nights in a row and I was hallucinating and I lived by myself and no one really wanted to get near me lol so I just toughed it out.

In retrospect I'm glad I got it over with before I have my own kids though.

Lavender essential oil is really great at calming the itchies and calamine lotion or a blend together :)

As an aside all the kids I know that have gotten the vax have gotten cp anyways...

[Marnica]

Most likely I would yes

[abc123xyz]

I would most definitely! I welcome a playdate with natural chicken pox!!! I secretly await for the school's to get an outbreak so we can go there and walk around! LOL! I am certain, although it's been some time ago that I did that research because it seems STUPID to get a shot for something that is so simple, children/people do not die from chicken pox. They die from secondary infections. You sound like a great mama who wants the best health for your children. I am sure you would be attentive enough to know when something is not right or when fever or infection are dangerous. You are not just going to expose them, and leave them all day to head to work! (Hopefully!)  Certainly you have adequate sanitation, would provide good nutrition and hydration, and comfort and rest! One tip: when I got chicken pox, my family had a beach trip planned and we went ahead with it. one swim in the ocean, my pox dried right up and I have life long immunity! It was perfect!!! Just an idea in case that's a possibility for you! I know we have decided we are doing that if our children ever get exposed! Maybe you could sea salt their bath water???

[ma2two]

It's also a good idea to go to chickenpox parties even after your kids have gotten it, to give them the natural immunity boosters that nature intended for protection from shingles. Adults need the exposure too. 

[Devaskyla]

I *really* want to get my kids exposed as my eldest just turned 10 and is rapidly heading into when it will be more dangerous to get it. My mom had shingles a year or 2 ago & I didn't even think of trying to get it from that.

I'd be actively looking right now, but I'm pregnant & neither my mom nor I remember if I ever had them. Dh definitely did, he's been against me trying to expose the kids because he had such a miserable experience.

[RSU1]

Just wondering if you went, and if the kids caught CP - I am looking to expose my daughter and I'm looking for active outbreaks (preferably in Illinois, but I may be open to travel or at least paying to ship some lollypops).

[Turquesa]

Originally Posted by ma2two 

It's also a good idea to go to chickenpox parties even after your kids have gotten it, to give them the natural immunity boosters that nature intended for protection from shingles. Adults need the exposure too. 

I had shingles at age 28.  I had no children and was unaware that there was even a chicken pox vaccine that nearly all children were getting.  The doctor who diagnosed me said it was due to "stress" because I was in grad school.    I'd had a nasty case of CP when I was 13, too.

I wonder how many more cases there are of young adults getting shingles. 

I will seriously board an airplane to get to a party.  Just name the time and place!

[Storm Bride]

I not only would. I have. Twice. They haven't caught it yet.

[Zephyrine]

I am a not-a-mama yet lurker. But I had shingles at the age of 17.  (I am 22 now and this was after the introduction of the CP vaccine).  I had chicken pox at the age of 3 or 4.

[bass chick]

Well, I chickened out (excuse the pun) and didn't expose my children to the pox. Partly because DH was not totally on board with it, partly because my son was already sick with a bad cold and I wasn't sure what effect that would have on his immune system and recovering from chicken pox, and partly because our week was so busy and I missed the infectious time that they would have needed to be exposed. I did do research about the incubation period, the infectious period and what to do to ease the symptoms. So I'm keeping my ears and eyes open for the next outbreak. Thank you all for your advice. I feel more comfortable now that I've done my research and gotten some opinions. :)