Chicken Pox Vaccine Necessary?

I had all three of my kids vaccinated and they are just fine. They have been around other kids with chicken pox and never got them. I would reccomend that you have them vaccinated.

I was always wondering this myself but then I found out that in the state I live in (SD) they have to have 2 before they start kindergarden so I guess it is necessary here.

Both of my kids had the chicken pox vaccine and it wasn't bad for them because after they got the shot they where exposed to the chicken pox and they didn't get it either. At first I was a little concerning about them getting the vaccine but after I talked to my doctor and plus they had to have the vaccine before they started school other wise they couldn't go to school. I was glad that they got the shot becuase my son has duchenne muscular dystrophy and when he gets sick it takes a long time for him to feel better. So if I where you I would get the shot for your daughter. From S.

As a child, myself I had the chicken pox twice & it was a nightmare. I remember little dots of calamine lotion all over my face, back and legs for days when I was about 7. I had it around age 2 as well, according to my mother. I have a year old who just got his vaccine about a month ago at his year check-up. He did have a slight reaction to it for a couple days (fever and restlessness) but nothing that wasn't manageable.

I chose for my son to get it because I remember what it was like having it as a child myself. I don't feel the cons outweigh the pros, but that's a decision every parent has to make for themselves and their child.

You may want to do some investigating to make sure it's not mandatory for preschool/school enrollment in your area- I have a family member that told me it was in her area.

Good luck! It looks like you have a lot of responses here, so hopefully they'll help you make your decision.

I would absolutely recommend this vaccine! We decided not to get it for our second child due to so many allergies and we were afraid he may have a reaction. He was soon after that infected with the virus and had to be hospitalized he was so ill. He still has several scars all over and I really regret not getting him the vaccine. Also, several school districts are now requiring that by the time a child enters kindergarten they are either vaccinated or have had the virus or have a doctor's note why they cannot be vaccinated. You may want to check with the school district that you plan for her to attend. Hope this helps!

Hi A.. I have an understanding that it's not necessary to have a shot and it's something we all go through as youngsters. My son will be 20 in August and a daughter that is 9 and they haven't had the chicken pox yet. My 17 year old had it when he was 8. Needless to say it's worse if you get it as an adult than if you got it when you were younger. If you want to play it safe check with your doctor and go from there. Everyone is different.

i know here in omaha, nebraska when they start school they must have the vaccine.

Hi I have two children, they are 12 and 6. Both of my children have had the varicella vaccine and neither one of them had any reactions to the shot no complications. Both of them were exposed to the chicken pox by my neice and nephew my daughter was 7 and my son 1 and neither one of them got the virus. I also know a friend who's daughter had the vaccine and she is almost 5 now and has not had the virus either. I have heard if they do get chicken pox after having the vaccine that its not as severe. But for me i am greatful i got my children the shot. I would recommend getting it for your daughter. Also if you choose not to it doesn't mean your not a good mommy. I am sure your a great mom and it shows because you have concerns for her and doing the right thing for her! Thanks for you time in reading this.

Hi A.,

My three girls all had the chicken pox when they were little. It was basically five weeks of pure not-heaven! My youngest had them on and in her bottom, on her tongue (which meant she didn't eat for about a week) and even on her eyelids. It was awful!!! The first chance I got, my son got the vaccine. I have never regretted it. I couldn't agree more, the benefits completely outweigh the risks. I hope this helps in your decision.

Hi A.:
There is a risk of side effects with any vaccine. Children do sometimes get really sick to the point of being hospitalized from getting the chicken pox. I agree with the response that said the pros outweigh the cons.
K.

My oldest son had the chicken pox when he was 10 months old. He didn't get really sick and he did't scratch really bad, so there were no scars.

My youngest hadn't had them by the time he was over two, so I got him the vaccine. He didn't have a bad reaction or anything.

My cousin got them when he was almost 8 years old and was absolutely miserable. And he has a few scars on his face from where he picked.

It's up to you. My advice would be to get him the vaccine. He's old enough to be really sick from them. But it's your decision. Good Luck!!!

I am not sure if it is required in all schools and daycares through out the country, but when we brought my brother in law to live with us at our last base in Hawaii, his high school required proof that he had in fact had chicken pox or the shot.

I never heard anything negative. I just know that in most areas children can not attend school without it. Chicken Pox and Fifth Disease are alike in the fact that they are contagious when no one knows you have it yet. I have never heard of side effects and never questioned the doctor's on giving to any of my three children.

I am not sure how that will work when they get into school. I know that they have somethings that you have to have to start school unless you have a reason for not having them. OR a Dr that says that your child was not able to have the shot because of this reason. I have to say that both of my kids had the shot and they also had chicken pox. But instead of having them really bad they only had the spots for a few days and not anything compared to what I can remember as a child. I was really glad that I got them the shot.

Hi there,
Im sure you have heard horro stories about the chicken pox vaccine but Iam sure they are very rare events. I chose not to get the vaccine for my then 2 yr old. Just mostly because I hated hurting her and decided it wasnt manditory. Boy was that a mistake!!! She caught a strain of chicken poxs about 3 months later. She ahd such a horrid case that we didnt leave the house for a week. There wasn't a spot on her that I could touch that there wasn't a pox. It was the worse thing in the world for me to go through watching that espically knowing that I could have gotten her the shot and only had one afternoon of discomfort. When my other two were old enough I did get the vaccine for them both. We didnt run onto fever or tiredness or any real side affects. I would talk to your doctor and see what they say, but having gone both ways on this issue I would opt for the vaccine. Hope this hepls. Good luck. Dusty

To start preschools here in des moines metro they have to have it. Bad things happening because of the vaccine are generally a pretty small percentage. It's just that our media outlets seem to prey on those things which can trip the emotional switch in order to create hub-bub. And as mom's we sometimes get easily sucked into it. Remember, thousands of kids have had the vaccine, you most likely had it as a child in order to go to school.

I belive it is reqired to have shots up todate before starting school. I have son who is almost 2 here soon in may he has gotton all his shots they require. There are certain risk involed with any shots you recive or child but the benfits usually out weigh the risk if you have any concerns or family histroy recations inquire further with your doc or someone that has medcial shot risk knowalgy ok.But on the other hand my 2 other boys had them update also they are 17yrs,15 yrs.

I think the consequences of not getting it outways the possible side effects she MIGHT get from the shot. My son got it, and had none.

My best friend had both her boys vaccinated for chicken pox, and the youngest suffered one of the side effects. He got a strain of herpes that he will have for the rest of his life. Herpes and chicken pox are related. If he is not careful, he will pass it on to his sexual partners later in life. The chances of the vaccine having these side effects are very small.

My daughter has already had chicken pox, and I will expose my son asap. I'm sure that it is very unlikely that the vaccine would do the same thing to my children, but I don't want to take the chance that they might get herpes!

I just saw this post - off to the side... missed it... but wanted to reply... is your reason for questioning the vaccine because of the link to chicken pox... or what's actually IN the vaccine. We fully immunized our first two children... and regret it! Our third is on a paced schedule... she did react to the mmr/varicella combo. she had light reactions to the measles portion, the mumps portion, the rubella, AND had a light case of chicken pox. She was ill for over two weeks. It woke us up to take a closer look. What had we done to her? And - our concern lies in the ingredients. Do you know about thimerasol? Google it... and autism. This is where our decision making rests... only if absolutely necessary... and how can schools decide what each child needs? We are prepared to go the distance with this one. I will keep our children home and home school them if push comes to shove and we are not aligned with district's expectations - funny how church and state are separate... but immunizations become mandatory - and it's our children's bodies! I work very, very part time at a local grocery store... and the teen kids were all complaining of headaches, etc... and turns out they had a group immunization at school for meningitis. Hmmm. Nope. I'd have preferred to a. research the product and b. have it performed with my doctor group - not like cattle herded and left to fend for themselves as they suffered the side effects. - anyway - my two cents... a little late -

I also had concerns when it first came out around 10 years ago. My kids were newborns at the time and I waited until they were almost two before I ended up getting them vacinated. After doing some research, I think that the benfits of getting the shot outweigh any possible side effects of the shot. Chicken Pox is a serious disease and some children have actually die of complications from it.It is very uncomfortable for them if they get a bad case of it and it can leave bad scars. Why put them through this when it is unecessary? It is now required before entering school unless you sign some kind of waiver. Any reputable medical professional would agree that the benfits of the shot definetely outweigh the negatives. They have been giving the shot in China for years and they have extensive data regarding its success. By the way sometimes even when a child has the shot they still get it but it is a much more mild case of it. One more thing, if your child should avoid getting chicken Pox as a child it is even more dangerous to get the Chicken Pox as an adult and especially if she is pregnant. Good luck with your decision, hope that this helps.

I guess the best thing to do is look at your family history with the chicken pox. If someone had a tough time, or worse with them, then I would recommend the shot. I choice to not give my children that shot until kindergarten. I have heard that the shot wears off when they become adults and getting the chicken pox as a grown is far worse then as a child. No one had any problems with them in my family, most of us had only a mild case with very little scarring. You do have to have it when they start kindergarten, but I dont see anything wrong with making them wait, but check your family history first. I hope this helps. Good Luck!!