Chicken Pox

[Hippie Staff]

So I just got wind that someone we know has Shingles. I was thinking it may be a good time for my daughter to get Chicken Pox. She is 6 - I had it when I was 6.

I haven't heard of ANYONE having chicken pox in our area since my daughter was born..which seems odd. It was just a way of life when I was a kid - and it seemed very common. Anyway... Not even sure if she can get it from the person w/ Shingles..the window is shorter w/ exposure there.

Besides possible scarring (that we all risk when having this), it may be a good time to get it. The school she misses is a not a big deal, and we have spring break coming anyway.

We didn't do the vaccine, as we thought nature should take it's course and she would just get it.

The vaccine doesn't even prevent it; as it just reduces symptoms later in life. We were going to get her the vaccine if she is around 13 and has not yet had it.

I just know getting chicken pox as an older teen/adult can be brutal, so was trying to get her 'immunized naturally'.

Facts: A few thousand people a year are hospitalized w/ chicken pox (mostly adults). 100 people died last year from chicken pox. Half were adults,and the other half were most likely infants/and those w/ compromised immune systems. My daughter is not in any of those categories.

Thoughts?

[LIBRA]

I havent heard of anyone having chicken pox in ages! I had it when I was 5 or 6, all my brothers and sister had it too. Strange that no one seems to get it anymore.

I dont believe Kris has had that immunization either.

Id say if she gets it she gets it, start getting her immune system pumped up know just in case. Thats what I would do.

I know shingles in adults sucks, Ive known a few people with that and it seemed like they had it forever, if caught right away the duration is much shorter. Yuck and no thanks!!!

So is that the difference? Pox as a kid and shingles as an adult?

[Adam Blanchard]

I had both chicken pox and shingles, they seemed the same to me. I'm just glad mine didn't have the pain with it and didn't last long. lol

[Taurus]

I never even heard of shingles until my father had them in his 60's - he was in a lot of pain. My son caught chicken pox when he was in first grade; both the girls caught them from him, a day apart (they were both in diapers). They say that each child gets them a little worse - was true in my family. Only one got a scar - but none of them scratched. I kept lotion on them and we would gently rub them when they itched. I also heard that if you have chicken pox you have a greater risk of getting shingles as an adult. Don't know if I would intentionally expose a child though. Only thing I remember after all these years is not to give aspirin for the fever and to put startch in their bath water - this brought up an image of stiff little people walking around.

[NCW_Woodnymph]

You shouldn't be able to get shingles if you had chicken pox. I didn't want to get the immunization for Mikey but the doctor talked me into it specifically because it is hard to catch these days because most kids are getting immunized. I still don't know if it was the right decision. I really think we shoot kids up with way to much junk and most people don't think twice about it.

[Adam Blanchard]

I suppose I have an odd genetic make up. I had chicken pox as a kid then ended up with shingles maybe 2 years after I moved to pa. The doctors were suprised when I told them I had gotten chicken pox as a kid but confirmed their diagnosis of the shingles.

[Hippie Staff]

Here's the facts on Chicken Pox! ( I researched)

If you have HAD chicken pox, you can get SHINGLES later in life. EVERYONE who has had chicken pox, carries the virus (latent). If someone has a lowered immune system, they have an increased change of getting Shingles. People over 50 have a 20% increased chance in getting shingles.

If you have NEVER had Chicken Pox as a child, you are at SERIOUS risk of having CHICKEN POX as an adult, and this is when people die. Having it as an adult is a big big deal. It is NOT called shingles as an adult. ONLY people who have had chicken pox get shingles.

just wanted to clarify - because many of us are not vaccinating, which makes it even more important for our kids to just GET chicken pox as kids!

If your child does get Chicken Pox, Taurus is right - do NOT GIVE ASPRIN. Asprin & Chicken Pox = increased risk of REYES Syndrome. Just do not give. An antihistamine will help reduce the itch, and milk/oatmeal baths/ ointments are great too.

So..having said that..who wants to have a big chicken pox party and get our kids infected!!! :)

[LIBRA]

LOL!!!

Good to know, I wasnt sure how it worked. But never heard of a child getting shingles so just figured that was for adults only.


Im always up for a party :D

[NCW_Woodnymph]

Thanks Meg! There are so many rumors that fly around. I really wish they hadn't developed a vaccine for chicken pox in the first place, yes it's uncomfortable but very few people actually die from it. Wouldn't their time and money be better used on malaria or something of that sort?:confused:

[Crochety Carpenter]

Hi, that's my girl.
Doing my usuall contrarian thing, when the Woodnymph was about 5 years old we moved to Oregon City, OR. There was a run of chicken pox going around so people were having pox parties. Just before we jumped on the bandwagon a child died from the pox. Seems it internalised. I'd rather go for vaccination.

[LIBRA]

That is terrible!

Doesnt negate the fact that I cringe when I read your posts. Always, negative, always have too have the different opinion. Its like you post just to say nanny nanny boo boo im right your wrong :bawl:. Ugh!



But what we object to here is the forcing of children to take this vaccine at public expense. Children have nothing to fear from the disease, and should not be forced by law to undergo unnecessary medical treatment. The varicella vaccine is still relatively new and unproven, both in safety and efficacy. Forcing millions to receive this vaccine, at substantial expense, would constitute an experiment on the public. Given the scarcity of money for medical care, our dollars are much better spent where people actually want the services.


Quoted from,
Just the first link I found on the issue (http://www.aapsonline.org/stateis/njvac.htm)

Against these significant adverse effects, what are a child's chances of being injured by the disease? Less than 1 in one million die from chickenpox annually, and it is unlikely most children today will ever contract the disease. A study of 3000 children in 11 daycare centers between 1995 and 1997 was published in "Conference Coverage (ICAAC) Unvaccinated Children Protected, But May Pay Later," Immunotherapy Weekly, Oct 12, 1998. Despite being in group care, chickenpox among the children studied was zero among children age 1 to 2 years, 5 percent in children age 2 to 3 years, and 13 percent in children age 3 to 4 years.

[Crochety Carpenter]

Just a note,
My wife has a bachelor of science in nursing, is a certified pediatric nurse, is a certified school nurse, and has over 25 years experience in a pediatric clinic. I think I'll stick with her and she says vacinate.

[LIBRA]

Good to know! Im sure she knows her stuff, wish I had someone like that in my family~

[PEACE FROG]

Ive never had a "childhood" disease. Pox, mumps, .:m:e:a:s:l:e:s:.., I kinda side stepped all of that, had four brothers too.

[Taurus]

I had rubeola as a child; had mumps and german measles my junior year in high school.

[LIBRA]

I had pox as a kid, all 4 of us did, my poor mom! I have a few scars that add character on my face :p other then that I survived thankfully. Never had anything else, well mono once, that sucked so bad!

[NCW_Woodnymph]

The three girls in our family had chicken pox when I was about 7. I didn't get many marks and neither did my younger sister, who would have been about 6, but our baby sister was only 3 and she got quite a few. It's hard to explain to one that little not to scratch. I agree with Denise though, they add character. :D