Chicken Pox - Washington,MI

I haven't known of anyone to have it around this time of year.. usually in the fall when school starts.

Try posting on the local Finding your Tribe area on mothering.com. You might get some actual responses to your question, as opposed to people just telling you whether or not it's a good idea.

I got the vaccine as an adult and am glad I did. My kids all got it when they were young, and get a booster at 18 and then are done with the vaccines. It's not true that they need lifelong booster shots. You do with tetanus, not chicken pox. One thing to consider - make sure your child is in good health if you go with the exposure to the virus - some children with asthma can actually die from chicken pox. I personally vote for the vaccine - it's been used in Japan for many, many years. Good luck either way.

I guess I'm on both sides of this, so I felt compelled to comment.

I've never had chicken pox and when the vaccine came out, I was in college. I have been repeatedly told that it is not effective in people over 13 but that if I do contract the virus as an adult, it could be quite serious. I had a scare while pregnant with a coworker that had shingles, but luckily I did not get it then.

I vaccinated my daughter for two reasons, 1 - in the hopes that she won't get it and pass it on to me and 2 - my Grandmother had shingles in 1980 at the age of 52. She has extensive scarring and nerve damage. She looks as if she were in a fire with 2nd & 3rd degree burns. She was in the hospital for several weeks and even had to have physical therapy to gain mobility in one of her shoulders again. This was a 6-month long ordeal for her. Even now, 29 years later, she has to be very careful to keep her scars covered, they sometimes break open and with some of the nerves growing back it can be so incredibly painful. Not to mention, my beautiful Grandmother is very insecure about the scarring and it can be difficult for her to find tops that don't expose too much. My Grandfather had shingles as well, but not nearly as badly as my Grandmother.

Basically, I'm in the situation that lives the pros and cons of each. As long as I never get chicken pox, I never have to worry about shingles...but then again, I'm constantly worried about getting chicken pox as an adult.

I'm not looking to sway you either way. It's your decision what you do with your child, but I just felt the need to share my situation as well. Best of luck to you, whatever you decide.

A.,

Like the measles, mumps, smallpox and polio of old, the chicken pox virus has the ability to be erradicated IF people would start using the vaccine. That would make it much safer for those of us who did have the chicken pox when we were children and are now in danger of getting shingles. The argument that the vaccine doesn't give life long immunity may be true but neigher does a tetnus shot which we get updated regularly. If all parents would start using the vaccine there would be fewer and fewer cases of the virus to perpetuate it and less chance a child would contract it ever, and in time, it would become a thing of the past, like the above mentioned diseases. Also consider the other complications that can arise from the virus. It is a horrible disease that makes your child very ill. I developed infantigo with my chicken pox and have scars on my body to this day. To want to perpetuate this horrible virus out of fear of using a vaccine just doesn't make sense. Please think about when you and your child reach middle age, and you WILL get there, then you will have the additional worry of this horrible disease resurfacing with farther greater consequences. Just my two cents worth. If the vaccine were available when my boys were young they would have had it, and would be getting it regularly until the disease were pronounced irradicated from society.

S.

At one point I found a website called "Pox Party" but I can't find it now. Maybe try Craigs list and ask if anyone in your area has it. I'd like to expose my kids but my daughter is now 8 and I worry about it being too much for her. I have heard that the vaccine can cause shingles too and I know several kids that got it after the vaccine. (I heard about it too late though to join in). If you find anyone, will you tell me? Thanks!

Why? There is a vaccine.

A.,
I'd like to also say good for you! What people don't understand is that the vaccine requires lifelong booster shots... How many adults do you know that will take the time every few years to remember to get a booster? Not many... Our generation had chicken pox and therefore we are much strong immunity-wise than our kids who are being vaccinated. We've become so vaccine-happy that we are failing to see that there might be a downside... And if people took the time to see how the vaccine was manufactured (the virus from a human is combined with lung tissue from a human fetus to help the virus grow - this is then placed in guinea pig cells to multiply - this mixture is then placed into another group of human cells combined with blood from a cow fetus), they may think twice. While this is actually one of the less dangerous vaccines, it still does not provide the level of immunity that you build up when you actually GET the disease. Anyway, stay strong!

Not to be rude... just my opinion, but why on earth would you ever want to expose your child to any virus on purpose?? It could be for no reason - your daughter may go her whole life without ever getting it!

I don't know anyone with the virus but I wanted to say good for you! I knew you would get a bunch of posts about the vaccine - which is ridiculous in my opinion. I'm assuming that like me you have heard that this vaccine is not the greatest? Half the kids that get the vaccine end up getting the virus down the road anyway - so what's the point in getting them the vaccine? I had chicken pox as a kid and it seriously wasn't that bad and I've been exposed to it since and not gotten it. Kids that are getting the vaccine are exposed to it later and still contracting it - this could be very scary if they get exposed to it later in life and never had the disease but only the vaccine. I plan to have my daughter exposed to it when she's older also because then I know, like me, she'll have true immunity to it. I guess if someone in my family had shingles then maybe I'd consider getting the vaccine to reduce the risk of that but otherwise I see it as unnecessary. I realize my post didn't answer your question but I just wanted to help defend your position a bit for future people posting.

Oh, and I also read somewhere that kids that get the vaccine can be contagious with the disease, so if you can't find someone with it, then try finding a kid that has just gotten the shot and your child may be able to catch it that way.

Hi A.,
I don't know of anyone with chicken pox, sorry. I am a nurse though, in Occ Health at an area hospital and just wanted to make sure you knew all the advantages of the vaccine. It is certainly your choice as to how you build your child's immunity, but I deal with the adult side of this and find that most people know very little about the disease/vaccine. Just so you know, both natural AND artificial (vaccine-aquired and disease-aquired) immunity can wane over time. Even if your child gets the pox, they may find they no longer have immunity later in life. I see this all the time.
Also, I know they have been mentioned, but there are theories that the vaccine may give protection from shingles and MS. The shingles theory is the stronger of the two. Not much but theory at this point regarding the link between chicken pox and MS. However, varicella (chicken pox) by natural immunity DOES remain in the body, dormant for the rest of a person's life and can re-activate as shingles. It is a very nasty condition that can leave a person with lasting nerve damage. The theory is that the virus in the vaccine cannot re-activate and cause shingles. Good luck with your quest!

I'm not sure where you could find out this information. I just wanted to say that I agree with what Laura W. wrote. I'm in school right now for nursing and I learned that in my microbiology class. Whatever your decision, don't let others discourage you, you're their mother and you know what's best for your children.

my child had chicken pox before there was a vaccine, and I dont' stress about it, but I wouldn't want them to get it. When I had the pox, I had it in my eyes, ears and mouth, and everywhere else too. Also, there is some indication that MS might be caused by this type of virus (although they really don't know what causes MS). It is an incredibly horrible disease. My sis has MS so my kids got vaccinated, jsut in case. The vaccine will not prevent them from getting it 100% of the time, but you might want to take a good look at which would be better to have... make sure that your doctor uses the "safe" vaccine, if he doesn't know what you mean by that, then don't have him give the shot, find someone else.

I knwo that I am rambling, but I was thinking the same as you until I found out about the ms and shingles thing.

A.,
I don't know anyone who has the chicken pox virus currently but I wanted to say...Good for you!!!! Everyone wants to get the vaccine instead, but nothing is better than a natural immunity to the virus. Blessings! J.

You do know they vaccinate for this, right?!?

Sorry A., I don't know of anyone.

Just my two cents...vaccines are an emotionally charged subject and everyone has their own opinions, and you are entitled to your own just as everyone else is. I had SUCH a struggle with the decision that it almost kept me from wanting to have another child. I vaccinated my first two (8/9) years ago when I didn't even know there was a controversy/potential connection to autism. In the end, I did end up getting my 18 month old vaccinated due to the extensive international travel that currently goes on and all the diseases that are now being reintroduced. But I still don't know if i made the absolute right decision or not. All I can do is pray it was right for her, but I certainly never felt/feel good when somebody tried to make me feel bad about my decision.

Also wanted to clarify the whole 'shingles' issue that others are writing about. I had chickenpox when I was 4 and got shingles when I was 33. It is true that when you contract chickenpox naturally, it lies dormant in your body for the rest of your life. Then...MANY years later, IF YOU ARE IN POOR HEALTH or UNDER A LOT OF STRESS (which I was at the time), the virus can re-emerge in the form of shingles. Yes, it is painful and can possibly be dangerous if it goes into your eyes etc., but I have never heard of this happening in anyone who was not an adult nor anyone who was not unhealthy. And as far as the connection to MS....

It is true there is a connection, but here's how I understand it: Chicken pox, shingles, cold sores, etc. are all part of the herpes virus. Epstein Barr virus is also part of that herpes virus (and fyi causes mononucleosis which is also related to the virus). There has been research done that has shown that a high percentage of people with MS also coincidentally have Epstein Barr (once you have it, it is in your system forever) and the theory is that it can lead to MS. I have the epstein barr virus, and have had shingles and often feel MS-type symptoms...but I don't think that is because I had chicken pox. I have ways to keep my health all in check, but that's another discussion. At any rate, all of these things are related to each other via the herpes connection, but it is MS and Epstein Barr specifically that I believe the connection is between.

I just felt the need to help clarify some of the stuff that was written so far because I'm not sure any of us have absolute answers on this subject and really shouldn't be trying to scare, encourage, discourage, or alarm you you with information that may not be accurate. It is your decision, so good luck with your search!

You are lucky that you can still expose your child to chicken pox with hopes she will get it and be over an done with it. During one of my son's immunizations I was told after it was done - "oh, by the way we the chicken pox vaccine was part of the immunization we just administered". I did not even have the choice to say "no" to the vaccine. Good luck!

Did you know there is a chicken pox vaccine that children can have?

I just wanted to say thank you for your post. I was glad to read someone else like myself. I'd posted to my moms group 3 years ago when my daughter had hives, thinking they might be chicken pox. Everyone flipped out and I almost left the group. Meanwhile my best friend was waiting for the Doc's report, so she could hop her 2 kids in the car and get it too.
I wish more people knew they only made this vax cause to many parents missed weeks of work. It's not a horrible illness, and more fatal to adults than kids.
:)Thanks again, A. H

My nephew has it (we think), but we're keeping him sequestered in the house. It's bad enough his 3 year old sister and 2 year old cousin can possibly catch it.

My nephew had the vaccine, and his 4 year booster before he started school. My son is barely a year out from having his original vaccine, and my niece is barely 2 years out from having her original vaccine.

I hope you find someone with a case of it that is willing to expose you daughter and your whole family.

I'm not sure how old your child is, but you may want to reconsider. All of my brothers and sisters and I had the chicken pox at the same time (All 5 of us). Several of us were deathly ill. My best friend at the time also had the chicken pox. We were 10 or 11. She is still severely scarred to this day. He face is damaged for life. I had a horrible fever that would not break. I'm sure you wouldn't want to see your child suffer. My cousins are now in their 50's and had never had chicken pox. Many people never, ever get it. Please reconsider.

Why would you want your child exposed to a virus?

Hi A.,

I'm sorry I don't know anyone who has a current outbreak of chicken pox. However, I just wanted to also say good for you!

I'm assuming that you have done your homework (instead of just mindlessly following the advice of a one size fits all traditional medicine practice) and decided that the chicken pox vaccine is not for your child.

Natural immunity is better. There are studies to suggest that the 'mild' form of chicken pox seen with the vaccination does not provide the full immunity needed to the recipient. In addition, it seems the efficacy of the vaccination severely diminishes over time, even as little as 1 year.

It is also starting to be investigated that the vaccine may actually spur an increase in shingles in the elderly. It is thought by some researchers that adults with children who actually have the chicken pox acts as a booster to the adults, thus supressing the shingles virus.

www.mercola.com has some great information on general health, including vaccinations.

I commend you on making informed decisions on your health and the health of your child.

It never ceases to amaze me, the level to which the public is brainwashed into actually believing that vaccines are "safe". Traditional medicine has pushed this garbage down everyone's throat for so long, it has become mainstream. The risk of vaccination...any vaccination is high. The posts about chicken pox causing MS are ludicrous at best. Perhaps if we all were a bit more informed about reality instead of mindlessly believing what the governement tells us, we wouldn't seem like sheep being lead to slaughter....

Keep your mind open - and research Dr. Douglass - a true pioneer in questioning the medical community. And NO he isn't a quack..he is a medical doctor.

There are even studies that have been done proving that polio is not eradicated, but has been mutated by the vaccination and is actually a culmination of 15 different chronic health problems now...including CFS... interesting stuff... worth researching.

Good luck and watch out for those would report you to protective services for such a post....

A.
why would you want to do that do you know that once you have the chicken pox it never trueley goes away it just goes dormet to when there adults and then it turn to shingles if we get sick or a weaken a system i use to see it all the time in nurseing home and now with my own husband real painful.