Buy chickenpox on Facebook

[Abcinthia]

That's the thing, I just sense a creeping psychosis from someone buying something to infect their child with...it's like wha???
I didn't get the vaccine, I think I'm a bit old, if I recall, it came around after I got chickenpox anyway. I don't know much about the vaccine itself, aside from the assumption it's intended to make chickenpox one less thing to worry about...I always assume the only people who are against vaccines are germ theory denialists but that's likely not true.

Since being on mumsnet and seeing many debates about why some of the parents on there choose not to vaccinate their children, it's really opened my eyes to why they choose not to vaccinate. Beforehand I had quite harsh views but I have become more open-minded.

Imogen has all the main vaccinations (MMR - both doses, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, meningitis C, Haemophilus influenzae type B and swine flu. Probably others I've forgotten about too). I choose to give her those ones because they can aren't nice illnesses to get: they can be fatal or lead to life-long problems because of it (eg measles can result in deafness). Also some people are unable to have vaccinations because of allergic reaction and with some people it has no effect or can wear off. That's why I think vaccinating the masses to protect the few is important. I also think vaccinations that could eradicate a disease completely (like smallpox) are a wonderful thing. I think I remember reading they are trying to eradicate Polio, though I might be mistaken and it might have been a different disease (too lazy to google at the moment).


But that said, I wouldn't give my daughter the chicken pox vaccination as it is such a small percentage of fatal cases/long-lasting problems (and even the majority of people who sufffer complications or have a more severe case are adult males, people with a suppressed immune system and pregnant women). I'd rather her chance getting it and being fine, as the vast majority of people are - to me it just doesn't warrant a vaccination but if other people want to, it's up to them.
For the same reasons, I don't have the flu vaccine (I just chance getting it and being fine) but I would have the Swine Flu vaccine if pregnant because of the increased risks.

I wouldn't go around getting sick people to cough on me and give me the flu, so for the same reason I wouldn't take Imogen to get exposed to Chicken Pox. It just doesn't sit easy with me.


I hope I'm making sense. It's quite a difficult to explain my reasonings in a concise way because I view different vaccinations in different levels of importance for different reasons. I didn't want to go on for ages explaining it in detail and people falling asleep after the first paragraph

 

[KLD1019]

But that said, I wouldn't give my daughter the chicken pox vaccination as it is such a small percentage of fatal cases/long-lasting problems (and even the majority of people who sufffer complications or have a more severe case are adult males, people with a suppressed immune system and pregnant women). I'd rather her chance getting it and being fine, as the vast majority of people are - to me it just doesn't warrant a vaccination but if other people want to, it's up to them.
For the same reasons, I don't have the flu vaccine (I just chance getting it and being fine) but I would have the Swine Flu vaccine if pregnant because of the increased risks.

I wouldn't go around getting sick people to cough on me and give me the flu, so for the same reason I wouldn't take Imogen to get exposed to Chicken Pox. It just doesn't sit easy with me.


I hope I'm making sense. It's quite a difficult to explain my reasonings in a concise way because I view different vaccinations in different levels of importance for different reasons. I didn't want to go on for ages explaining it in detail and people falling asleep after the first paragraph

to the bolded, make sure you have that option! as ive said, i thought i did and wasnt going to give it to Jace, but found it he already had it because its mandatory.

to the bolded red, thats comparing apples to oranges. you can get the flu over and over no matter how many times you're exposed to it. chicken pox, you get it once and you dont get it again (unless your immune system changes, but its rare). Not saying your reasoning is invalid, i understand and respect it. just pointing out the difference

 

[Panacea]

Since being on mumsnet and seeing many debates about why some of the parents on there choose not to vaccinate their children, it's really opened my eyes to why they choose not to vaccinate. Beforehand I had quite harsh views but I have become more open-minded.

Imogen has all the main vaccinations (MMR - both doses, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, meningitis C, Haemophilus influenzae type B and swine flu. Probably others I've forgotten about too). I choose to give her those ones because they can aren't nice illnesses to get: they can be fatal or lead to life-long problems because of it (eg measles can result in deafness). Also some people are unable to have vaccinations because of allergic reaction and with some people it has no effect or can wear off. That's why I think vaccinating the masses to protect the few is important. I also think vaccinations that could eradicate a disease completely (like smallpox) are a wonderful thing. I think I remember reading they are trying to eradicate Polio, though I might be mistaken and it might have been a different disease (too lazy to google at the moment).


But that said, I wouldn't give my daughter the chicken pox vaccination as it is such a small percentage of fatal cases/long-lasting problems (and even the majority of people who sufffer complications or have a more severe case are adult males, people with a suppressed immune system and pregnant women). I'd rather her chance getting it and being fine, as the vast majority of people are - to me it just doesn't warrant a vaccination but if other people want to, it's up to them.
For the same reasons, I don't have the flu vaccine (I just chance getting it and being fine) but I would have the Swine Flu vaccine if pregnant because of the increased risks.

I wouldn't go around getting sick people to cough on me and give me the flu, so for the same reason I wouldn't take Imogen to get exposed to Chicken Pox. It just doesn't sit easy with me.


I hope I'm making sense. It's quite a difficult to explain my reasonings in a concise way because I view different vaccinations in different levels of importance for different reasons. I didn't want to go on for ages explaining it in detail and people falling asleep after the first paragraph

Ya this makes sense, and I suspect the chickenpox vaccine is really a school administration issue, honestly. They need kids in school, they need to control this "childhood" disease; it's not so much that the disease is incredibly dangerous. For that reason, it could justifiably be one less vaccine you give your child.

I am in no way anti-vaccine, but I suppose I could understand a parent wishing to refrain from one this like. It's tricky though.

 

[Abcinthia]

to the bolded, make sure you have that option! as ive said, i thought i did and wasnt going to give it to Jace, but found it he already had it because its mandatory.

to the bolded red, thats comparing apples to oranges. you can get the flu over and over no matter how many times you're exposed to it. chicken pox, you get it once and you dont get it again (unless your immune system changes, but its rare). Not saying your reasoning is invalid, i understand and respect it. just pointing out the difference

I live in the UK and it isn't usually given unless the parent asks for the vaccine. It certainly does not make up any of the main immunisations and as I wasn't even aware of it until about a year ago shows how little it is publicised in the UK (for right or wrong)

I know it wasn't the best example, I was just struggling to think of something I could compare it to to make my reasoning clearer (just incase of any misunderstandings). I went through several other examples but decided they were all crap before settling for the flu one lol

 

[Zorak]

I think I remember reading they are trying to eradicate Polio, though I might be mistaken and it might have been a different disease (too lazy to google at the moment).

They've nearly eradicated polio, it will almost certainly be eradicated within the next 50 years. They have high hopes for AIDs being eradicated too within the next 50 years.

 

[Dana]

to the bolded, make sure you have that option! as ive said, i thought i did and wasnt going to give it to Jace, but found it he already had it because its mandatory.

to the bolded red, thats comparing apples to oranges. you can get the flu over and over no matter how many times you're exposed to it. chicken pox, you get it once and you dont get it again (unless your immune system changes, but its rare). Not saying your reasoning is invalid, i understand and respect it. just pointing out the difference

you do if you dont have annual check ups... LOL oh and stay with the child the whole time. If the doctor tels you to leave the room ask him/her why and what they're hiding you ALWAYS have the option. Vaccines are NOT manditory. I haven't had flu shots or anything since I had to for college.