LadyAberlin Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 For those of you who don't do the chicken pox vaccine, do you purposely expose your children to it? We don't do the CP vax and I have the opportunity to schedule a playdate with a friend whose kids came down with it. My kids are 5.5 and 2.75. I know the younger they are the lighter the case for the most part. I had it at 18 mo and it wasn't too bad. My sister had it at 15 and it was terrible. So I'm trying to decide what to do. This isn't a debate on whether ot vax or not, it is just a question of should I go ahead and expose them at this age. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Well, just because your friend's children have light cases does not necessarily mean yours will too. Just so you know. We opted not to do the CP vaccine - yet. I always thought I'd go ahead and expose them, but each time it's come up, I've chickened out. (Well, it's only been twice and once was right before we were leaving to go on a cruise and the other was right before Christmas, so there were other factors!) But, I do have a hard time intentionally making my kids sick, KWIM? So, I imagine my kids will have to get the vaccine when they're in their teens. Actually, my oldest is there now. Decisions, decisions. But, if your kids are generally healthy right now, then yours are at great ages to get them! I wish you luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithseed Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 My desire is to have the children be exposed. However, that hasn't happened yet. We live out in the boonies, and while I have put the word out, we haven't been able to get them exposed. Trust me, I'd be more than happy to drive a good distance to get it done! I am a bit worried, as my oldest is 10. The older she gets, the closer I am to having her vaxed for it. I still have a few years, so hopefully we'll be able to have her exposed before then. If I were you, and they are healthy right now, I'd do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 My desire is also to have my kids exposed. However, the only time we've had the opportunity, I've had a newborn who was too young to take that risk with. If my kids get to the age of 13 without having chicken pox, we'll consider doing the vaccine instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted June 4, 2009 Author Share Posted June 4, 2009 Well my friends kids came down with it this morning, so I don't know if it is a light case yet or not. Mine was when I was a baby. This is the first time I've known anyone to have it since my kids were born. It isn't that common anymore. I just know how bad it can be when they are older and get it. My sister had it at 15 and still has really bad facial scars from it and she had it all in her throat. She has little pockets in her throat where food gets caught from scarring from cp. With the cp vax they can lose immunity so I really would like to expose them naturally. It is a good time of yr to do it. There really isn't anything on the agenda right now for it to interfere with. Decisions decisions..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrappyhappymama Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I took mine to a CP party several weeks ago, but they didn't catch it. :glare: Now we have to wait more than a year to try again because we have a baby due later this summer. My kids are 7, 4, and 2. I wouldn't expose a baby, but I was comfortable with my two year old catching it. If anyone is in TX and is interested, there is a TX CP Party Yahoo group to try to match up folks who have it with those who want to be exposed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 We would have exposed, but both children caught it before 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithseed Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 If anyone is in TX and is interested, there is a TX CP Party Yahoo group to try to match up folks who have it with those who want to be exposed. :auto: Oh, that's great! Thanks for sharing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I would make sure to expose your children deliberately, to make sure that they catch it while young. One of our friends never had chicken pox until his baby daughter contracted the illness and passed it to him. He suffered through a horrible case ! I sure hope that our long-ago pediatrician was correct in what he told us. Our eldest child had only one pock on his face, so we wondered whether he really did contract chicken pox (as we thought he had from the daycare). The doctor maintained that one good, solid "pock" does the trick, and that our son could "pass" for having had chicken pox. Sure hope he was up to speed with his info ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phathui5 Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Yes, I would do it if my children were those ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassoonaroo Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 I like Joann's approach -- if they don't catch it by puberty, get the vax. Of course, I grew up before the vaccine and never got it in school. Instead, I came down with it on my honeymoon. Ouch. I went to the doctor when we got back to the states (I came down with it the last day in Jamaica) and the doctor said I was not to be left alone in case I started acting weird (a terrible complication in adults is brain problems). I did fine but didn't feel good for a few days. Two of my kids have had it, and it wasn't bad. The other one (at the time) never got it. My youngest wasn't born yet and never has caught it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luna Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 YES! I would definitely do it now. My oldest had to have the vaccine for other health risks, but when my younger daughter got them at age 2, my niece and nephew came over and the played nearly naked together to share! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 My oldest had the vaccine and the youngest didn't. I exposed them both when we had our first opportunity and they both got it. The oldest actually had it worse. My trusty doc was happy to see someone with "wild" chicken pox because it is getting very uncommon. Several others were exposed to the same kids that we contracted the chicken pox from and they did not catch it. So, I would take the chance when you get it. I actually felt quite guilty about purposely exposing my kids once they had broken out and were miserable, but seeing that my vaccinated dd contracted it, I was glad I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 I grew up before the CP vaccine. My second grade class came down with it, and one by one, we had it...I'm pretty sure that my parents exposed me intentionally, as was apparently the practice back in "the day". My husband never got CP, and when he entered the military, he was tested for the natural antibody -- he DIDN'T have the natural antibody, just never got it, even though his brother DID get it as a child, so he was vaccinated before he deployed in '06. So it is very possible to be exposed and NOT get it and NOT have antibodies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyrooch Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 I would make sure to expose your children deliberately, to make sure that they catch it while young. One of our friends never had chicken pox until his baby daughter contracted the illness and passed it to him. He suffered through a horrible case ! I sure hope that our long-ago pediatrician was correct in what he told us. Our eldest child had only one pock on his face, so we wondered whether he really did contract chicken pox (as we thought he had from the daycare). The doctor maintained that one good, solid "pock" does the trick, and that our son could "pass" for having had chicken pox. Sure hope he was up to speed with his info ! You can actually have your son's Varicella titers checked. Varicella titers show the level of immunity one has against Chicken Pox. A standard blood draw is all that is required to test for Varicella titers. My son is a Leukemia survivior and at the beginning of his chemotherapy protocol his titers were checked and he tested positive for Varicella titers. However, after 3+ years of chemotherapy his titers were destroyed. After he completed therapy he contrated Chicken Pox naturally but had a very mild case. We had his titers pulled and his results came back with very high titers so he now has a very stong immunity to Chicken Pox even though he had a mild case. If you are concerned just ask your Ped. to check your son's Varicella titers. It's a simple blood draw and will give you a lot of peace of mind. It is much better to guarantee they have immunities while they're young than having them contract it as adults. Chicken Pox is pretty bad stuff for adults. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Yes, I'd do it again in a heartbeat!! It wasn't fun, but it wasn't beyond horrible. I wouldn't get the vaccine for more than just the normal reason. I have an ethical reason, too. (at least one!) I used a witches brew on my children during their time of having chx pox. Neem oil, jojoba oil, lavendar eo, lemon grass, olive oil...and others. Some I used together, some separately. I know now, that that's why my son didn't scar...(except a couple that aren't really visible. I did end up having him take a virus medication towards the end, because it was going secondary. Even so, it really was fine. If I had a Pediatric physician...that was more supportive...he would have given me the virus meds earlier...and it would have cleared up even sooner. Oatmeal baths didn't work...and actually made my kids itch more. Go for it! Carrie:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyndie Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Oh yes, we'd expose in a heartbeat if the opportunity were available. Better to get natural immunity now while they're young. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frelle Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 we would expose deliberately, my oldest is entering puberty. I really really REALLY dont want to give the vaccine, knowing its contents, and how poorly it actually protects people since I know about 3 dozen kids who got the vax and got the pox at some point later. We personally know a woman who caught CP at age 22, and not only was a complication that she acted weird, she ended up being permanently brain damaged as a result of her case. I am glad to see it mentioned here, as it does happen, and is now a fear of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 That is a good idea. Never thought of that ! The suggestion places me between the cliched "rock and a hard place". We will not use any of the vaccines which were derived from aborted children, even though the derivation may have been long ago. (This makes us "selective vaccinators".) Our second son had two of the series of three before I learned that varicella vaccine was one of those which we refuse to use. You can actually have your son's Varicella titers checked. Varicella titers show the level of immunity one has against Chicken Pox. A standard blood draw is all that is required to test for Varicella titers. My son is a Leukemia survivior and at the beginning of his chemotherapy protocol his titers were checked and he tested positive for Varicella titers. However, after 3+ years of chemotherapy his titers were destroyed. After he completed therapy he contrated Chicken Pox naturally but had a very mild case. We had his titers pulled and his results came back with very high titers so he now has a very stong immunity to Chicken Pox even though he had a mild case. If you are concerned just ask your Ped. to check your son's Varicella titers. It's a simple blood draw and will give you a lot of peace of mind. It is much better to guarantee they have immunities while they're young than having them contract it as adults. Chicken Pox is pretty bad stuff for adults. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Yes I would. Although I'm not sure that age is directly related to severity. C was 7 when he got it and it was such a mild case that he didn't even get a fever; just the spots. M got it at 3 from C and she was really ill with a very high fever for a week. Still... better that than the vax IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loupelou Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 My kids have been exposed at least three times and none of them have come down with it. :tongue_smilie: I definitely don't want to use the vax, but my oldest is 15 now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Yes I purposely expose them (or plan to) my older 2 got it naturally at daycare, the 3rd I exposed on purpose, the 4th I plan to do the same once she is healthy again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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