Chicken Pox Party

[colababe]

My friends toddler (21 months) has the pox, I have heard mixed reviews on if before 2 the pox will reappear later in life - just wanted to hear people's opinions when their child had it, we are due to go away in a month so I think now is a bad time for my son to get it as he turns 2 in June, would be happy to hold a pox party or wondering if anyone else had been to one or has views it's so mixed when I talk to people

Thanks

[devsdev]

I'm sorry, but I just find it strange to deliberately try to get your child sick...I haven't looked into this specifically, but I had chicken pox at 10 and it was miserable. I would avoid my 18 month old getting it if I could!

[Mariamadeit]

Yes but that's the point devsdev it is miserable to get it when you are older. And worse still to miss getting it altogether and then get it whilst pregnant. Mine have so far missed it but we have been in contact with children with pox (intentionally and unintentionally) the most contagious time is just before the spots appear though so that's tricky.

[colababe]

I thought once you get it you can never get it again? I would rather he had it now than when he is 10 ?

[Dulwich13]

Please find attached info: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chickenpox/Pages/Introduction.aspx

I found this very useful. My son has just had it 18 months (caught it at nursery). He had a lot of spots, but did not suffer in any other way apart from lack of appetite. No itching at all. Before he had it I thought he might be too young to cope with it, but I do actually think he coped better than if he would have caught it being at an age when he would have been aware of the spots. At this age you are also able to use bodies to avoid them being able to get direct contact with the skin and scratch areas such as the stomach and back. Both of which are prone to be have most spots. However everyone is different and it is very hard to tell how they will cope. My advice is to do what feels right for you.

[Convex]

We decided to vaccinate when my son hadn't caught it by age 2. It's expensive, about ?130 for the 2 shots, about 6 weeks apart. But I was happier with that than deliberately catching it.

A very personal choice though!

[LynnonRye]

Unfortunately it is possible to have chickenpox a number of times - my hisband had it when he was an infant and again at 23 and it was horrible. The main reason that the vaccination isn't widely offered is because it only provides limited immunity and it could increase the risk of chickenpox and shingles in older people. Well that and it's only a mild illness in childhood. Don't know if I'd deliberately want my son to catch it; I'd rather not know beforehand.

[Lula]

My son who turned four a few weeks back caught it 5 days before his birthday party. Cue: nightmare of texting all invitees informing them of the situation. Luckily most had had it (it had been going round his nursery) or didn't mind if theirs caught it. My daughter, 20 months, got it soon after and wasn't too ill with it. In a way I'm glad it's out of the way and glad they didn't get it before a holiday where we'd potentially have to cancel it. Although I do know some kids who've had it twice.

[colababe]

Thanks lula how long did they have it for? I go away soon but would like for him to have it...

[Lula]

Five to six days of being contagious - so the spots have appeared and haven't crusted over until the end of this period. Cola babe, I think the incubation period is 21 days, and they are the most contagious 2 days before the spots appear. But if your little one has past this stage I would suggest that it is best to try not to expose your child to it as if my son (now 4) was just under 2, I think I would try for him not to get it. It's only now that I have two kids that I was less bothered about the second one getting it. Ie, better to get it out of the way in one go rather than be housebound for another week in the future. Good luck!

[Saffron]

colababe Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I thought once you get it you can never get it

> again? I would rather he had it now than when he

> is 10 ?

No, some people do get it twice. There is though to be a genetic susceptibility to repeated varicella infection. Also, there may be a genetic susceptibility to severity, which can override effects of age. Also the "rule" about age-related severity is HIGHLY variable.

The chicken pox vaccine is still effective if given 3-5 days post exposure. South London Travel Clinic are offering it. They're very nice, and the jab is only a tiny one. xx

[uncleglen]

One of my colleagues and his partner had a child later in life and he caught shingles when the child had chicken pox. He was off work for 3 months. Also, people on a course of steroids are more susceptible to catching the virus and they have to be notified.

[Jessie]

I've had chicken pox twice. My poor son though had scarlet fever a month or so before chicken pox, which was nothing in comparison. Another friend's child was in hospital for weeks with it as she got it so severely. Nasty virus.

[Saffron]

uncleglen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> One of my colleagues and his partner had a child

> later in life and he caught shingles when the

> child had chicken pox. He was off work for 3

> months. Also, people on a course of steroids are

> more susceptible to catching the virus and they

> have to be notified.

There is a shingles vaccine now too. The NHS is introducing it on a rolling schedule, but you can also have it privately if you don't (yet) qualify for the NHS shingles vaccine. xx

[simonethebeaver]

My two year old had truly horrible chicken pox. I would think carefully about whether you'd feel comfortable with yourself if your child was suffering because you'd deliberately exposed them to infection.

[Saffron]

Also, unless you quarantine your child for the entire 20+ day incubation before spots appear, you'll have no way of knowing if your child is spreading the infection in the community, including spread to children too young to be immunised. Children are most contagious prior to the appearance of illness. :(

[GinaG3]

My daughter is 5 and still hasn't had Chickenpox. Could she of had it without me noticing? She's been around outbreaks but never caught it. She's a severe eczema sufferer so I think at some point we may not of noticed she had it. Last year she had what was diagnosed finally as scalded staph but looked like measles, but not chicken pox.

At what point does it become more risky for your child to catch it? 5, 10, 15?

[Saffron]

My brother didn't have it until he was 18 yo, despite having been exposed several times. This is not uncommon.

There's no definitive cut off for severity risk. There's a relative trend with MANY exceptions.

If she's had severe eczema, you might have a case for having her immunised on the NHS. (Definitely don't take her to a CP party.) But otherwise the jab is not expensive. xx

[newtoedf]

I got my 6 yo and 3 yo vaccinated recently. Both had been exposed multiple times but not caught it and I felt it was better to make sure that they wouldn't get it later on. Judging by friends' experiences, it can be pretty miserable for child and parents even if it is not a particularly serious case. In lots of countries it is on the general vaccination schedule.

[canela]

both mine had it under 3 and didn't suffer that much. bur other friends' kids did. i had it at a child - via a cp party! - and had shingles in later life too. my friend had it in adulthood but not that bad. it all seems quite individual.

[FeliVargas]

I don't think I had it and I want to be exposed xD because I don't like needles so I wouldn't dare to go to a doctor :P Is it in UK? Is it still going on?