Controversial ? for you

pinktulips

There is a post with one of the meet up groups I am part of about a child having chicken pox and is inviting everyone over to get exposed...

Would you have your child participate in something like this?

My answer - no. I can't quite wrap my mind around purposely infected your child with a disease that can cause death or serious damage. Yes, I know it is better to have them as a child, but still...

iHeartHimMore

Wow. ?On the one hand, they're probably going to (or should) get them young anyway. ?On the other hand, yeah - how could you knowingly, purposely infect them?

On a related note, I thought I had heard something about someone coming up with a vaccine for chicken pox. ?Am I high??

IdahoGirl

iHeartHimMore:

On a related note, I thought I had heard something about someone coming up with a vaccine for chicken pox.  Am I high? 

You're not high - it's out there.

The only time I could really understand this is if you had already had chickenpox as a child and multiple children, none of whom had it.  Then, perhaps, you could get it all out of the way at once.  I know one mom who did it that way.

But, I couldn't do it myself.  I'm not that brave.

milliedilly

There is now a vaccine for chicken pox that is given at either the 12 month or 15 month check-up.

mwhite5283

my DH is a pediatrician and we've talked about this - absolutely not.  This is dangerous, there are multiple strains and it's poor judgement (in his/my HO).  Now that there is an immunization, we shouldn't be exposing people unneccessarily.

pinktulips

Yes there is a vaccine, which is also controversial. They can't guarantee you won't get chicken pox and you do need a booster for it. I did have my son vaccinated (and the booster) and he has been exposed several times without getting chicken pox, so I guess it works for us. The thing that sold me on it was that if he did get chicken pox it would most likely be a light case. Since I was covered head to toe and every where else as a child, I thought that this was a good option for us.

asianbymarriage

mwhite5283:

my DH is a pediatrician and we've talked about this - absolutely not.  This is dangerous, there are multiple strains and it's poor judgement (in his/my HO).  Now that there is an immunization, we shouldn't be exposing people unneccessarily.

This exactly. No reputable Dr. would recommend doing this nowadays, esp. now that we have the vaccine. We DO have the chicken pox vaccine now. We didn't when I was little, so it was a childhood illness I just got, and I was fine - most ppl are. But it's like the flu - most ppl are fine, but some can be seriously affected or even die. There is no point in doing this is if we have the vaccine, esp. mercury-free ones. There are cases where certain Amish communities have decided not to vaccinate at all, and they have had statistically large groups of children die. Not. smart.

nykola

I'd never do this.  I'd never intentionally get my child sick. I do understand moms who have 2-3 children and allowing them to give it to each other so they can "get it over with" as a family. That's sort of what my mom did.  So all three of us suffered together, but it was actually a really memorable, fun time, believe it or not. I got chick pox when i was 13! Which is super old.

Not a fan of the chicken pox vaccine though. I think kids are over-vaccinated these days, and at least 50% of the people I know who had their kids vaccinated for pox, said their kids got chicken pox any way.

tfarabians

pinktulips:

There is a post with one of the meet up groups I am part of about a child having chicken pox and is inviting everyone over to get exposed...

Would you have your child participate in something like this?

My answer - no. I can't quite wrap my mind around purposely infected your child with a disease that can cause death or serious damage. Yes, I know it is better to have them as a child, but still...

Good lord!  What a horrible thing since there are vaccines against chicken pox!  Whats next polio parties, whooping cough meet ups?  There are reasons that they have come up with vaccines and that is to protect the public from these diseases!! 

tfarabians

pinktulips:

Yes there is a vaccine, which is also controversial. They can't guarantee you won't get chicken pox and you do need a booster for it. I did have my son vaccinated (and the booster) and he has been exposed several times without getting chicken pox, so I guess it works for us. The thing that sold me on it was that if he did get chicken pox it would most likely be a light case. Since I was covered head to toe and every where else as a child, I thought that this was a good option for us.

pixelvixen

Ummm no thanks, I think I'll pass.  Wow.

tfarabians

pinktulips:

Yes there is a vaccine, which is also controversial. They can't guarantee you won't get chicken pox and you do need a booster for it. I did have my son vaccinated (and the booster) and he has been exposed several times without getting chicken pox, so I guess it works for us. The thing that sold me on it was that if he did get chicken pox it would most likely be a light case. Since I was covered head to toe and every where else as a child, I thought that this was a good option for us.

I think that its important to mention that Vaccines do not make you immune to something completely so with ANY vaccine you or your child could still come down with chances are a milder case of the illness.  Until everyone vaccinates and irradicates the disease we will still all be in danger, its just that the vaccines protect us better.

blueLu25

Yikes, no way. We are getting the vaccine and hoping for a mild case, if/ when it happens.?

Mama_v2.0

My 2 kids already had it, it was horrible for the 6 month old (at the time), but fine for the 2 year old.

 I think if my children were 5+ years old I might consider it...like as in a chicken pox playdate if one of my child's friends had it, but for a meet-up group and strangers and a "party" no.

newbiewed

this isn't an opinion, but my mom exposed my brother and I on purpose and we did get it.  I think she was of the belief that it would be a light case as opposed to an adult case. 

We were told about it, went over to play with the neighbor kids, drank from the same cup, and presto - chicken pox.  She's a good mom though - this was over 20 years ago.

LuvBug12683

No thank you
We got DC's vaccinated for chicken pox..Im hoping to never have to deal with it!

mishquiche

I'm not a mom yet, but absolutely not.

KNemo

For those of you who don't know this: they are making the Chicken Pox Vaccine manditory for entrance into school in the state of Washington. All children, who haven't had the illness, will need to be vaccinated before entering into kindergarten.

I am a little weirded out by a CP party. But I am a little weirded out by the vaccine as well.

nykola

KNemo:

For those of you who don't know this: they are making the Chicken Pox Vaccine manditory for entrance into school in the state of Washington. All children, who haven't had the illness, will need to be vaccinated before entering into kindergarten.

I am a little weirded out by a CP party. But I am a little weirded out by the vaccine as well.

That is unless you have personal reasons for not getting the chicken pox vaccine.  The state actually can't force people to put any type of drugs into their children.  It's mandated, but there's always a loophole. You can just state why you won't get whatever the mandated vaccination is.  I have a few friends with pre-teen girls who are dealing with this now regarding the HPV vaccination being mandated for 7th grade (I think?)

KNemo

nykola:

KNemo:

For those of you who don't know this: they are making the Chicken Pox Vaccine manditory for entrance into school in the state of Washington. All children, who haven't had the illness, will need to be vaccinated before entering into kindergarten.

I am a little weirded out by a CP party. But I am a little weirded out by the vaccine as well.

That is unless you have personal reasons for not getting the chicken pox vaccine.  The state actually can't force people to put any type of drugs into their children.  It's mandated, but there's always a loophole. You can just state why you won't get whatever the mandated vaccination is.  I have a few friends with pre-teen girls who are dealing with this now regarding the HPV vaccination being mandated for 7th grade (I think?)

Is that true for all vaccines though?? I think that there are some that you cannot opt out of. Public school is regulated by the state and therefore, there are certain things that you have to adhere to. That is interesting that they are requireing Guardasil. Do you think these girls can opt out because the disease is sexually transmitted, and therefore, more difficult to contract? Interesting.....

I would have to give the state a big middle finger if they required my daughter to be vaccinated against and STD! Just out of principal. But I am giving the state a big middle finger over my job right now...so that isn't saying much!

nykola

KNemo:

nykola:

KNemo:

For those of you who don't know this: they are making the Chicken Pox Vaccine manditory for entrance into school in the state of Washington. All children, who haven't had the illness, will need to be vaccinated before entering into kindergarten.

I am a little weirded out by a CP party. But I am a little weirded out by the vaccine as well.

That is unless you have personal reasons for not getting the chicken pox vaccine.  The state actually can't force people to put any type of drugs into their children.  It's mandated, but there's always a loophole. You can just state why you won't get whatever the mandated vaccination is.  I have a few friends with pre-teen girls who are dealing with this now regarding the HPV vaccination being mandated for 7th grade (I think?)

Is that true for all vaccines though?? I think that there are some that you cannot opt out of. Public school is regulated by the state and therefore, there are certain things that you have to adhere to. That is interesting that they are requireing Guardasil. Do you think these girls can opt out because the disease is sexually transmitted, and therefore, more difficult to contract? Interesting.....

I would have to give the state a big middle finger if they required my daughter to be vaccinated against and STD! Just out of principal. But I am giving the state a big middle finger over my job right now...so that isn't saying much!

No you can opt out of any vaccine required for school if you have "personal" or "religious" reasons.  The Scientologists do it all the time. LOL.  And they are incredibly extreme.  But that loophole is not something that's going to be advertised though because understandably so, the state wants people to do what's mandated.

I feel similar to you about mandating vaccinations for STDs.  There is such a thing as the state overstepping its boundaries.  But anyway...

Seattle_JiLLn

I can't imagine purposely making my child sick.   In theory, I see some of the arguments for it, but I just don't think I could do it. 

Seattle_JiLLn

newbiewed:

this isn't an opinion, but my mom exposed my brother and I on purpose and we did get it.  I think she was of the belief that it would be a light case as opposed to an adult case. 

We were told about it, went over to play with the neighbor kids, drank from the same cup, and presto - chicken pox.  She's a good mom though - this was over 20 years ago.

 

But that's different.  There was no vax then.  So you were bound to get it some time.  ANd you really do do better if you have it younger.  So I can understand that scenario.

Seattle_JiLLn

You don't have to have sex to get HPV.   And I think you have your head in a hole if you dont' think there's any possibility of your child doing "anything" with a boy in high school.

nykola

Seattle_JiLLn:

You don't have to have sex to get HPV.   And I think you have your head in a hole if you dont' think there's any possibility of your child doing "anything" with a boy in high school.

My mom didn't have her head in a hole. And I didn't do "anything" with a boy in high school...or college. There are other reasons people are leary of this vaccine well beyond that.

Seattle_JiLLn

Oh I know there are other reasons.  I'm leery of new vax no matter what.   But as a good girl who didn't have sex in high school and was VERY not slutty, I STILL ended up with an abnormal pap and surgery on my cervix in college.  Although they didn't test for HPV way back then, but still.  It can happen to the best of them.  And I know 2 other girls who actually were still virgins who had similar cervical dysplasia issues.   So yes, I do still think it's naive to think that only your daughter is immune to this stuff.  

CDMay2006

ALL vaccines creep me out.  However, with chicken pox (even though i know several fully vaccinated children who contracted it, albeit a mild case), the vaccine is valuable because the virus initially contracted as chicken pox can revisit its host later as shingles.

Seattle_JiLLn

CDMay2006:

ALL vaccines creep me out.  However, with chicken pox (even though i know several fully vaccinated children who contracted it, albeit a mild case), the vaccine is valuable because the virus initially contracted as chicken pox can revisit its host later as shingles.

 

i thought that could still happen with the vax too.   there's a shingles vax now though too.

JRS72206

I'm SO late, but wanted to chime in.

WA state does not by law require that children are fully vaccinated by the time they enter school. I've looked into it.

We won't vaccinate against chicken pox, but that doesn't mean I want her to get them. Pox party sounds a little..err...crazy. 

JRS72206

nykola:

Not a fan of the chicken pox vaccine though. I think kids are over-vaccinated these days, and at least 50% of the people I know who had their kids vaccinated for pox, said their kids got chicken pox any way.

Amen! 

Seattle_JiLLn

JRS72206:

I'm SO late, but wanted to chime in.

WA state does not by law require that children are fully vaccinated by the time they enter school. I've looked into it.

We won't vaccinate against chicken pox, but that doesn't mean I want her to get them. Pox party sounds a little..err...crazy. 

Seattle_JiLLn

JRS72206:

I'm SO late, but wanted to chime in.

WA state does not by law require that children are fully vaccinated by the time they enter school. I've looked into it.

We won't vaccinate against chicken pox, but that doesn't mean I want her to get them. Pox party sounds a little..err...crazy. 

I also thought the chicken pox one was one I would skip, but then I talked to 2 different friends who are doctors, and who both have 2 year olds.   They both convinced me to do it.  

 I'm surprised you guys know so many people who have kids who still got chicken pox.  The vax hasn't been in wide use for verfy long, so I'm surprised they've been out enough to get the chicken pox still.  I've only heard of one person who still got it, and shes' an on line friend in the UK.

It's just so hard to know what's right.

JRS72206

Seattle_JiLLn:

JRS72206:

I'm SO late, but wanted to chime in.

WA state does not by law require that children are fully vaccinated by the time they enter school. I've looked into it.

We won't vaccinate against chicken pox, but that doesn't mean I want her to get them. Pox party sounds a little..err...crazy. 

I also thought the chicken pox one was one I would skip, but then I talked to 2 different friends who are doctors, and who both have 2 year olds.   They both convinced me to do it.  

 I'm surprised you guys know so many people who have kids who still got chicken pox.  The vax hasn't been in wide use for verfy long, so I'm surprised they've been out enough to get the chicken pox still.  I've only heard of one person who still got it, and shes' an on line friend in the UK.

It's just so hard to know what's right.

Its so, so hard to know what to do. I went back and forth countless times. In the end the only shots we are skipping all together is Rotavirus, Chickenpox and Flu. She will get all others but at a much slower pace. We will also breakup the the MMR and any other combo shots that may come up. 

My decision would have been way different if DD was in daycare, if we were international travelers...etc.  

Seattle_JiLLn

We skpped Hep B, alothough we'll do it before he starts school.   We weren't even offered Rotavirus.  I always get the flu shot now and so does Ben.  ANd I still have to gear up for the MMR.