can you still get chicken pox if you've had the shot?

[MerryPoppins]

Oh and I forgot to mention that we took her to the doctor the day she scratched it and she was admitted that evening. It happened that fast.

And the nurses that had only had the shot had to wear masks whenever they visited her room. You can get the poxs when you've had the shot. It just shouldn't be as hard a case.

 

[JetMom]

Originally posted by Nette
I had it twice! Once before age 2 and once at about 12... I remember the second time and it was MISERABLE. But I do think the Chicken Pox vaccine is kinda dumb... I mean, we all survived it...

Yes, we all survived it, but as you said yourself, you were miserable. Why would you want your child to go through that if there was a way around it?

All three of my DS's have had the vaccine. My oldest is almost 12 and has been exposed numerous times. So far, so good.

The doctor did say that a booster shot will probably be required at about age 16 or 17.

I still think it is a small price to pay to avoid being miserable for two weeks.

 

[Wonderlandmom]

I get a tetanus shot every 10 years, no biggie.
I am glad MerryPoppins DD is ok now, I am sure that was a horrible experience. I have heard similiar stories. I hope she can continue to dance.
We also get a flu shot every year. Why risk your kids health? Looks like a lot of folks woke up to the real dangers of flu this year.

 

[janette]

Originally posted by Nette
I had it twice! Once before age 2 and once at about 12... I remember the second time and it was MISERABLE. But I do think the Chicken Pox vaccine is kinda dumb... I mean, we all survived it...

Not everyone does survive, I don't think I'd take the risk with my child. Especially after knowing Merrypoppins experience, if my DD's were still at risk at that point I'd have taken them in last year at that time and got them the shot.

The vaccine wasn't common when my oldest was young but she got CP when she was 2. It really wasn't bad for her at all so I'm glad she got them at that young an age. My younger one is asthmatic and her Dr recommended she get the shot when they were first available.

No regrets, even if they do get CP after the shot most cases are light if noticable at all.

 

[Lezah]

You can definately get the CP even after the shot. It usually manifests itself a little differently though. Like getting the first pox on the face rather than on the trunk. Starting the antibiotic within the first 48 hours of the first pox can reduce the severity of the CP. I got it after starting work at the doctors office and thank goodness the antibiotic had just come out then so I was only off work for a week. My DS9 got them 12/30 last year and had a nasty case of them, but I am glad that he got them naturally as I worried about getting the shot and then still getting them again later. I would have gotten the shot for him if he had reached 10 or 11 and hadn't gotten it yet though. The shot is not covered in Canada and is still not that popular yet. The incubation period for chicken pox is 10 - 14 days from time of first exposure and it normally starts with a low grade fever and possibly cold type symptoms. Only give Tylenol for the fever as Advil/Motrin or any Aspirin based drugs can cause Reyes syndrome which is a complication of CP. Calamine lotion and Benadryl will be your best friends, also Aveeno anti-itch baths work wonders (just tepid water though, hot water brings more spots). Just some pointers from someone with recent first hand experience. Hope it helps!

 

[Duchie]

There's been an outbreak of chicken pox at my kids' daycare. About 7 cases total, I think, all in kids older than 12 months. I know this particular daycare requires the varicella vaccine for all kids over 12 months, so I'm assuming they're all getting it after they've had the vaccine.

I'm the youngest of 5 kids. When I was younger my oldest brother came home with chicken pox. Mom says she stocked up on supplies because sure enough, two weeks later she had 4 of us with them! And she also said the neighborhood moms all brought their kids over to get "exposed" to them.

Man, how things have changed!!!

 

[FINFAN]

As the others have said, yes, you can get them even w/the shot. I got them 14 weeks prgnant w/DS. It was awful...had to have a VZIG treatment to help keep baby and me o.k., that treatment had me vomiting and out of it continually for 3 days. DS has awful allergies and I have always wondered if that is why. He has gotten the shot as we do not know if he had them in-utero.
It was horrible.

 

[MerryPoppins]

DS had them when he was a toddler, but he only had a few spots. When DD got so sick the doctor suggested getting him a blood test to see if he was immune. He was, thank heavens. Just thought it was interesting that they can test to see if you've had a strong enough case to keep from getting a return performance.

 

[cati]

xx

 

[Planogirl]

I'm one who had chicken pox as an adult and I never felt so awful. I have mixed feeling over whether a child should go ahead and have it or not because DS is who gave it to me and he breezed right through it. But I can see that the complications can be awful for kids so I don't know.

 

[shortbun]

chickenpox is dangerous-that's why they have a vaccine. I could bore u with details.

#2 Getting a tetanus shot at injury guarantees nothing. DH got
tetanus 17 years ago after having a puncuture wound from a
recently fertilized corn stalk. He was a farm boy, kept his tetanus
vaccine current and had another within hours. He obviously pulled through but the doctors said he wouldn't. Keep up on
your vaccines.

 

[Wonderlandmom]

Interesting info I copied from CDC site:

Can someone who has been vaccinated for chickenpox develop shingles?
Yes. However, a study conducted among children with leukemia determined that after receiving the vaccine these children were much less likely to develop shingles than children who had prior natural chickenpox. Available information from healthy children and adults suggest that shingles is less common in vaccinated healthy persons compared with persons who have had natural chickenpox.

This article through the CDC also finds that chickenpox is on the decline due to use of the shot. It would be nice to completely eliminate the disease. This may happen when the shot is required everywhere. It is great that I don't even hear of kids here missing school now because of CP! They had to have had it or got the shot. The shots around here seem to be working.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5237a2.htm

 

[Wonderlandmom]

And according to CDC, no booster dose is needed yet. I don't know where the 10 year booster rumor started. Persons in Japan have had the shot 25 years and it is still holding.

How long does the vaccine protect someone against chickenpox? Will a booster vaccination be needed?
The length of protection/immunity from any new vaccine is never known when it is first introduced. However, available information collected from persons vaccinated in Japan in the United States show that protection has lasted for as long as the vaccinated persons have been followed (25 years in Japan and more than 10 years in the U.S.). Follow up studies to determine how long protection will last and to evaluate the need and timing for booster vaccination, are ongoing. If it is determined in the future that a booster dose is necessary, your health care provider will inform you. Currently, no booster dose is recommended.

BTW Lewski-how is your little one?

 

[Lewski709]

No spots yet, still a temp today at 102.7. He has NO other symptoms.

I got DS#1 the shot earlier this year. I have heard, too, about the 10yr boosters, from the Health Dept, who adminstered the shot to DS#1.

 

[Wonderlandmom]

My own DD (9) had a fever virus 2 days this week. Just low grade fever and a little headache/achiness. I have heard that other kids at her school have had similiar symptoms.

Hope he is ok and it is not the pox, then he can get the shot when old enough. Can't imagine trying to get one that young not to scratch at them.

 

[CEDmom]

My DD also had a virus a few months with only a fever and no other symptoms.

 

[WilmaBud]

When my sister was in 2nd grade, a classmate of hers died from Chicken Pox. My kids were vaccinated. They've both been exposed numerous times and have been fine. Last fall, my daughter's friend was over playing with both my kids for about 3 hours. About 2 hours later, she broke out in Chicken Pox. My kids never got it. Now, she had previouly had the CP vaccine, too, and she ended up with a very mild case. My Dr. said that when a previously immunized person gets CP, not only is it usually a milder case, but it also tends to be less contagious.

 

[disneygals]

I'm bringing my dd 9 to the dr tonight to confirm if she has chicken pox. She had the shot so hoping for a mild case. If she does have them, she will be the 3rd kid that I know of around here who got them after the shot. She only has about 7 now.


Vivienne

 

[SideshowBob]

Yeppers... DD still got them, and then gave to me... eek!!!

 

[Blondie]

My boys had the vaccine when it first came out, and before insurance would cover it! I coughed up the $85 per shot and so far, so good, and they've been exposed on numerous occasions.