[Ommama]

We are looking for kids with chicken pox so that we can expose our unvaccinated kids.
In New York, there were tons of chicken pox parties. It;s a bit harder to find around here.

[Raphael07]

Never really heard of that before, it'll probably be way harder to find here.

[kdbrich]

Intentionally subjecting your kids to an illness, hoping they get sick...I know it helps 'em in the long run, but it just sounds wrong.

[AilaTyler]

Thats sick. Get your kids vaccinated much easier then taking care of a kid with pox!

[Filet Mignon]

Originally Posted by AilaTyler

Thats sick. Get your kids vaccinated much easier then taking care of a kid with pox!

The vaccine is actually turning out to be a bad thing - at least in the opinion of many doctors. It sort of bypasses the normal immune system (by going directly into the bloodstream) and apparently there are a lot of people questioning whether it will actually keep people from getting Chicken Pox as adults, when it is MUCH more severe.


My wife & I let all 3 of our kids be exposed to Chicken Pox at school - which is pretty much inevitable anyway. They were young, the virus ran its course, and they were on their way.


I've not previously heard of Chicken Pox Parties, but I think that if I had young children now, I might take them. I'd feel horrible knowing that I was basically exposing them to what would make them sick, but I'd also know that the long-term benefits outweigh the temporary discomfort.

[thatguy1]

HAHA, this is a hilarious thread. Probably just because I've also never heard of it.

Anyone signing up for the Laryngitis convention next week?

[camping!]

All of my children have been vaccinated for chicken pox. However last year two of them (14 & 6) got the chickenpox anyway. But it was very very mild cases. In fact, I didn't even know my 6 year old had the chickenpox! She had maybe 15 pox....my 14 year old had maybe 5. What a difference from when I had the chicken pox and my entire face and head where covered with them. Or worse still, when my older sister and brother had them as preschoolers they both developed pox inside their mouths -- which is a very dangerous.
I would much rather have my children get the vaccine and a lesser case of chicken pox then a full blown case which can have dire consequences.

[Dave1215]

There are lots of people that have historically done this... My mother tells me that I was (and my two brothers) were purposefully exposed when my sister had them. I did not keep my daugher away from my son when he had it. There are old GP-Family Doctors that encouraged this.

[Filet Mignon]

Originally Posted by camping!

All of my children have been vaccinated for chicken pox. However last year two of them (14 & 6) got the chickenpox anyway. But it was very very mild cases. In fact, I didn't even know my 6 year old had the chickenpox! She had maybe 15 pox....my 14 year old had maybe 5. What a difference from when I had the chicken pox and my entire face and head where covered with them. Or worse still, when my older sister and brother had them as preschoolers they both developed pox inside their mouths -- which is a very dangerous.
I would much rather have my children get the vaccine and a lesser case of chicken pox then a full blown case which can have dire consequences.

There's certainly some merit to that train of thought!

I wonder though (and please don't take this as offense), if the vaccine didn't keep 2 of your kids from getting Chicken Pox anyway, do you think it will be effective as they get older? I do not know the answer to that question, so I'm just thinking out loud.


Also, as you know, the severity of Chicken Pox increases as kids get older. I'd guess that the thinking behind these Chicken Pox Parties is to have the kids exposed when they're still very young, and the virus won't be so severe.

[MR.JEFFY]

Stay away from me!