My Baby Has the Chicken Pox!!

[debjoisme]

When my two were little I use to let them play with the kids in the neighborhood in the hopes that they would get them and we would be over them. Did they get them .......noooooo. They both waited until the day before we were moving to Minnesota, and driving there. I had two sick kids in the car so we had to stay two extra days in a hotel on the way there. I think about that trip every now and then and wonder how I surrived that drive. Good luck !!!

 

[mrsltg]

My dd got pneumonia two days before her first birthday - definitely not fun to have to cancel the party so I understand the frustration of other parents in the same situation.

In regards to the vaccine debate - dd had the vaccine and then got the pox anyway. I know lots of people for whom this is true. I'm up in the air as to whether or not I will let baby dd get the vaccine.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

My dd got pneumonia two days before her first birthday - definitely not fun to have to cancel the party so I understand the frustration of other parents in the same situation.

In regards to the vaccine debate - dd had the vaccine and then got the pox anyway. I know lots of people for whom this is true. I'm up in the air as to whether or not I will let baby dd get the vaccine.

You may not have much choice in the vaccine most school systems now require proof of infection or vaccination, but thats a bridge to cross later.

 

[luvmesometigger]

My dd got pneumonia two days before her first birthday - definitely not fun to have to cancel the party so I understand the frustration of other parents in the same situation.

In regards to the vaccine debate - dd had the vaccine and then got the pox anyway. I know lots of people for whom this is true. I'm up in the air as to whether or not I will let baby dd get the vaccine.

It is a law now in Ohio that all children entering kindergarten must have the shot. Erika will not need the shot now since she has had a full blown case!

 

[sarahsmom73]

I went through that when DD 1 was 9 months old!!! (I am a teacher and got them at school at 28 and passed them on to her!) I feel your pain!

 

[ctnurse]

I wish you lived close enough for us to visit. I want my kids to get exposed. I know it sounds horrible, but when they get the "real" thing it protects them for life whereas the vaccination does not. So try to look at the bright side-several shots over the course of a lifetime that your darlings will not have to endure.

I dont understand why anyone would want to expose their kids to chicken poxs. Not that it happens alot but you can die with the chicken poxs.

 

[kellyg403]

You may not have much choice in the vaccine most school systems now require proof of infection or vaccination, but thats a bridge to cross later.

As it is here in NC. DSis is having a heck of a time with the school system right now. DN got the chicken pox when she was two and her ped didnt give her the shot. Now, in order to get the shot she has to PROVE she had the pox or she HAS to have the shot to enroll her. Keep those pics handy!

I had a conversation with my ped re: the shot. My 2 ds's are severly ashmatic since they were 2. They had all the shots to prevent them from getting some illness's because of their oral steriod use, which was quite frequent for one. Ped said although it is a requirement he is on the fence simply because we vacinating girls who someday will be woman of childbearing age. At that point, they may have little or no immunity to the pox and it could be a dangerous situation. I am not sure how to feel either. But was interesting to me that even some peds are unsure about which is better infection or vaccination!

Kelly

 

[mercydisney]

DD11 was exposed to them at the age of 9 months when my mom put DD and DN (both under the age of a year) in the bath tub together. She didn't know at the time, The next day DN has spots all over!! It was a sleepover!!
Well DD never got them, we were so nervous becasue withen 5 days of her being exposed we were going on vacation!! We took her to the doctor because at the time we were 1st time parents and nerotic! Well 2 years later she was exposed again, DA babysat and she also ended up having chicken pox 2 days later. Again we were nervous ,she had sniffle, we took her to the DR again. Dr stated she must have a natural immunity to chicken pox. Over the years she has touched, played, even shared the same phone w/ people who have had Chicken pox and never has had them.
At this age in her life I wish she would just have gotten them when she was older because I have heard that the older you get the worse it is.

Our Dr. never gave her the immunazation for Chicken Pox because at the time her DR said she was better off getting them and getting the immunazation would not prevent her from getting them she would just get a milder case of them.

We're going in Sept. and now all I can think of, after reading this thread, she will get them a day before we leave.

ps: I did not proof read or use spell check after I posted this so excuse all my misspelled words and other things.

 

[snoopy5386]

I dont understand why anyone would want to expose their kids to chicken poxs. Not that it happens alot but you can die with the chicken poxs.

you can also die from the vaccination.

yes, children die from chickenpox, however the kids that die from chickenpox are almost always kids who are already sick with cancer or some other immunosuppressing disease.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

It is a law now in Ohio that all children entering kindergarten must have the shot. Erika will not need the shot now since she has had a full blown case!

I just wanted to jump in and add that you can sign a waiver for any/all vaccines in ALL states and your children can still attend public school. I know a lot of people will reply that THEIR school districts, states, etc. REQUIRE them with NO exceptions, but this is simply untrue. You DO have a choice, and they cannot legally compel you to vaccinate your child or children. Just thought I'd put that out there for parents who are interested. It's really easy to find the information online, as well, so I won't post any links (which people always seem to consider biased unless they've found them independently, LOL). HTH someone!

 

[TinkerbellMama]

Ped said although it is a requirement he is on the fence simply because we vacinating girls who someday will be woman of childbearing age. At that point, they may have little or no immunity to the pox and it could be a dangerous situation. I am not sure how to feel either. But was interesting to me that even some peds are unsure about which is better infection or vaccination!

Kelly

Our ped is against the chicken pox vaccine. We don't vaccinate at all...but I have talked to him about his own opinion and although he is pro-vax in general, he does not recommend this one for his patients at all. He offers it and explains the risks/benefits and will only do it if the parents request it.

As for the "proof" thing...as I posted a short while ago, no school district ANYWHERE can force you to vaccinate your children for anything as a requirement for attendance. Good luck!

 

[kellyg403]

Our ped is against the chicken pox vaccine. We don't vaccinate at all...but I have talked to him about his own opinion and although he is pro-vax in general, he does not recommend this one for his patients at all. He offers it and explains the risks/benefits and will only do it if the parents request it.

As for the "proof" thing...as I posted a short while ago, no school district ANYWHERE can force you to vaccinate your children for anything as a requirement for attendance. Good luck!

I do agree with the waiver issue, as we did this with two DS's since they also were not able to receive the oral polio, live version. They now are all caught up on shots as they got older and stronger. We decided to get them immunized simply because they would not be exposed to certain diseases and not have an immunity. When they get older and if they decide to travel at least they will have some immunity to certain diseases. So I am not disagreeing about the waiver just personal choice what to use it for.

Kelly

 

[MATTERHORN]

Just FYI, the chicken pox vaccine is not intended so that you never get the chicken pox, it is so that you may not, but if you do, it is supposed to be a much much milder case and of shorter duration.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

Just FYI, the chicken pox vaccine is not intended so that you never get the chicken pox, it is so that you may not, but if you do, it is supposed to be a much much milder case and of shorter duration.

Which is interesting to me since MOST children have mild to moderate cases, anyway...even without the vaccine.
Obviously, immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk for more severe cases of varicella, but then again, they are also at higher risk for bad reactions to the vaccines, which can have immunosuppressive side effects even in perfectly healthy individuals!
Also, the vaccine has been recalled a couple of times for various problems, it "wears off" and really requires a booster program which is not currently in place to stay effective, and it puts kids at risk for shingles...which can be quite painful in and of itself.
I honestly don't understand what anyone sees in this particular vaccine! But, to each his or her own!

 

[o2bacelt]

This is the one vaccine we held off on as well. It is much much worse to get them when you're older, my FIL got them when he was 50 and quickly went from chicken pox to shingles and was in a lot of pain (my MIL swears he's the biggest baby on the planet when sick) but it was much worse at 50 than getting them as a child.

Our ped is on the fence about this one as well. She told me that she could understand us holding off until we needed it for school and that's what we're doing.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

If someone (adults OR Teens) NEEDS to know if they are immune to the diseases that are vaccinated against one can have a blood test that will check for the antibodies. Yes you still get stuck with a needle but in some cases you need to know what your immunities are rather than just assuming that you are immune.

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

My daughter got the chicken pox at 8 months old from the babysitter's house. It didn't seem to bother her much at all - we had to cancel Easter that year, but the only time she was cranky was if she had a fever.
But watch out she has already had the Shingles at 4 years old and she was miserable! Talk about painful!!! And the doctor said since she had the chicken pox so early she was more opt to have shingles & now that she has had shingles so early she will most likely get them more then once & worse every time.
When I origially went to the doctor because, for some odd reason I suspected shingles, they said no, she's too young. When then got more painful & more spots I went in on Monday & the doctor said it was, but its too late to give her the shot to make them less severe.(you have to catch it w/in 24-48 hours to give the shot) AAAAAHHHHH! I could have avoided some really rough days w/her, but because they didn't believe me - she was in tremense pain for days!
Watch the kids w/early chicken pox!
Enjoy Disney!