Chicken Pox Party?

[NightWatcher]

Cool, most of DU actually agrees on something. We are going to the Dr in 2 weeks to get another set of shots and most likely the chicken pox vaccine.

Thanks again

[winter is coming]

1. There's a vaccine for chickenpox now.

Easier on you and your kid than actually having chickenpox.

[Brickbat]

2. Get the shot. Chicken pox can have severe complications, including, rarely, death.

[PDJane]

3. Get the vaccine, don't get the chicken pox, especially if you have a boy.

[dflprincess]

11. It's mumps, not chicken pox that causes problems for boys

(just for back up: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/multimedia/transcripts/sabanegh_transcript_male_infertility.aspx )

and mumps are more of a risk for males past puberty than for little kids.

Though I'd still get the chicken pox vaccine. My aunt spent most of this winter with an awful case of shingles and she has made any "kid" (meaning her kids, nephews and nieces) promise to get the shingles vaccine as soon as we can (and a good many of us "kids" are near the age when we can get it).

[Ilsa]

12. You can still get the chicken pox

after having both vaccines of the varicella virus. It won't be as bad, but plenty of kids have gotten chicken pox after being vaccinated. Just don't equate getting vaccinated to being protected from acquiring the virus.

[LeftofObama]

4. I would look into getting your child immunized.

If you've had the chicken pox you are susceptible to shingles later in life. I've had shingles and wouldn't wish it on anybody.

[PA Democrat]

5. Get the vaccine. People who have had chicken pox can get shingles later in life.

There is a vaccine for shingles but it is expensive and is not covered by many insurance plans.

[notadmblnd]

6. They do have a vaccine for Chicken Pox

I think most pediatricians recommend them.

[hlthe2b]

7. While there is some thought that natural immunity will be longer lasting than the vaccine...

the vaccine is safe, effective and can be boostered, if necessary years from now, should a need arise. Natural infection has long been thought of as little more than a nuisance illness, especially for working parents, but there is a small but not insignificant risk of serious complications, ranging from infected lesions (which could include antibiotic resistant strains--e.g., MRSA), pneumonia, to encephalitis, which can be fatal. If you go to the CDC site and do some reading, you'll find that before the vaccine became available, there were an average of 11000 hospitalizations annually resulting in about 100 fatalities annually and there was no correlation between the child being previously healthy and risk of these complications.

[broiles]

8. Chicken Pox is a form of Herpes. Get the vaccine!

I have had herpes encephalitis. It's bad.

[Island Blue]

9. Get the vaccine.

When I had the chicken pox, they got infected with strep (at least I think that's what the doctor said it was - it was a long time ago). Anyway, in addition to being sick with the chicken pox, I could barely walk. It was awful. Probably the sickest I've ever been.

[jpak]

10. Go to the "Chicken Pox Party" - in 60 years you can have a "Shingles Party"

The vaccine is poison!!!!!!111111

It makes you stoopid!!!111

[HereSince1628]

13. Maybe sooner... I got shingles at 59, less than 50 years after my chickenpox.

If you have the money, I recommend getting the shot TWICE, once as a kid and again when you get eligible for AARP membership.

IMO, shingles hurts much worse than my chest did the 1st day after 3x bypass surgery.

[Aerows]

14. I got the chicken pox at 14

It was horrible. I've heard that they are far worse after you've gone through puberty, and from my experience, they were.

I'd definitely get the vaccine for it.