Should we go to a chicken pox party? Is 5 months too young?

[staryla]

I should probably do some forum searching before posting, but I'm rushed and my two kiddos only give me so long on the computer.

I have a 3-year old who is not vaccinated for the chicken pox.  But I've been concerned that he would never have a chance to get the pox since EVERYONE seems to be vaxed.  We just found out some friends of ours who traveled out of state for thanksgiving have a case of the chicken pox!  

I'd be taking my 3-year old over there in a hearbeat, but I'm worried that his 5 month old sister might be too young to "intentionally" expose to the pox.

Thoughts?

[shiningpearl]

A big question is did you have it?  My mother tried to expose me for years (I was nursed until I was 3) and I was never able to catch it probably because she had bad case of it as a kid and I had immunites from her.  I did have my titers checked and I was not immune by my mid 20s.  So if you had them, and are nursing there is a fairly good chance she won't get them heres a link from babycenter sorry just grabbed the first link in from google. 

[jess in hawaii]

My three elder children all got pox one year, I don't remember exactly how many months the youngest was, but he was definitely a baby. I thought I never had it as a child, and I was concerned that I would get it (at 30y.o.), but I chose not to get the vax for myself anyway. I did not get it, but the little guy did, and he was extensively, if not exclusively, nursing at the time. So maybe that isn't exactly an answer, but I hope it offers a little real life perspective. Good luck.

[Honey693]

I wouldn't do it under a year.  DD is 14 months and we're just starting to think about this.

[rachelsmama]

The anecdotal evidence from when chicken pox went through my circle of friends would suggest that the immunities in breastmilk are sufficient protection to prevent catching it from casual contact, but if an older sibling has it, then the younger sibling is going to catch it from them.

[Imakcerka]

I would consider waiting.  Babies and chicken pox are a very difficult combination!  And it's around the holidays, fussy baby and things to do are not fun.

[Loel]

I had chickenpox as child. I breastfed my children but at 10 weeks old my son caught it from his 2 year old brother. Both were smothered in spots but recovered quickly. In England where i live we don't immunize against chicken pox ever, well not yet!