Chicken Pox Parties?

[progressivegal]

No way!! I know it's supposed be a fairly "safe" (for lack of a better word) illness to get, but what if something went terribly wrong and my child ended up with one of those rare, deadly cases of it. To do that on purpose is insane.

That's a very good point. You never know how a person is going to react to the Chicken Pox, and I know if I were a parent I could never forgive myself for purposely exposing them to it if something terrible were to happen. After reading this thread, I'm leaning more and more against the idea.

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

No way!! I know it's supposed be a fairly "safe" (for lack of a better word) illness to get, but what if something went terribly wrong and my child ended up with one of those rare, deadly cases of it. To do that on purpose is insane.

I think I could do without the "insane" part of your comment--but the whole thing comes down to the risks a family is willing to take on.

For example- in regards to birth--there are a lot more risks I feel alright about accepting (having throroughly studied the issue and searched my heart)--than many people. I accept that at it's essence life is unpredictable and that I can only make decsions based upon the available information.

Is it "insane" for me to vaccinate my children knowing that they might be one of the rare exceptions who ends up with vaccine damage? If I know that there is indeed a real, albeit rare, chance for my child to be harmed through vaccinations--should I refuse them altogether?

I dunno- chicken pox is one of those things- I don't know one single person personally- from when I was a kid or an adult who had any complications whatsoever. Therefore to me, I perceive the rsik of children contracting chicken pox as accpetable. The statistics - if you bother to look at them- swing overwhlmingly to adults, elderly and immune compromised people as those adversely affected by varicella.

 

[Leanna]

Our state vaccinates children at 1 year for chicken pox.

 

[-~Truth_N_Trust~-]

we vaccinate at 18months here for this one. (I mean, the guidelines state 18months)...

We did vaccinate, my thinking was, it may not stop her ever getting the chickenpox, but it does mean that she has a great chance of it only being a mild infection. I didn't know about the aborted human cells (will have to look into that), and as far as I'm aware, this vaccine wasn't one of the main one's that was at risk of vaccine damage (I know they all have some potential, but i *thought* the main one was the MMR...)

As for the OP, I'm not sure either. I understand there are valid reasons for it, but chickenpox parties just sound weird to me... Although I do remember that term from my childhood, not something we did - but still got chickenpox anyway!

 

[JulySheMustFly]

I understand that getting chicken pox young, verses when you are an adult, is better, but I just cannot imagine ever, ever, ever doing anything that would intentionally cause my child to become ill, especially when it can become a serious illness.

I had the chicken pox at 9 and had a major reaction to them. It took a few years of follow up visits for the doctors to clear me of my problems. I wouldn't want to put my child through that.

I had it 3 times as a child. It was horrible!

Part of my can't imagine having chicken pox and being around a whole bunch of people. Just leave me alone while I'm sick.

 

[Hadassah]

I understand that getting chicken pox young, verses when you are an adult, is better, but I just cannot imagine ever, ever, ever doing anything that would intentionally cause my child to become ill, especially when it can become a serious illness.

I'm so with you on this one!

I had maybe 10 spots when I got it, but my brother and sister had a horrible outbreak (sister so bad that she bled any time mom changed her diaper. ) -- I'm actually a bit afraid of our LO getting chicken pox as I may outbreak again, and I am allergic to the treatment! O_O

 

[jgonz]

The chicken pox vaccine is cultured in Aborted Fetal Cell Tissue. That makes it unacceptable for me.

Chicken pox is also a NORMAL childhood disease~ which means, Yes, it's a Disease, but it's Normal. Children can handle the cp~ with proper care. It's up to Us, as parents, to find out how to properly care for a child who is sick (with Whatever disease/illness, whether it be a cold, croup, or cp).

Do you know that it was Purely the working population of parents who were the driving force behind coming up with a cp vaccination to begin with? Too many people were taking time off work to stay home with a sick kid. Thus the cp vaccination was conceived. Then, the media kicked in with the "deadly" stuff attached. It's ridiculous. The risks of getting vaccine damage from (any) vaccine are FAR higher than having a bad reaction to wild chicken pox.

 

[CarrieAg93]

I think I could do without the "insane" part of your comment--but the whole thing comes down to the risks a family is willing to take on.

For example- in regards to birth--there are a lot more risks I feel alright about accepting (having throroughly studied the issue and searched my heart)--than many people. I accept that at it's essence life is unpredictable and that I can only make decsions based upon the available information.

Is it "insane" for me to vaccinate my children knowing that they might be one of the rare exceptions who ends up with vaccine damage? If I know that there is indeed a real, albeit rare, chance for my child to be harmed through vaccinations--should I refuse them altogether?

I dunno- chicken pox is one of those things- I don't know one single person personally- from when I was a kid or an adult who had any complications whatsoever. Therefore to me, I perceive the rsik of children contracting chicken pox as accpetable. The statistics - if you bother to look at them- swing overwhlmingly to adults, elderly and immune compromised people as those adversely affected by varicella.

I apologize if the word "insane" offended you, but I think intentionally doing something that will very likely make your child sick is a VERY bad idea.

As far as statistics go, unless something is 100% then some child, somewhere is in that SMALL percentage. According to statistics, my son shouldn't have brain damage and epilepsy from a forceps delivery, but he does. I'm just not willing to risk it with my children.

 

[helenofbritain]

I made sure Angus caught chicken pox from his aunty and uncle (who were 2 and 6) when he was 10 months old. It was excellent. He was too little to scratch, and loved the calamine lotion!

I'm still looking for an opportunity to let Anna catch them. She's two on Wednesday... I skipped giving her the chickenpox vaccine at 18 months.

 

[bliz]

Risks of Chickenpox vs. Risks of the Chickenpox Vaccine

Risks of Chickenpox Parties
Risks of the Vaccine​

• Varicella (chickenpox) is an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV).
• Varicella is generally a mild disease which causes several days of fever and very itchy rash.
• Varicella is highly contagious.
• A child will often get 300 to 500 blisters during the infection, but can have up to 1500; these crust over and fall off in one to two weeks.
• Varicella can be severe and even fatal in otherwise healthy children (but less than 1 out of every 10,000 cases).
• Chickenpox can cause pneumonia (23 out of every 10,000 cases)
• Bacterial infections of the blisters (usually impetigo) occur commonly (up to 5% of cases).
• Chickenpox is an important risk factor for severe invasive group A streptococcal disease, which can be fatal.
• Other complications of varicella include decreased platelets, arthritis, hepatitis, and brain inflammation.
• Complications are more common among adolescents and adults.
• In immunocompromised persons of all ages, varicella may be fatal.
• The virus which causes chickenpox remains in the body for life and may reappear as shingles, particularly in the elderly.
• A woman who contracts chickenpox in early pregnancy can pass the virus to her fetus, causing abnormalities in 2% of cases.

• Varicella vaccine is a live, attenuated virus vaccine.
• Most people who get the vaccine have no side effects.
• A very mild rash or several small bumps (between 2 and 6) can result in about 1% to 4% of vaccine recipients.
• In children, the vaccine does not cause fever.
• In adults, the vaccine may cause a mild fever 2 weeks after vaccination.
• A seizure (jerking and staring spell) usually caused by fever may occur in less than 1 in 1000 vaccine recipients. This may not be related to the vaccine.
• The vaccine virus, like the wild-type virus, remains in the body and can return to cause shingles. Current evidence suggests that this occurs less commonly with vaccine virus then after natural infection.
• Immunocompromised children should not receive the vaccine, such as children with leukemia

 

[beccasmommy]

I wouldn't do it, my husband ended up with menengitis from chicken pox sooo I would rather save them from it while they are younger

 

[AJ29]

The vaccine has been well tested. Sure, there are some adverse side effects in some people, however, when your child has had a vaccine, you KNOW they have had a vaccine, and there is documentation available which clearly tells you what reactions to look for. Here we also have 24 hour helplines and our emergency hospital services are very good.

On the other hand, the "wild" chicken pox virus is unpredicable, unmeasured, and unnoticable in its early stages, which can be very harmful to others (including adults who have not had the virus, pregnant women, the elderly, and anyone with immune deficiencies).

I HAVE vaccinated my eldest child, and will also have my youngest vaccinated at 18 months in an attempt to provide them with the neccessary protection, as well as helping to protect others who are far more vunerable than my healthy little boys.

 

[AJ29]

I don't know one single person personally- from when I was a kid or an adult who had any complications whatsoever.

My grandmother had shingles which she contracted from one of my cousins who visited her when she had chicken pox. It was really nasty. That's the kind of thing I hope to prevent by having my kids immunised.

 

[sparassidae]

My grandmother had shingles which she contracted from one of my cousins who visited her when she had chicken pox. It was really nasty. That's the kind of thing I hope to prevent by having my kids immunised.

When you have chicken pox (varicella) the virus hides away in your nervous system. Later in life, particularly in times of physical stress/being rundown, it comes out of hiding and manifests as shingles.

They are pretty sure that the vaccine still does this, and can also manifest as shingles at a later date.

(note: I'm keen on vaccination, just trying to clear up a misconception)

 

[progressivegal]

Also just wanted to point out (though it may have been mentioned already) that having chicken pox as a child doesn't always guarantee immunity for life, I know people who've had it twice. Of course, the vaccine doesn't either.

 

[heart of peace]

Risks of the Chickenpox Vaccine

• The vaccine virus, like the wild-type virus, remains in the body and can return to cause shingles. Current evidence suggests that this occurs less commonly with vaccine virus then after natural infection.

​

They are pretty sure that the vaccine still does this, and can also manifest as shingles at a later date.

Well, this is the reason why I would prefer a vaccine so that the virus does not lay dormant in one's CNS. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to make much of a difference except for yet an additional immunity building experience removed from our children. We are raising a generation of kids whose immune systems will never have the opportunity to attack a virus and strengthen from it. Developing natural immunities seems to be the road less traveled these days and I think it has potential adverse affects on the future of humanity.

 

[futuredoc]

Part of my can't imagine having chicken pox and being around a whole bunch of people. Just leave me alone while I'm sick.

Just as an aside, you don't have to actually be around the child, sharing bath towels or cups will usually work (not that I would advocate this, I have no opinion either way)

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

I apologize if the word "insane" offended you, but I think intentionally doing something that will very likely make your child sick is a VERY bad idea.

As far as statistics go, unless something is 100% then some child, somewhere is in that SMALL percentage. According to statistics, my son shouldn't have brain damage and epilepsy from a forceps delivery, but he does. I'm just not willing to risk it with my children.

See and that is your personal experience which determines how you choose the particular risks you feel like you can live with taking...

The choices that you make are not the one's I might make--but I think we all, for the most part, will weigh the available information, think about what outcomes we could live with, and decide what is in the best interest for our family.

Everything carries risk...it's one of the givens as asoon as we get pregnant..there is a 100% cahnce that everything from this point out might be harmful to our babies....we just have to do the best we can to use our knowledge and our life experiences to manuever through the risks.

Getting chicken pox carries risks--getting the vaccine carries risks--it all comes down to which a family feels is the better set of risks for them to accept. (Or in the case of aborted fetal cell vaccines are forced to accept)

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

The vaccine has been well tested. Sure, there are some adverse side effects in some people, however, when your child has had a vaccine, you KNOW they have had a vaccine, and there is documentation available which clearly tells you what reactions to look for. Here we also have 24 hour helplines and our emergency hospital services are very good.

On the other hand, the "wild" chicken pox virus is unpredicable, unmeasured, and unnoticable in its early stages, which can be very harmful to others (including adults who have not had the virus, pregnant women, the elderly, and anyone with immune deficiencies).

I HAVE vaccinated my eldest child, and will also have my youngest vaccinated at 18 months in an attempt to provide them with the neccessary protection, as well as helping to protect others who are far more vunerable than my healthy little boys.

Varicella is still a relatively new vaccine and so I'd be hesitant to grant that it's been "well" tested. Vaccines often go to market without adequate testing (think rota virus--recalled twice now, HPV vaccine, whihc caused some deaths).

No offense--but when my oldest had a reaction--that I know was a reaction to his vaccine--the medical folk pretty much blew me off...I was young and this was my first kiddo--I didn't know to bully my way through the system and insist on filing paper work, etc. The reaction he had was not one that was listed to look for, either.

Again- I am not saying that people shpould or shouldn't vaccinate--but I do hope that people can accept that just because people make different decsions than we do--doesn't mean they are idiots or unthinking--or careless with their children's lives.

 

[Neenie1]

As soon as there is a non human origin vaccine for varicella--then my pre-teens will get vaccinated for it....however until there is a non-aborted fetal cell vaccine available- I'd prefer my kiddos just contract the disease and get lifetime immunity that way.

Wow!!!! I didn't know that was what is in the chicken pox vaccine!!!!!!

Neither of my kids had the vaccine. Ds brought it home from preschool and gave it to my dd (who at the time was only 13 months)

Ds didn't seem to be majorly affected by it, he had the standard spots on trunk and in groin areas and has no scars.

Dd got them everywhere!! Internal ones too. It was awful for her. She has scars on her face still (this was nearly 2 years ago now) and some on her back, the ones on her back don't bother me, but I am hoping the ones on her face will fade before she is old enough to really care that much about it.