Hey Anti-Vaxers, take your kids to a chicken pox party

[kenny]

Don't worry about CPS.

Apparently it's legal to intentionally bring your kids to a "party" where another kid has CP so you can expose your kid to CP so they hopefully get sick with it.



http://sfglobe.com/2016/01/06/some-parents-believe-chicken-pox-parties-are-better-than-vaccinations/

 

[packrat]

Nothing new..mom's used to do this back in the day. I don't know when the vaccine came out..but I'm pretty sure they didn't have a vaccine when I was little-we were vaccinated as required. (So a little different than back when I was little, it wasn't used as an alternative to a vaccine, it was more seen as a common childhood sickness best to get over w/asap)

My brother got chicken pox and mom made us sleep together every night, and I remember going to my cousins when they had it. I've never had it, hard as mom tried to get me to get it so that it would be "over" when I was a child and not get stuck w/it as an adult. I did get vaccinated when I worked at the office tho--I didn't realize you're supposed to get boosters as an adult so I went all out at work and got boosters for everything. I've been around shingles too and never gotten them. Weird.

 

[momhappy]

Yup, pakrat is right - mom's used to do it all the time. My kiddos are up-to-date on all of their vaccines, but I admit to having mixed feelings about the chicken pox vaccine because for most of us, it was so harmless.

 

[Gypsy]

Nothing new..mom's used to do this back in the day. I don't know when the vaccine came out..but I'm pretty sure they didn't have a vaccine when I was little-we were vaccinated as required. (So a little different than back when I was little, it wasn't used as an alternative to a vaccine, it was more seen as a common childhood sickness best to get over w/asap)

My brother got chicken pox and mom made us sleep together every night, and I remember going to my cousins when they had it. I've never had it, hard as mom tried to get me to get it so that it would be "over" when I was a child and not get stuck w/it as an adult. I did get vaccinated when I worked at the office tho--I didn't realize you're supposed to get boosters as an adult so I went all out at work and got boosters for everything. I've been around shingles too and never gotten them. Weird.

Yeah, I agree. When I had chicken pox my aunt brought my cousin's over all the time hoping they'd catch it. I was vaccinated against certain things, I know that. But not chicken pox. Same with my cousins.

Apparently, (and I don't know if this is real or imagined) the theory was that if you got it earlier in life it would be less severe then getting later in life so exposing kids to it younger (my cousin was 4) was a good idea.

I didn't think twice about it because I was miserable. He didn't catch it though.

 

[packrat]

Yep, I remember mom saying that it was better to get it as a child than as an adult b/c it would be more severe and harder to deal w/as an adult.

Too bad she didn't seem to remember the theory of things being "easier as a child and harder as an adult" when I had my tonsils out a few years ago.

 

[momhappy]

^Did you have your tonsils out as an adult? I know an adult who did that and the recovery was absolutely miserable. It took months to heal and they had some real issues with food/eating (taste, texture, etc.).

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I totally remember moms doing this! To my knowledge, CPS was never called.

 

[kenny]

Question for Gypsy, Packrat, Tacori E-ring and Momhappy:

Today do you, would you, have you, brought your kids to a CP 'party' instead of getting them vaccinated against CP?

Or have times changed, in that you'd get your kids vaccinated today, but you're just posting about what was usual in the past?

 

[Snowdrop13]

We don't routinely vaccinate against chicken pox here, interestingly. The chickenpox party thing used to be very common though! It can be a horrible disease if you get it as an adult- the pneumonia that can develop is pretty severe and can lead to ICU admission.

If the vaccine had been part of the standard ones offered to my kids, I would have gone for it.

 

[Gypsy]

Question for Gypsy, Packrat, Tacori E-ring and Momhappy:

Today do you, would you, have you, brought your kids to a CP 'party' instead of getting them vaccinated against CP?

Or have times changed, in that you'd get your kids vaccinated today, but you're just posting about what was usual in the past?

I don't have kids. I can't say what I'd do. Honestly. I don't know the statistics regarding serious complications of chicken pox in children. I don't know what percentage of vaccinated children still get it. And not having a kid, I don't know if my kid would be perfectly healthy, or would have some health issue that would complicate the illness.

I don't have the information necessary to say what decision I'd make.

All I know is the disease was sincerely uncomfortable as a child. But other than that and a high fever, it passed safely.

I don't believe in protecting kids from every little thing. If chicken pox is relatively unlikely to cause complications, my kid was otherwise healthy, and the vaccine didn't have a high protection rate, I might expose him or her. Illness can be empathy and character building. Especially if it's just an uncomfortable one that was otherwise safe.

 

[chemgirl]

There was a South Park episode making fun of this at least 10 years ago. Pretty sure Kenny died.

 

[missy]

Question for Gypsy, Packrat, Tacori E-ring and Momhappy:

Today do you, would you, have you, brought your kids to a CP 'party' instead of getting them vaccinated against CP?

Or have times changed, in that you'd get your kids vaccinated today, but you're just posting about what was usual in the past?

I don't have kids. I can't say what I'd do. Honestly. I don't know the statistics regarding serious complications of chicken pox in children. I don't know what percentage of vaccinated children still get it. And not having a kid, I don't know if my kid would be perfectly healthy, or would have some health issue that would complicate the illness.

I don't have the information necessary to say what decision I'd make.

All I know is the disease was sincerely uncomfortable as a child. But other than that and a high fever, it passed safely.

I don't believe in protecting kids from every little thing. If chicken pox is relatively unlikely to cause complications, my kid was otherwise healthy, and the vaccine didn't have a high protection rate, I might expose him or her. Illness can be empathy and character building. Especially if it's just an uncomfortable one that was otherwise safe.

I had chicken pox as a kid and let me tell you if a vaccine was available to prevent my kid (if I had one) from getting chicken pox and more importantly from getting shingles later in life I would certainly have them vaccinated. No doubt in my mind. Shingles is not something you want to casually allow someone to get and if there is a way to prevent that later in life it is the smart thing to do. The shingles vaccination is not that successful by the way so the only sure way to prevent shingles is to never allow one to get the chicken pox virus in the first place.

 

[Gypsy]

Question for Gypsy, Packrat, Tacori E-ring and Momhappy:

Today do you, would you, have you, brought your kids to a CP 'party' instead of getting them vaccinated against CP?

Or have times changed, in that you'd get your kids vaccinated today, but you're just posting about what was usual in the past?

I don't have kids. I can't say what I'd do. Honestly. I don't know the statistics regarding serious complications of chicken pox in children. I don't know what percentage of vaccinated children still get it. And not having a kid, I don't know if my kid would be perfectly healthy, or would have some health issue that would complicate the illness.

I don't have the information necessary to say what decision I'd make.

All I know is the disease was sincerely uncomfortable as a child. But other than that and a high fever, it passed safely.

I don't believe in protecting kids from every little thing. If chicken pox is relatively unlikely to cause complications, my kid was otherwise healthy, and the vaccine didn't have a high protection rate, I might expose him or her. Illness can be empathy and character building. Especially if it's just an uncomfortable one that was otherwise safe.

I had chicken pox as a kid and let me tell you if a vaccine was available to prevent my kid (if I had one) from getting chicken pox and more importantly from getting shingles later in life I would certainly have them vaccinated. No doubt in my mind. Shingles is not something you want to casually allow someone to get and if there is a way to prevent that later in life it is the smart thing to do. .The shingles vaccination is not that successful by the way so the only sure way to prevent shingles is to never allow one to get the chicken pox virus in the first place.

And I this is why I said I didn't have all the information to make a decision.

See?

In light of above, Kenny, answer is no. I would not take my kid to a pox party and would vaccinate.

 

[OreoRosies86]

I remember my mother taking me to one of those parties and the torturous pox that followed. This was the early 80's and I doubt anyone knew better. Nowadays of course you should vaccinate. I can't believe we live in a time where we have this level of medicine readily available and people refuse it.

 

[missy]

Question for Gypsy, Packrat, Tacori E-ring and Momhappy:

Today do you, would you, have you, brought your kids to a CP 'party' instead of getting them vaccinated against CP?

Or have times changed, in that you'd get your kids vaccinated today, but you're just posting about what was usual in the past?

I don't have kids. I can't say what I'd do. Honestly. I don't know the statistics regarding serious complications of chicken pox in children. I don't know what percentage of vaccinated children still get it. And not having a kid, I don't know if my kid would be perfectly healthy, or would have some health issue that would complicate the illness.

I don't have the information necessary to say what decision I'd make.

All I know is the disease was sincerely uncomfortable as a child. But other than that and a high fever, it passed safely.

I don't believe in protecting kids from every little thing. If chicken pox is relatively unlikely to cause complications, my kid was otherwise healthy, and the vaccine didn't have a high protection rate, I might expose him or her. Illness can be empathy and character building. Especially if it's just an uncomfortable one that was otherwise safe.

I had chicken pox as a kid and let me tell you if a vaccine was available to prevent my kid (if I had one) from getting chicken pox and more importantly from getting shingles later in life I would certainly have them vaccinated. No doubt in my mind. Shingles is not something you want to casually allow someone to get and if there is a way to prevent that later in life it is the smart thing to do. .The shingles vaccination is not that successful by the way so the only sure way to prevent shingles is to never allow one to get the chicken pox virus in the first place.

And I this is why I said I didn't have all the information to make a decision.

See?

In light of above, Kenny, answer is no. I would not take my kid to a pox party and would vaccinate.

I'm sorry Gypsy, I didn't mean to criticize you if that's how it seemed. It was one of the first threads I responded to this AM after waking up and I feel passionate about this issue because it sucks that the vaccine exists for chicken pox and that some parents don't believe it is important for their kids to get vaccinated. I would never want anybody to go through the hellish 2014 I went through partly due to my shingles outbreak. I apologize wholeheartedly as I didn't mean to criticize you at all. Just wanted to respond to what you wrote to share my experience and it was a good sounding board from your post.

 

[ksinger]

I've had shingles. Luckily, it was recognized early - within 36 hours (thanks Mom!!), and I got antivirals quickly enough that it was pretty much a non-event. However, had I missed it, I could have gone blind in my left eye, which is where it showed up.

I've also known a man who had it on his head and then ended up with postherpetic neuralgia, to the point that a breeze on his scalp was excruciating.

Chicken pox may be one of the childhood diseases that we consider less serious, but it's still a risk that our great grandparents (known for being so unintelligent...), deemed worthy of their efforts to protect against, and especially when you factor in the lifetime risk of shingles and its complications.

 

[missy]

Karen, I also received the proper anti virals within 36 hours and still that was no guarantee against complications. Prevention is the best defense. Once you get the chicken pox virus (zoster) you are at risk.

Please parents vaccinate your children.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I vaccinate and know this will prevent shingles in the future. *IF* the vaccinate did not exist, I would consider it. Getting CP when you are 5 is MUCH safer than 35.

 

[momhappy]

Question for Gypsy, Packrat, Tacori E-ring and Momhappy:

Today do you, would you, have you, brought your kids to a CP 'party' instead of getting them vaccinated against CP?

Or have times changed, in that you'd get your kids vaccinated today, but you're just posting about what was usual in the past?

I said my kids are all up to date on their vaccines and that includes the Chicken pox vaccine.

 

[House Cat]

I am eleven years older than my little brother. When he got chicken pox, I took care of him. The poor little thing couldn't walk because they were on the soles of his feet and he was drooling because they were down his throat and he didn't want to swallow. He was so miserable. When my son was born, the chicken pox vaccine was brand new but I jumped on the chance for him to have it.

 

[CJ2008]

What are the symptoms of chicken pox in adults?

(like Gypsy, my answer would have been I don't know what I would do because I don't have kids and haven't done my research on it (and this is what I do on every issue whether it's something serious like health or almost anything else.). But after reading the reasons people give here (people whose opinions I trust and respect because I know they do research) if I had to guess what I'd do right NOW if I had to make a decision on the fly - I'd vaccinate.)

 

[packrat]

Kenny, my kids are vaccinated, and I am now as well. We've never had it, and I've never had shingles. I took care of JD, who was completely miserable (tho..he's a guy, so.. ) and saw Dr. when she had shingles also. I don't know that I'm aware really, of anyone having chicken pox around here. They would send home exposure notices from schools if anyone contracted it, and I'm not aware that the kids have ever brought one home.

If a child around here did contract chicken pox, I doubt I would expose my kids or myself knowingly. We've been vaccinated, and I don't see the point in "testing" it, I guess? I'm around kids at school, and my kids are as well, that have health issues, so I'd really hate to knowingly expose myself or my kids--b/c then what? We stay home for two weeks on the off chance we happen to come down w/it? Or go to work/school the next day and possibly unknowingly be infected and thus infect another child? No, I'll not do that.

I've not heard of anyone having a pox party around here.

Oh, and yeah, I had my tonsils out..5/6 years ago? I was in my mid/late thirties and it SUCKED. I would rather go in and have another cesarean than get my tonsils out again. The pain was excruciating (and I can handle me some pain), I had no help (my husband stayed home from work that day to take care of me--promptly fell asleep when we got home, so I busied myself cleaning the house--and my parents told me they would not come help me b/c I had to suck it up and deal w/it--mom had to do things by herself too when we were kids w/no help so I could too. She had her tonsils out when she was 10 and she was "fine" so why was I such a big fat baby about it? Fifteen hours after I had mine out, my son's (both kids had had theirs out the week before) scabs fell off and he hemorrhaged, and we had to rush him to the ER. Had I taken the medicine to knock my ass out like I was supposed to, but didn't b/c I knew my husband would never wake up if the kids needed anything, and b/c there was no outside help from anyone--I would've been asleep and never heard him and he'd have been laying in a pool of his own blood the next morning.

 

[kenny]

There was a South Park episode making fun of this at least 10 years ago. Pretty sure Kenny died.

"Those Bastards!"

 

[Queenie60]

Both of my children were vaccinated - they're now 18 and 22. I don't know if there's information as to how long the vaccination works?

 

[Niel]

I see nothing wrong with giving your kids chickenpox, its suppose to be more dangerous the later you get it in life. Best to get it out of the way

I'm a strong pro vaccination mom, but as a mom who tries not.to give her kids drugs they don't need, and as a woman who had chickenpox twice (yes twice) I don't see the harm

 

[momhappy]

Both of my children were vaccinated - they're now 18 and 22. I don't know if there's information as to how long the vaccination works?

It depends on if they've had one dose or two. According to the CDC, all children aged 12 months through 12 years old should have two doses of the vaccine. The first dose can be given at 12 to 15 months of age, and the second at 4 to 6 years. Older children, 13 and up, who haven't had the disease in childhood, can be given two doses four to eight weeks apart.

 

[packrat]

I'd still get a booster X years later. I don't know that any of the immunizations are supposed to be considered "lifelong" are they?

 

[jordyonbass]

There was a South Park episode making fun of this at least 10 years ago. Pretty sure Kenny died.

"Those Bastards!"

South Park killing Kenny with Chicken Pox in that episode wasn't a statement or metaphor at all though, if you ever watched the show then you'd know he died every episode in a different way. It was probably the most common theme in all their episodes

 

[Gypsy]

Missy, I wasn't in any way offended.

 

[kenny]

There was a South Park episode making fun of this at least 10 years ago. Pretty sure Kenny died.

"Those Bastards!"

South Park killing Kenny with Chicken Pox in that episode wasn't a statement or metaphor at all though, if you ever watched the show then you'd know he died every episode in a different way. It was probably the most common theme in all their episodes

Yes.

... and after every Kenny murder the other kids would say, "They Killed Kenny! Those Bastards!

I love South Park.