Immunizations: Chicken Pox, when did you get them?

[Ideal08]

I heard today something about avoiding vaccinating your young children because of the dangers that surround immunizations. I had never heard about this before (maybe because I don't have children, I dunno), so of course I wanted to come and talk to you all about it. Here are some links I came across (these are some really interesting articles):

National Vaccine Information Center: http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Villa/3120/#Law

How to legally avoid immunizations of all kinds:
http://www.mercola.com/article/vacci...void_shots.htm

How to Legally Avoid School Immunizations: http://www.909shot.com/

SIDS & Seizures: http://www.pnc.com.au/~cafmr/coulter/sids.html
http://www.pnc.com.au/~cafmr/coulter/vacc-deb.html

http://www.pnc.com.au/~cafmr/reviews2.html#vaccination

[Senusret I]

I read the mercola article....very interesting stuff. Never thought there were waivers. Here in DC, it seems like there is a big deal that so many kids haven't been immunized, and they are preventing them from starting school until they get their shots.

[toocute]

As a new mommy I read all of those articles and then some when CJ was born. I did have a concern about the chicken pox vaccine because it is new. When he had the MMR (measles mumps ruebella) he broke out in a rash. That freaked me out but the doctor told us it could happen. Whenever CJ has shots I watch watch him like a hawk for any complications. My husband and I had all of our immunizations and we did fine. I'm sure our son will too.

Why is this such a problem in DC? Is it poor healthcare? I remember Howard Hospital having a program that gave free immunizations.

[nikki1920]

I did the same when lil Nikki1920 was born. I really did not want her to get the chickenpox vaccine, I had a HELLIFIED case of it when I was six, and I'm still here. For example, some Drs. recommend that babies get a flu shot, when not every baby needs it. (Usu. only ppl with compromised immune systems and the elderly should get flu shots, for others its at their own discretion)

I'm not sure what is going on with all those DC parents who dont have their children immunized, but this happens EVERY year, and the School District always waits until the WEEK before school to tell parents to get their child immunized. Why cant they start that message in the spring and continue in the summer? THAT I dont understand. Why you would not do what you needed to do to make sure your child was well is beyond me, and YES I understand that the health care system in DC is beyond shambles, but still.

I'm not sure that keeping the kids out of school is the answer, why not---oooh, a novel idea, here!! ---have the immunizations come to the SCHOOLS!!?

I think the best that any parent can do is to read about immunizations and make an informed decision.

[Miss. Mocha]

I got my daughter the Chicken Pox shot. I realize that I'm in the minority nationwide, but that's ok.
I got her the shot, because I had the pox when I was 19. I can remember them vividly. I mean VIVIDLY. I talked to her doctor (who is the best pediatrician in the world) about trying to keep her from the inevitable. I mean, kids have to take some lumps. As my mother always says, "they do get hurt". I wasn't trying to keep her from living life.
But when I thought about how I had suffered, and itched, and scratched until I bled (and I was 19), and the nightmares that I suffered every single night for over a week. And the abundance of spots on my face, that I had to "Cocoa butter" every time I thought about it. (my face shined for a year) . And people asking other people what had happened to me. And the years it took for those spots to minimize.
How could I let my innocent baby go through that, if I could keep it from her? I would trade my life for hers any day. If I can prevent her one day of anguish with a shot, how can I not do it? I couldn't. If medicine can prevent her from going through what I went through, then I say, bring it on. She got the shot when she was 2 and a half.
I have never regretted it.

Now that Flu Shot...that's pure nonsense. I guess everybody has their limits.

[AKA_Monet]

Haven't had a chance to view all the site, but I tell ya' if a child does not get their vaccinations, having the disease is a whole lot worse and extremely costly...

Such as Polio vaccine... Simple little shot to protect a child from the dehabilitating effects of polio. Think of putting a child in an "iron lung"...

Smallpox vaccine... Terrorist attack... Enuf said...

DPT--diptheria pertussis toxin vaccination--Let's just say, you DO NOT want diptheria...

Measles, mump and rubella--that's almost like smallpox...

There are a whole slough of simple shots one needs to get in order to survive. The issue is a matter of contracting and passing on the disease... Alpha herpesviruses are probably the most infectious viruses--that is what chicken pox is... Getting the vaccine certainly helps children from catching it and infecting the entire class... And if that stuff comes back as Shingles...

And alot of the current vaccinations also limit other opportunistic infections that are a whole lot worse--possibly Tuberculosis, staph infections, etc... You really don't want those other "guys" coming into your child... That just ain't kosher...

And nowadays, some of these bacterial infections are antibiotic proof--so if a vaccine can limit the level of opportunistic infections caused by bacteria, then I really, really suggest folks get it... 'Cuz to tell you the truth, they don't really teach family practitioners, hospitals and some pediatricians to care for folks infected with polio...

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally posted by Miss. Mocha
I got my daughter the Chicken Pox shot. I realize that I'm in the minority nationwide, but that's ok.
I got her the shot, because I had the pox when I was 19. I can remember them vividly. I mean VIVIDLY. I talked to her doctor (who is the best pediatrician in the world) about trying to keep her from the inevitable. I mean, kids have to take some lumps. As my mother always says, "they do get hurt". I wasn't trying to keep her from living life.
But when I thought about how I had suffered, and itched, and scratched until I bled (and I was 19), and the nightmares that I suffered every single night for over a week. And the abundance of spots on my face, that I had to "Cocoa butter" every time I thought about it. (my face shined for a year) . And people asking other people what had happened to me. And the years it took for those spots to minimize.
How could I let my innocent baby go through that, if I could keep it from her? I would trade my life for hers any day. If I can prevent her one day of anguish with a shot, how can I not do it? I couldn't. If medicine can prevent her from going through what I went through, then I say, bring it on. She got the shot when she was 2 and a half.
I have never regretted it.

Now that Flu Shot...that's pure nonsense. I guess everybody has their limits.

I was immunized against Chicken Pox when I was a child. I even had a very mild case of it initially. But why did I get a VERY BAD CASE of chikcen pox @ 21! On my birthday no less.......

[AKA2D '91]

I just saw the article where actor Christian Slater has the pox. He's in his 30s. When did you get the Chicken Pox?

I had the chicken pox when I was 22 or 23.

[aopirose]

I was five when I got Chicken Pox and I was ~a year old when I got the measles. Little Mr. aopirose has had all of his shots to date.

My neighbor's son was 18 months when he got Chicken Pox, not from vaccine, and almost died. He has very deep pock (sp?) marks now from where some of the bumps were. They had to be packed with antibacterial soaked cotton balls. He's 11 now and it doesn't look bad but you can tell he went through some trauma.

[Lady Pi Phi]

I had all my vaccinations.

MMR, DPT, Chicken Pox - I had those when I was a baby or a wee lass. Depending on the vaccine. I never had any problems.

I had a Hep. B vaccine when I was in highschool. All elementary and highschool students had to have this vaccine if they wished to remain in school. You could only get out of it for religious reason or certain health reasons(don't know what they would be though). But you had to have proper documentation. Again, the worse thing that happened to me was I had a low blood sugar reaction (I'm a diabetic).

I also had my Hep. A shot because several workers at my local grocery store contracted Hep. A. Nothing happend.

Chicken Pox can also cause Shingles. I had chicekn pox when I was 7. I have a couple scars from where I scratched off bumps. But it wasn't that bad. My friend had it for the second time while she was in university. We had to stay away from here for a couple of days. She also had to take some medication to help prevent Shingles.

[Rudey]

There are a bunch of nutjobs who moved to the middle of Boulder, CO. They settled in a town surrounded by towns filled with normal people. The normal people had no issue with vaccinations, the nuts jobs did. Guess the outcome.

-Rudey
--Boulder, which has the lowest schoolwide vaccination rate in Colorado, has one of the highest per capita rates of whooping cough in the United States.

[Intense1920]

Dag, am I the only one who didn't get a chicken pox vaccine as a child? LOL. I'm not even sure if it was offered in my area back then. My younger sister and I got it around the same time when I was about 9.

[Queencece]

I had it at 7 yrs old. I was sooo mad because it was the summer time and it was just awful. It seemed like I had it forever! Anyway, Im 22 and I haven't had anything even remotely close to measales, mumps or rubella because I had my shots and what not. I guess chicken pox were going around at that time and I happened to catch it. But, Im free now and so far there are no problems in sight! YAY!

Q

[Dionysus]

I got the Chicken Pox at age 7. I didn't even know there was a vaccine.

[Munchkin03]

I got the pox at 16. I missed two weeks of school. I would have rather had that isht at 5!

Otherwise, I've got all the other vaccines.