[Rainmist]

My son is 11, and he has somehow avoided catching chicken pox even tho he's been exposed to classmates with it over the years. I recently got a letter stating that I had to provide proof that he's either had it or been vaccinated for it before he enters 6th grade in the fall. It's not like it's German measles or something ( which I had when my mom was pregnant with my brother back in '63 ) ... being a mother I hate the thought of him being stuck but I guess I'll do it. Not looking forward to it. Ugh.

[funnynurse]

You do NOT want your son to contract chicken pox as an adult, it can be a lot more serious then.

And don't fall into the trap of thinking "well he made it this far"....all three of my sisters had the ckn pox as adults, and a coworker contracted them at age 41.

Again, PLEASE vaccinate, folks.

[I got the rope]

I think now you are beginning to understand what's happening and has been happening since the 50's and 60's. This is a money making scam. Children catch all types of diseases and if they are strong then their bodies produce their own antibodies. I would say this happens 99% of the time, but we have no data to prove that. How are we to know what the benefits are of a vaccine if we do not truly compare the numbers. Nothing is more efficient than the human body. You slightly weaken your immune system when you inject yourself with foreign proteins.
We live in the 21st century. Our water supply and hygeine is light years more advanced than our granparants and parents time.

I'm 32 years old and have not had the chicken pox. More than likely I formed my own antibodies against this disease since my sister had it.

I'm surprised it's mandatory to do this. I wonder how many children die of chicken pox vs. how many children die of adverse reactions to this vaccine?

[jocon307]

"My son is 11, and he has somehow avoided catching chicken pox even tho he's been exposed to classmates with it over the years."

My daughter never got chicken pox until she was 12 years old. She'd been in daycare/school since age 2 1/2. For a long time I thought she was immune, my mother was immune, never got it. Even when me and my two brothers had it and my father had shingles, all at the same time. Still my mother never came down with chicken pox.

My kid finally did get it, but it was a pretty mild case. I don't think there was a vacination for it at that time.

Now she's got to get that Hep. B vac, and also the one against menengitis, before she goes to college.

[GOPrincess]

"It's not like it's German measles or something ( which I had when my mom was pregnant with my brother back in '63 ) ..."

Without commenting on the vaccination issue, just wanted to mention that actually, similar to German measles, contracting chicken pox while pregnant can be quite dangerous and cause severe fetal abnormalities, especially if it is contracted during the first trimester.

[Dianna]

My son is 11, and he has somehow avoided catching chicken pox even tho he's been exposed to classmates with it over the years.

Chicken pox in children isn't such a big deal. But, as with adults, my pediatrician said teens also are more likely to have complications. I had my son vaccinated at 11. The Dr was adamant that it be done before puberty.

[m18436572]

As someone who has had the chicken pox at age 33, all I can say is RUN, don't waste time walking, to get the vaccine! The doctor told my parents, when I was 11, that I had most likely caught a very mild (unnoticable) case from my 8 yr. old sister who did have it, and would be immune from any future possibility of catching it. He was wrong.

[Kaslin]

I don't remember ever having had chicken pox.