I Want to Expose My Daughter to Chicken Pox

Of all the childhood diseases that parents are choosing not to vaccinate for, chicken pox results in the *highest* rate of severe (requiring hospitalization) complications.

I had it as a young child--in my throat, in my vagina, inside of my nose...

Stephanie R is right. There is no right or wrong answer in this case. It is a tough decision. A bit of advise to those who suffer from shingles, use oil of oregano. An elderly friend of mine used it after I told him about it and he said that he got relief very quickly. It is anti-viral and can be taken internally in capsule form, applied topically or both. I generally advise people to take it with food because it is so strong. For something like shingles I would take 1 capsule 2-3x day. If you apply it topically be forewarned that it is VERY strong and needs to be diluted down in a carrier oil. You can use almond oil, jojoba (available at Trader Joes) or even olive oil. Jojoba oil is particularly restorative. This can also be used for eczema or psoriasis. I would start with 1 drop per oz of oil and see how it feels to you. You can find oil of oregano online or at most health food stores. I take it in lieu of antibiotics. My friend distilled his own by placing fresh oregano from the farmers market in oil.

http://www.steadyhealth.com/articles/Natural_remedies__Jo...

I'm not sure why you don't want to get her vaccinated? Perhaps you want to spare her the needle prick? However, the chicken pox themselves are far more unpleasant than a needle prick. It is possible to get a slight case of chicken pox from the vaccine, but it is milder than even a mild case of regular chicken pox. When I was pregnant with my first child, it was promised that the vaccine was coming soon. I kept waiting. In the meantime, my first three kids got the chicken pox and the baby had them worst - especially in the diaper area; he was so miserable - I really wished the vaccine had been available. Then I kept waiting again after my next two were born, but the vaccine didn't come out until the year after they had the chicken pox. Summer is especially the worst time to have them because the heat and sweat add to the itching. Please don't think I am judging you are anything - you have to do what you think best, but as a mom who saw my five kids suffer, I advise you to go with the vaccine!

Hello, PLEASE DO NOT EXPOSE YOUR CHILD TO CHICKEN POX! I had a very severe case when I was young and just recently, as an adult (29 years old), I had to deal with shingles. This is chicken pox that lies dorment in your nervous system. When it is triggered if follows the path of the nerve it is on. I was lucky, mine was on my back. I saw pictures of others that I will never get out of my head. Please do not expose your sweet little girl to this horrible virus that can potenally cause pain for the rest of her life....Godd luck with this.

My oldest daughter got the vaccine and came down with a mild case of chicken pox - a rare reaction. My ped told me to invite everyone I know with children over so they could be exposed. No one came. At that time - 4+ years ago - the vaccine was voluntary. This last year, when my youngest was going into preschool, I had to get her the CP vaccine because it is now mandatory. She got the vaccine and nothing happened. Which is usually the case. The vaccine is much better than her getting it the old fashioned way. Good luck.

OMG, get her the shot. I had the most awful case of chicken pox as a child, 40 years latr I still remember it as the most painful 3 weeks of my life. It's a big deal, the virus lies dormant in the nervous system. Very new research also shows that if you had chicken pox as a child you have an exponentially higher chance of shingles as an older person. Having cared for those with shingles I can tell you that is it extremely painful and goes on for weeks, often affecting the nerves on the face.

If you're vacination adverse check Time magazine. They just ran a series of pro/con articles in one of the recent magazines. I'm grateful that medicine has progressed past the middle ages where in order to develop immunity we need to expose our kids to painful diseases.

I had it when I was 10 and it was so awful and I have 2 scars because I was picking at the last 2 scabs when I shouldn't have been. I was covered in pox. My sister didn't get it when I had it. She got it when she was in her 20's and she got such a mild case, she only had 4 or 5 pox. I don't think you can tell how it will react to your child in advance.

R., I know this isn't the information you asked for, but please make sure you are making an informed decision. I know 2 people who have been disabled, as in permanent disability, on SSI, unable to work at all, because of shingles. One of the two said he had considered having his arm amputated because the pain was so bad. Yikes!

My two-year-old had the chicken pox vaccine, and had no difficulty with it.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
C.

the YMCA in La Canada has a memo out now to all parents saying that your child may have been exposed to chicken pox. perhaps you could call there and get more info on that. ###-###-####

R.,
When my first was a baby, I had the same attitude that you did. When I was a child, I lived on a cul-de-sac filled with young families. One family got the virus and then EVERYONE got the chicken pox. Infact, our street was actually quarantined - and yes, I do admit, I remember it being REALLY fun.
Fast forward 25 years and my youngest nephew gets the chicken pox. You must understand that those "pox" are actually open wounds that ooze puss. If they are open to ooze, they are also at risk for allowing things to come in. They are open opportunity for staph infections to enter. That is exactly what happened to my, then, three year old nephew. He ended up in the ICU with a massive staph. infection and was extremely sick for several days. It was a very scary time.
R., I work in nursing homes - people who have recently come out of the hospital are the majority of my clients. There are much stronger and scarier "super bugs" out there today. Infections that are resistant to antibiotics. You may have heard about MRSA or C-difficile (google them). Young children get these too. It's not like it was when we were little - the virus' have gotten much smarter! Who is most at risk? Small children and the elderly. All I suggest is that you really research this before possibly exposing your precious baby to something that may, or may not, really harm her.

This seems like a bad idea. Please don't do that to your baby.

I commend you on your decision to refrain from vaccinating. Don't give in to the pressure from some of the people on this board. Message boards are a great way to spread ignorance. You must take each opinion with a grain of salt, but always stick to your guns. Only you know what's best for your child.

Second, while I do not know of anyone with chicken pox, you could always have your kid play with someone who just got the shot. According to moms who don't vaccinate, the just-vaccinated children are the ones to get the illnesses from. I thought that was a pretty interesting tidbit of info...

Also, before exposing your child to CP, make sure she has a healthy strong immune system, to make it easier to fight off and prevent complications. A healthy child fights off the illness and ends up with lifetime immunity. A vaccinated child does not. But you probably already knew that or you wouldn't be asking this question in the first place.

But good luck!