Chicken Pox and immunosuppresants?

I wouldn't call the chicken pox a harmless disease.  My sister was around 6 when she got them, and she had to be hospitalized.   While most kids or adults go through it fine, there are exceptions and it can be very severe. 

Fitzy...purposely exposing your child in order to get them sick is about the stupidest and most irresponsible thing I have ever heard!

Yes Monte you are correct, you can only get shingles if you have had the chicken pox.

Gwen,

As far as I know, it's impossible to get Shingles, if you haven't had Chicken Pox. I've been told, that if you get them very young, you may not even know that you had them. That would likely be the case. 

Tom.

I'm with Nanners. Call me crazy, but I think chicken pox parties are not a bad idea. Hear me out before you throw me under the bus!

about 12-13? years ago I happened to be on the same airplane flight as a group of pediatricians who were headed to a pediatric conference. The chicken pox vaccine had JUST become available to the general public. I couldn't resist. I took a poll and asked them ALL (maybe 20 or so) what they thought of the vaccine. They were VERY split; half in favor of and half *not* in favor of the vaccine. Their number one complaint against the vaccine was; "Ten years from now when my patients are off at college, I'm going to have to make sure they get a booster shot. It will be a nightmare for me to track them all down and make sure they do. Without it, they're not protected. Not only that, but they then have to get a booster shot every 10 years for the rest of their lives. Just not sure if that's realistic." Those opposed also pointed out that contracting chicken pox is nearly always harmless when you're young and it grants life-long NATURAL immunity. It can be very serious to contract as an adult. Those in favor of the vaccine cited the convenience for working parents as their number one reason.

Nothing has changed with the efficacy of the chicken pox vaccine since then.

Thankfully, I didn't ever have to make the decision to vaccinate, as my kids eventually contracted the actual chickenpox. Unfortunately, parents *now* who would like for their kids to acquire natural immunity have a very difficult time finding anyone with the actual chicken pox to expose their children to.

Not wanting to get into a vaccine debate here, just posting another side of the story! And when my kids have kids, we'll be looking for a party!

EMom said...
I'm with Nanners. Call me crazy, but I think chicken pox parties are not a bad idea. Hear me out before you throw me under the bus!

about 12-13? years ago I happened to be on the same airplane flight as a group of pediatricians who were headed to a pediatric conference. The chicken pox vaccine had JUST become available to the general public. I couldn't resist. I took a poll and asked them ALL (maybe 20 or so) what they thought of the vaccine. They were VERY split; half in favor of and half *not* in favor of the vaccine. Their number one complaint against the vaccine was; "Ten years from now when my patients are off at college, I'm going to have to make sure they get a booster shot. It will be a nightmare for me to track them all down and make sure they do. Without it, they're not protected. Not only that, but they then have to get a booster shot every 10 years for the rest of their lives. Just not sure if that's realistic." Those opposed also pointed out that contracting chicken pox is nearly always harmless when you're young and it grants life-long NATURAL immunity. It can be very serious to contract as an adult. Those in favor of the vaccine cited the convenience for working parents as their number one reason.

Nothing has changed with the efficacy of the chicken pox vaccine since then.

Thankfully, I didn't ever have to make the decision to vaccinate, as my kids eventually contracted the actual chickenpox. Unfortunately, parents *now* who would like for their kids to acquire natural immunity have a very difficult time finding anyone with the actual chicken pox to expose their children to.

Not wanting to get into a vaccine debate here, just posting another side of the story! And when my kids have kids, we'll be looking for a party!

I for one am glad that I will be able to vaccinate my child since I've never had chicken pox and I'm on MTX, and apparently I could die if my child were to give it to me.  I agree it seems unnecessary for most people.  Of course, I hope that many people opt to give their child the vaccine for selfish reasons.