chickenpox vaccine?

[homelesshedgehog]

Does anyone have any experience of the chickenpox vaccine? The reason I'm asking is that I somehow made it through my childhood and teenage years without catching the dreaded pox, but now that LO is in daycare, it is only a matter of time before it gets brought home.

I'm told that chickenpox is much more serious for adults, and especially in pregnancy, so it seems worth me getting the jab before we start TTC again. I found a local private clinic that offers the vaccine. But the nurse said that they can vaccinate children. Would you take them up on this? Obviously once I'm immune I'll either not catch it from LO, or get a mild version, so from a selfish point of view I wouldn't need to worry about myself or any potential 'bun in the oven'. But would it be worth making sure that DD IS immune, so that either she doesn't catch it (or catch it badly), or get to my age before she realises that its a real worry? Has anyone had the vaccine themselves, or arranged it for their child?

Sorry if this becomes an open can of worms. I know that vaccination is a hot topic, but hope nobody minds me asking!

[snickersnack]

My understanding, and I'm prepared to be corrected, is that immunity acquired from the vaccine doesn't last forever - around 20 years, I think? So if you get your dd vaccinated you'd need to make sure she got re-vaccinated when it wears off otherwise she'd be vulnerable. For me that was an important consideration.

[Bucharest]

Here in Italy it's up to different health authorities to offer it or not...(ie it's not an "obligatory" jab) Ours offered it, I had dd vaccinated. No issues for me.

I had chicken pox when I was 17 and thought I was fecking dying...

I suppose, at the end of the day, it's going to boil down to if you're generally pro- or contra vaccination in general.

[madwomanintheattic]

i have 3 dcs, 2 were vaccinated (ds1 at 14mos alongside mmr, dd1 at 26mos ish when ds had his)

we were living o'seas where it was routine, and we had had a scare when ds1 was 11 weeks and was being nebulised 5xday for double pneumonia (dd1 woke up with spots and the gp declared it chicken pox. i was beside myself imagining a newborn with double pneumonia and chicken pox...)

so mine got vacc'd (it hadn't been chicken pox as the spots vanished the day after )

however... all 3 got chicken pox last year (at 8,6 and 4).

the vacc'd dcs had a much milder form, but the pox nevertheless.

i'd have it done tbh, but don't count on not getting it anyway lol.

[homelesshedgehog]

I just found a huge thread on this - should have searched before posting! www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/698275-chicken-pox-immunisation

But thanks for the swift replies. I suppose it does depend how I feel about vaccines more generally (and I'm not sure - we had all the others, but this seems less necessary somehow). But the 20 year thing is also interesting. Might be better for DD to catch the proper virus and remain immune through life.

[madwomanintheattic]

oh, and it was a vacc'd kid that gave it to the other 2 lol, not even the unvacc'd one that brought it home