Chicken Pox parties...infect your kids!

[Texasgal]

When Trish Thackston's 7-year-old son, Connor, broke out with chickenpox recently, she quickly scheduled play dates with four families over the next four days at their Alexandria house.

The kids made art projects with glue and glitter, worked side by side on dinosaur puzzles and shared spoons, all with the intention of transmitting the illness to the healthy children. Her son, thrilled not to be sequestered from friends as he usually is on sick days, said excitedly one morning: "Who's coming over to catch my chickenpox today?"

Some parents, including Thackston, are shunning the chickenpox vaccine, introduced in 1995 and considered safe and effective by most health authorities, in favor of the old-style method of exposing children to the real thing at an early age. Today's parents may remember their own moms and dads tucking sick siblings in bed with healthy ones and inviting friends over to spread the illness.

Many who choose to expose their children believe that catching the illness at "chickenpox parties" is safer and more effective than using vaccines.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/19/AR2005091901225.html?sub=AR

[SouthernDem2004]

1. Why not get the vaccine and then test it by sending them to a party.

Sounds like a good plan to me.

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

2. Safe?? What if your child is one of the few that DIES as a result of pox?

I think it's a horrible idea to INTENTIONALLY expose your child to ANY disease!!

[Mizmoon]

3. depends

I never had it and lived in terror while I was pregnant.

Maybe it's better to expose the girls while they're young.

[nutsnberries]

6. or vaccinate them.

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. Or do it the natural way, and expose them

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. What if your child is one of the few who dies from the vaccine?

Either way, it's a crapshoot, though the odds either way are pretty fuckin' slim.

And you do realize, don't you, that vaccines work by injecting the person with the disease?

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

30. Oh, I wasn't saying get the vaccine, just don't expose child to pox

intentionally.

[JVS]

41. Why is it an either make them sick or vaccinate question?

Isn't it possible to have unvaccinated children and not intentionallly send them to get sick?

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

49. That was where I was kinda going...

[Rabrrrrrr]

66. Because if they then get Chicken Pox as an adult,

there is a significant chance of them dying.

It's very dangerous to adults. Practically harmless to children.

Better to get them innoculated as children than to run the risk of an adult onset.

[KitchenWitch]

5. I agree

It is fairly rare, but I would not want to be the one whose child died as a result.

Both of my children have had the vaccine. My son was 5, and had been exposed several times and never got it, so they gave him the vaccine.

My daughter was given it with her other vaccines...

Another thing that needs to be considered, people who have had chicken pox can end up with Shingles later in life...and from what I understand, Shingles is extremely painful.

[nutsnberries]

12. sorry, didn't read you before saying the same thing about Shingles

...it's another really good reason to get the vaccination.

[KitchenWitch]

14. It is okay...does not hurt to reinforce the idea!

:hi:

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

32. I would never intentionally expose myself or my child to ANY disease.

I just think it's a bad idea.

Again... my opinion.

The pediatrician I worked for when my son was an infant agreed whole-heartedly... and would advise parents the same. Do NOT expose children to disease INTENTIONALLY... ever. This was before the vaccine, by the way.

My son had chicken pox, through unintentional exposure... pre-pox vaccine.

[KitchenWitch]

34. I agree with you!

My daughter (at age 2-1/2) almost died as a result of RSV...now I did not deliberately expose her to RSV, but she caught it....and for some reason she was not able to fight it off very well. (She was not a preemie or low birth weight baby, nor was she in the classic high risk groups for serious RSV infection - but nonetheless, she got a severe infection and we spent a week in the hospital with her.)

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

38. That's terrible...

:( poor lil gal.

That's just it. Disease is disease and some kids can't fight 'em. I would not want to put my kid though the fight and risk them being one who can't make it.

Hope she pulled through it ok... :hug:

[KitchenWitch]

42. She is 4 now and doing good

She has asthma (since she was 6 months old...could be why she had difficulty fighting the RSV off)

It was a truly scary time. And to make matters worse, at the time, she had major fears of people in white coats...She is fine now.

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

51. Glad to hear that...

it's so hard when your lil uns are sick.

[KitchenWitch]

52. I agree

They are so helpless...

[nutsnberries]

9. that's right. and another reason to vaccinate

the chance of developing shingles later in life is lower if vaccinated.

[nashbridges]

11. Suck it up!!

When I was growing up the first kid on my street to get chickenpox promptly infected the remaining 30 kids on the street - all at the urging of our parents.

It builds character, trust me. Teaching a five year old that they cannot scratch what itches for a two week period prepares them for the disappointment of being a "responsible adult" and not getting to do everything they would like to.

Or so my father would have me believe.

[tigereye]

I remember that having it was miserable!

It was hot and itchy. My kid got the vaccine when he was 3 or 4 and that way we didn't have to worry about him being miserable or exposing pregnant friends, either.

(oops, just realize you were being sarcastic.) carry on.

[LynneSin]

7. Vaccinations: Big Money for Pharma

Nothing like having the state force families to receive vaccinations. That's free money for the Pharmaceutical industries!

[Texasgal]

18. I agree Lynnesin

This is why I refuse flu shots. I have been in a position where I have be required to have one. ( I am in the healthcare industry ) In my new postion I am not required and will not do so.

If people really knew what was in these vaccinations I think we would have a whole different outlook on this.

[LynzM]

36. Lynne, I'm not sure that's true

Lots of companies won't even make vaccines anymore because there isn't money to be made in them, as far as I know. But I don't have any numbers off the top of my head to back that up, so I'll have to get back to you if I can find some.

[LynneSin]

59. From my experience yes - money is being made

You can't think of the grandscale profited market into the hot new prescription on the market.

YOu have to think of the sheer number of children each year across the united states that are forced by law to get vaccinations. Even if only $1-$2 profit is built into each vaccination, the vastness of the numbers is going to make that profitable.

And remember, for many of these companies that produce childhood vaccinations they've been doing it for years, maybe decades. So there is no development cost - just manufacturing costs.

I actually did computer support for a pharmaceutical lobbying group - trust me, if they weren't making money they wouldn't be doing it.

[prolesunited]

67. I didn't say money wasn't being made

just not Big Money, like with drugs like Prozac and Viagra. Health care in our country is a for profit venture, so the everyone involved is making money. But the profit margin on drugs is vastly different, and vaccines are NOT big money makers. Here's some points to ponder:

Before vaccines, diseases such as diphtheria, pertussis and measles were rampant in America. In 1900, 120 out of every 1,000 infants died from preventable diseases before the age of 18 months. Since the introduction of vaccines against these diseases, the disease incidence has dropped by 99%.

Smallpox has been eradicated and the world is on the verge of eradicating polio. Measles has been eliminated as an endemic disease in the Western Hemisphere. Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease, once a leading killer of children, is almost nonexistent in the United States, and there has been a 78% drop in cases of chickenpox.

That evil government in cahoots with Pharma has saved thousands of children from dying each year. Mandatory compliance is a public health issue, not a conspiracy. If you do not elect to get yourself or your children immunized (and there are ways you can do that within the law), you put not only yourself at risk, but everyone else in the community as you spread contagions.

And, although you argue R&D costs are negligible, companies for decades have had to fight numerous lawsuits and reformulate some vaccines to address concerns.

The vaccine supply was seriously threatened in the 1980s when parents began vocalizing concerns about vaccines causing serious adverse events. Litigation against vaccine makers forced some manufacturers to temporarily leave the market, causing a supply crisis.

Most of the litigation was against manufacturers of diphtheria-tetanus-whole cell pertussis (DTP) vaccines. Parents claimed that DTP caused seizures and brain damage in their children. Although these claims could not be proved, manufacturers left the market rather than face prolonged litigation.
<snip>

In recent years, increased focus on safety has necessitated larger clinical trials, which increases development costs. A persistent problem is that vaccines do not generate sufficient revenues to offset the rising costs of production, many manufacturers have told Infectious Disease News.

“It should be no surprise that when manufacturers find themselves holding low-margin products with increasing production costs, they opt out,” said Wayne Pisano, executive vice president in charge of North American business units for Aventis Pasteur.


And finally:
This complicated economic model results in a decreased interest in producing vaccines. In 1967, there were 26 vaccine manufacturers in the U.S. market. But by 1980 there were 17, and now there are only 12 in 2002.

I don't have the most recent numbers for the manufacturers, but, if as you say there's "big money" in it, would not the number of manufacturers increase, NOT decrease? Surely, they would all want a slice of the money pie that is being created by government regulations that are not in the best interest of public health, but in the Pharma industry's bottom line.


I'm sure the knowledge you gained from doing computer support for a lobbying group was vast, but I'll trust the experts at Infectious Disease News to inform my opinion.

http://www.infectiousdiseasenews.com/200203/vaccine.asp

[prolesunited]

48. Do you realize how many lives and misery vaccinations have saved?

Or, perhaps polio making a come back would be a good thing. :eyes:

In addition, there is not "Big Money" in Pharma for vaccinations. Only a few companies even make them because there is a such a low profit margin in them. Why do you think we continually have problems with the flu vaccine and shortages? Also, not so long ago, a needed childhood vaccine wasn't available because no one was making it.

I'm in no way defending Pharma because there is plenty wrong with it, but your statement is incorrect.

[Texasgal]

50. Sure vaccines have saved alot of folks

But vaccines have also KILLED a bunch of folks too. When it comes down to the government FORCING you to vaccinate, that's when i have a problem.

[LynneSin]

61. Separate Flu Vaccines from Childhood vaccines

Flu vaccines require some R&D into developing new vaccines each year since we're never sure what the hot flu of the year is going to be.

Childhood vaccinations are different because we know what causes the diseases and there hasn't been major variations from year to year. There are 3 major costs for new drugs: R&D, FDA Approval and Manufacturing. Manufacturing is probably the least expensive of all of these because once manufacturing is setup - you just keep churning out the drugs each year.

Have you ever considered that flu vaccines have never been a state requirement while childhood vaccinations have? That's because each year they have to take the flu vaccine back to R&D to test for what will be the new crop of Flu virus out there floating around. This is not the case for childhood vaccinations. Many childhood vaccinations have been around for years so the only cost is manufacturing.

Now, if we didn't have laws that required vaccination, these drugs probably wouldn't be profitable since many parents may choose not to get it done (or maybe just forget). But because many states require childhood vaccinations before they enter school - the drug companies are guarenteed a market for their drug. And from sheer numbers they are able to take something that has a small profit built into it and create a major profit.

[Kellanved]

55. A matter of perspective

A large percentage of vaccinated people effectively stops an illness from spreading - protecting more people than just the vaccinated.

Especially public health systems have much reason to convince people to get their shots, but it applies in private systems just as well: in the case of a spreading disease all have to pay more, because of a few people believing to pay less.

That's the problem with evadable illness: not only you get it, but you also may transmit it to others as well.

[Susang]

57. Actually, there's very little profit in vaccines

That's why so few pharmaceutical companies make them. They are very labor intensive and do not bring the company a large return on their investment.

[LynneSin]

62. Depends on which vaccinations you're talking about

Flu Vaccines have very little profit because each year you have to create a new flu vaccine to match the viruses being found out there.

Childhood vaccinations are pretty much the same thing they've been making year after year after year. The profit may be slim but the Lobbyists work with the state to create laws forcing vaccination which means that slim profit will multiply many many times over to create a profit for the pharma companies

[Susang]

70. I suggest this article

It explains why the profit margins for childhood vaccines are low and why there are so few producers. It also goes into why there have been shortages of those vaccines and what can be done the situation.

http://www.infectiousdiseasenews.com/200203/vaccine.asp

[Shell Beau]

10. My brothers and I got it all at the same time. It wasn't

as if my mom planned it that way, but that is how it happened. I am glad I've had it b/c I know a girl who is my age and never has. She is scared to death that she may get it. And it can be lethal for an adult. I don't think I will intentionally expose my kids, but I kind of want them to get it so they have that exposure!! :shrug:

This reminds me of that South Park episode where the parents try for them to get it all at once. Kyle almost dies. Cartman takes baths in bottles of Calamine lotion. :)

[Deep13]

13. Chicken pox now, shingles later.

Chicken pox does not go away. It becomes dormant in the spinal cord. Later in life it can flare up as shingles, a painful and debilitating disease. Here's an idea, keep the patient isolated so the disease has no where to go. The reason it is such a risk is because of moron parents who intentionally spread it.

[Shell Beau]

15. Shingles can come out later in life. But

it is not THAT common. Most people don't experience shingles although some do.

[nutsnberries]

16. but if you are one of those people-

"Shingles is more common after the age of 50 and the risk increases with advancing age. Shingles causes numbness, itching or severe pain followed by clusters of blister-like lesions in a strip-like pattern on one side of your body. The pain can persist for weeks, months or years after the rash heals and is then known as post-herpetic neuralgia."


I know people that have had Shingles and it's something I wouldn't wish on anyone. (well, maybe i could think of a few people... ;) )

[Shell Beau]

17. My grandmother gets it. It is painful for her, but

it isn't all that common. I know that doesn't make the people who have it feel any better. It is one of those situations where you just can't tell what will be the best thing to do. :shrug:

[tyedyeto]

21. I think it is becoming more common since stress can bring it on

and look how stressful many people's lives are. I personally know 5 people who have had it this year, several other cases I've heard about but don't know the person and know several others who had them last year including my mom. My ex had shingles in the early 90s at the young age of 45. It is very painful.

[Shell Beau]

23. My husband's step mom gets it as does my grandma.

Those are the only people I know who get it. I understand it can be very painful and you never know if it will flare up on you. But a friend of mine lives in fear of getting chicken pox since she has never had it. It can be deadly for adults. It is hard situation. You can't possibly know what is going to happen. :shrug: I am glad I have had it. I may change my mind if I get shingles.

[Left Is Write]

44. My oldest daughter received the vaccination at age 12.

She had not yet had chicken pox, and I was concerned about her getting it as an adult. So we vaccinated her.

[Shell Beau]

46. I would have done the same.

[Patiod]

22. And post-herpetic neuralgia as a result of shingles is HELL

I just finished interviewing pain specialists who treat PHN patients, and they told the pain of PHN is very difficult to relieve

So I'd go with the vaccine from the hideous EVIL and reduce my risk of shingles and subsequent risk of something as appalling as PHN.

[Left Is Write]

40. My mother-in-law was recently diagnosed with shingles.

It's been horrible for her.

[MadHound]

19. Better that you get childhood disease when you're a child

Than when you're an adult. Vaccinations lose their effectiveness as one gets older, and diseases that you're supposed to get in childhood, like chicken pox and mumps, can be extremely debilitating and even deadly when you're an adult.

[tyedyeto]

25. A friend of mine was in his 30s when his kids gave it to him.

He had a very mild case. Much milder than his kids did. (This was before the vaccine hit the market) I guess the severity of the disease varies with each individual.

[no name no slogan]

20. I got chicken pox for my 30th birthday

I missed three weeks of work because of it. It was painful as hell-- I was almost hospitalized for it, it was so bad.

I gave it to my six-month-old nephew, who got a few pox for a couple days. Lucky kid, huh?

[progmom]

24. I never had chicken pox....

still trying to decide if i should get the vaccination as an adult.

[Shell Beau]

26. Has your son had it or has he had the vaccine?

What will you do if he gets it as far as protecting yourself?

[progmom]

43. progspawn has had the vaccine

:)

[Shell Beau]

47. Good!!

:thumbsup:

[flamingyouth]

28. I've never had it either.

And I've been around people who've had it, both as a kid and as an adult. :shrug:

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

45. And some people will never get it...

I have a friend who defies ALL medical knowledge known; he's had pox FOUR times... not shingles, chicken pox FOUR times. I attended his wedding while my son had the pox and he was FREAKING out being near me.

Medicine is not always an exact science. This is again why I would never intentionally TRY to give my kid a disease. Weird shit can happen.

[AllegroRondo]

27. Its also believed that chicken pox may cause Bells Palsy later

I came down with Bells Palsy a couple years ago. Its a viral infection of a facial nerve that causes half of your face to become paralyzed. Thankfully, mine cleared up in a few months.

At the time, my doctor said they did not know the cause, but believed it could come from having the chicken pox virus or something similar early in life.

[Shell Beau]

29. A friend of my mom's got that. She swore it

it was punishment for her cruel, yet very funny impersonation of Mary Jo Buttafuco. B/C it wasn't until after she did that impersonation for so long that she got it.

[tyedyeto]

31. I've had 2 friends who have/had Bell's palsy in the past year.

I didn't know it could be related to chicken pox. One friend is still recovering from it.

[tyedyeto]

33. I can remember being sent to a neighbor's house

back in the 60's before vaccinations were available for Rubella/German measles. Yep, I got it. It was quite common to expose girls at a young age since birth defects for pregant women who contract rubella is quite high.

[Divameow77]

35. I had Chicken Pox

when I was about 6, gave it to my teacher who's name happened to be Ms. Spotts.

Both of my boys have been vaccinated, I saw no reason to not protect them from something that could kill them.

[JVS]

37. Getting your child sick intentionally is a horrible thing to do.

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

53. Dupe

:blush:

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

54. A nurse at the pediatrician I worked for would get SOOO angry at 'rents

for doing this... and she'd rant about how it's abuse to expose kids to disease intentionally. She looked like this when mom's would bring this up: :mad:

[tigereye]

64. she's right!

why put your kids through suffering intentionally when there are preventative measures available?

[ucmike]

39. 4 weeks of chicken pox in h.s. makes me say no

i still have some scars from it. no way would i expose my kids intentionally.

[Jed Dilligan]

56. Reminds me of "roughneck" immunization

When my grandma was growing up in Oklahoma, when a kid would get smallpox they would pass a lollipop around... Some would get sick and even die, but those who survived were immunized.

I'm afraid the world is getting hard like that again. Really makes me not want to have kids!

[TallahasseeGrannie]

58. HAVE PITY ON TEACHERS

and don't do this!! Please get your kids vaccinated for chicken pox. Teachers can get it again. I got them for the second time when I was 45 and it was horrible. I was truly dangerously ill and then my husband caught them, too! I had been exposed to a student. But herpes is the gift that keeps on giving. Two years ago I was exposed again and got shingles in my eye. I looked like I had been punched by George Foreman. I lost two weeks of work and could have lost my eye.

[Fox Mulder]

60. That's just wrong.

If I had a kid, I would never get him/her intentionally sick.

[yellowcanine]

63. Chicken Pox is no joke. This is a bad idea. The vaccine carries a much

lower risk. Why would anyone do this? Kids can get serious complications from Chicken Pox such as Reye's Syndrome.

[Misunderestimator]

65. Holy crap.

:crazy:

[Jara sang]

68. Better idea: cut open the child's pus boils

and make punch out of the ooze.

[Shell Beau]

69. Eeeeeewwww!!

:puke: Thanks for the visual now in my head!! :P

[Tikki]

71. Neither of our boys caught Chicken Pox as children....

...just didn't happen.

Our 36 year old had the vaccination three years ago when the mother was pregnant with his son...strange thing, Doctor said he had no idea if my son would have to get the vaccination again....not enough years of precedence for this vaccine...

Our thirty year old caught Chicken Pox at age 21...Went to a resort out of the Country for vacation....shortly after returning.... a nasty case of Chicken Pox appeared...


The Tikkis

[LeftyMom]

72. I'd gladly do this

My kid has a history of bad reactions to vaccines and will not be getting any more (there's a big long story about what happened to him, I've posted it before.) I'd rather he get chicken pox while he's young and healthy and the risks are at thier lowest, so should the opportunity present itself I'd send him over to play with a sick friend.