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June 2011 Moms
LollyBug18
member
Pox parties...
LollyBug18
member
I've yet to do any research on the topic but a post on my FB just popped up of a mom who is taking her kiddos to one. There was a huge response - some people were jealous that she could take her kids to one and others accused her of endangering her kids. If you aren't against the parties, do you think LO should be a certain age before going? Her youngest is a month older than DD and that seems too young to me but, like I said, I haven't done my research.
(If you're not familiar with a pox party, it's when one child has come down with the virus and the parents invite others over to catch it and therefore develop what some ppl on that post were calling a natural immunity (others argued that the vaccine is also a "natural" immunity...). They're popular among families who often choose not to vaccinate or to do so on an adjusted schedule. And that's all I know.)
Thoughts?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Pox parties...
I probably wouldn't take Ash to one, but I guess I get the reasoning behind it. However, I think her LO is too young.
Contrary to popular belief, you CAN get chicken pox twice. My sister and I both did. If a child gets it too young, before their system is fully developed, they may not fully develop an immunity. This is according to my Dr. When I was 11.
I got pox when I was 3 (my sis was 2) and we both got them again when I was in Jr. High and our youngest sister gave it to us again.
June Bugs Blog
I was lucky enough to have the pox 3 times as a kid. I wonder how that might affect my kids' susceptibility to the virus. I need to start making a list of things to bring up at DD's 15mo appt!
This. How would you (in general, not you, Lolly) feel if you knowingly exposed your child and they had complications or were left with scars on their face?
This is why some people on that post were saying it's like child abuse. I'm sure there are lots of stories of such a thing turning out just fine and many others of parents regretting the vax because it caused complications. I think you'll always be able to find the stories of how your choice was either the right or the wrong choice. And to be a tiny, itty, bitty, little bit of a devil's advocate, I have one, single pox square square between my eyes above my nose and I always thought it was cool as a kid.
I would recommend waiting until he is older than 2 for the reason stated above. You will likely put him through it only to have him go through it again.
June Bugs Blog
Can I ask why the chicken pox vaccine scares you so much? Just curious.
Re: the vax party. I think her child is too young to attend, but if they didn't have that vaccine available (hypothetically, like when we were kids), and DS hadn't gotten the chicken pox yet by the time he was 7 or 8, I would consider it. Definitely better to get the chicken pox as a child than as an adult.
My food & craft blog: Fraises et Tartines
BFP #2: 9/29/12; EDD 6/8/2013; m/c 10/5/2012
BFP#3: 1/29/13; EDD 10/5/2013 - Baby Claire arrived 10/6/2013
ETA: My brothers and I all turned out just fine, no scars on our face our complications from the disease. I actually think my mom was smart for doing what she did, having 4 kids within 6 years, I can't imagine dealing with the possibility of each of us getting the chicken pox at different times.
I'm curious how this is different than having a party for other things there are vaccines for now. Why not have a measles or a pertussis party?
Because you can get pertussis over and over again, the theory is that you are only supposed to get Chicken pox once, so get it now and get it over with (I know you can get it more than once).
While I understand the concept, I would not bring my child to a pox party. I also think she being irresponsible by bringing a 1 month old, there can be serious complications with chicken pox and the younger you are the greater your chances for not fairing well. If I EVER considered it my child would be at least 7.
We have followed a typical vaccine schedule, but won't be getting the chicken pox vac. That said, I won't be seeking out a pox party either.
I think the "ideal" age for attending is apparently around 2-4 since it's less severe before school-age, but this is just what I have heard from those who know more.
I don't think her LO is one month old I think OP was saying that their LO is one month older than her daughter, so over one year. Not saying ones better than the other just saying 1 month old would be crazy. :-D
With that being said, DS has been vaccinated, and I was vaccinated. I was also taken to not one but two pox parties as a child. I am no good with timelines so I don't know how old I was, but I do know I was pretty young like 4, but as I don't remember anything prior to 14 from my own memory, just really photos. Anyway, my point being we turned out just fine, and ended up with Chicken Pox once. I personally would not take my DS only because I am a germ phobe and I even hold my breath if I walk past someone who is sick, so I would never take DS to a Pox party.
However, I don't see anything wrong with them really if that's what people want to do. It falls under the category that it may not be for our family but it is for theirs. It used to be very very common practice and personally like I said I don't think of it as child abuse, I think that's a little extreme. I think people who spank their children are committing more child abuse than someone who takes their child to a pox party. Or that would also mean that people who don't vaccinate or delay vaccines could be committing child abuse, because who knows what sort of people your kids will come in contact with. My point just being I don't think any of those things are child abuse it's what's right for a family. If you go to a pox party it's a one time thing and they may not even get chicken pox, and if they do get chicken pox it's not a gurantee that anything will go wrong with it. That's just my opinion and everyone has different opinions. :-D
They used to have measle and mumps parties also, my mother went to those as well as a child.
Sorry ETA my mother, not myself. At least I don't think so. As I said in my previous response I don't remember anything as a child, so I'm a little fuzzy on that unless my mother tells me I don't know.
There is no way that I would take DS to a pox party, no matter his age. I had the chicken pox at age 9 and was hospitalized for IV fluids and because they were inside my throat, eyelids, in between my fingers and toes, etc. I had some pretty serious complications (thankfully, none long term) and the doctor said that it was one of the most severe cases he had ever seen.
With that being said, my sister had the chicken pox when I was 7. We shared everything and were only 15 mos. apart. We slept in the same room, etc., and I never got the chicken pox when she had them, so keep in mind that attending a pox party does not always equal getting the pox.
DS will be getting the vaccine as he has gotten all other vaccines.
This exactly. In very rare cases, chicken pox can kill you.
Actually, it did kill my 9 year old cousin. Now granted, she had a compromised immune system from leukemia, but still.
That's so awful. I'm so sorry.
Please don't be sorry...I am not sure I actually ever met her...she died in '79 I think. This is my dad's side of the family that we rarely saw growing up. This was actually my first cousin's (my first cousin who is older than my dad) daughter.
It is too new. They dont know the long term effects from receiving it. We did choose to vacinate for everything but Pox, and that is because the other diseases carry more long term risks than the vaccine. Although they are now saying that vaccines do not correlate to Autism, the spike in Autism occured around the time the Pox vaccine was introduced. While I do not believe it is the vaccine itself, I do believe it has to do with the interaction of other vaccines that have been given. I dont have scientific data or research to back that up, but like I said it is too new to either prove or disprove that theory. If DS never gets chicken pox and needs it as an adult I hope there will be more research available and he can make that decision. Without the research to back it up either for or against, I dont feel like I can make a completely informed decision about the vaccine and therefor choose not to.
Correlation does not equal causation! The "spike" in autism can be due to many things, not necessarily vaccinations. For instance, our increasing understanding of autism and its diagnosis. Or the fact that, as time goes on, mental disorders are less and less taboo, and therefore more people are willing to admit their child/family members has autism and seek help.
You have every right to make your own decision, but its really not hard to get the information. The pox vaccine was given in other countries as early as 1988 (24 years), and in the U.S. in 1995 (17), I am willing to bet there is data out there.
June Bugs Blog
I love you.
FWIW, I work with individuals with autism for a living, and I have never heard mention of anything to do with the pox vaccine. Ever. I HAVE had a client's 86 year old "quirky" grandmother get diagnosed with autism when she was moved into a nursing home. I could (and have on other boards) have written paragraphs on why it's overly simplified to believe there is a causal relationship between vaccines and autism. Though we're opting out of this one, I have NO concerns about MMR or any other vaccines increasing DS's odds of having autism. Besides...him simply being a male increases those odds as it is. We don't vaccinate based on gender as a society...
ETA - Just remembered that last year 2 of my clients, brothers, both had chicken pox. Neither of them had been vaccinated. Both have ASD.
;-)
June Bugs Blog
I get that correlation does not equal causation, but until there is more concrete data and the swing between it does and does not dies down, we dont feel comfortable with it. Like I said there is not enough data in regards either way for me to make an informed decision. I have two close friends that work with autistic children and the only vaccine they do not give is Chicken Pox. Personal preference I guess.