chickenpox after the vaccine

On an aside note, I'm apparently immune to shingles:) So is my one sister. The blood bank contacted us a while back about using our blood for shingles treatment:) Nice to know I'm wanted for something.

Thanks Lonie. Interesting reading.

Well he has only a handful of pock spots. I actually took him to my GP this morning as I thought maybe the clinic was mistaken. The GP said though that it is common for vaccinated kids to get only 1 or 2 actual pocks. As a kid I remember being COVERED in them so it def seems to have helped.

Article..

thecoachingpair.com/blog/why-more-and-mo...re-getting-shingles/

Huggles, you are right, I did this research a while ago and my brain is a bit rusty.

One you have had chickenpox, you usually develop antibodies to the infection and become immune to catching it again. Also by being exposed to it again later in life (maybe when your child is sick) its like getting a booster shot..

So the more we vacc our children, the less we are exposed to chicken pox and at risk of getting it when we are older. Although above 60 or so I think if your immune system is weak..then what can you do? now they reccomend the elderly to go for booster shots?

Also it was one less worry for me when I was pregnant.. You can vacc your child and the antibodies wears off in about 8 - 10 years..lets say you healthy and things go well..you might not get it until you are in your twenties or when pregnant..

Just for interest..1st Timer, would you say that the vacc did help James get a milder form of Chicken pox?

Sorry I should clarify. His vaccine did not cause his chicken pox. He had the vaccine months ago.

The vaccine. Is not on the govt list.

I chose to get the vaccine as it does not immunise a child against chicken pox it just lessens the disease and usually protects them from the more serious strains. There have been cases (roughly 50 kids per year) of chicken pox being fatal. Usually this is from complications such as encephalitis or reyes disease. There was a kid in Pinelands that does from it last year. Either way I didn't want my toddler or baby to get it as it is very hard ro get a baby to not scratch! My plan was to have a chicken pox party when he was a bit older. It only lasts 10y anyway. The chicken pox vaccine will neither protect you from nor increase your chances of shingles in later life. Anyone who has had chicken pox or receives the vaccine s at risk of contracting shingles in later life.

However, chicken pox when you are an adult is nasty and potentially s quite dangerous as it can often turn into pneumonia or something else more serious. This is why ideally you want people to get chicken pox as children. It is also very dangerous in pregnant women or newborns.

The biggest downside to the vaccine from my research though is that kids get the vaccine and tgen get chicken pox. The disease is so mild though that their parents don't realise they have it and fail to keep them home from school so that they then infect everyone else at school.

Anyway, thanks everyone for the responses. James' fever is lower but he is quite uncomfortable poor thing so hopefully he will improve soon.

Lonie wrote: Shame good luck!
I decided not to get the Chicken pox injection..as its better to get chicken pox as a child and the best immunity against Shingles later in life..
Since chicken pox vacc..more people are getting Shingles..so rather go through this now, to get shingles is not fun!

Also if your immune system is down (as you say just recovered from the measles) you are more prone to Chicken pox..
Good luck for the next few days!

Actually, chicken pox is what causes shingles, it does not protect against shingles. You can only get shingles if you have the herpes zoster virus in your system. This is the virus which causes chicken pox. It is also the same virus they use in the vaccine against chicken pox. So whether you have the actual illness of chicken pox or whether you get the vaccine, both result in the virus becoming present in your system. It then goes dormant for many years and for some reason reactivates later in life, resulting in shingles.

You can check this link for more information about what causes shingles.

I've also decided not to give my son the chicken pox vaccine since I don't think that chicken pox is very harmful for a healthy child. As far as I know the vaccine is also a weakened live virus and in very few cases can attack the nervous system and cause problems (stand to be corrected here, ask Google rather than take my word for it).

I also don't think that it's on the government vaccination schedule (ask Google again).