chicken pox

[red_dragon]

Is it a good idea for a 14 year old to be 'given the opportunity' to catch chicken pox seeing as they are still relatively young? My daughter is 14 but looks physically older - would it make much difference if she caught chicken pox now as opposed to when she was much older.

A close family relative (a baby of 5 months) has chicken pox but my daughter has never had it. What do you think? I could keep her away or 'allow' her to catch it.

[Octavius]

Why on earth would you do that? There is the possibility that the herpes virus could get complicated and they might get shingles later on.

Chickenpox tends to be milder in younger children, older children and adults may need antiviral treatment, and pregnant women might need urgent treatment to protect the foetus.

If the child catches the virus, fine it can be treated, but I couldn't really condone getting them infected as a matter of course. My advice would be to stay away.

[monkeyeyes]

When I got chickenpox at about the age of 6, our next-door-neighbour insisted that her teenaged daughter came and sat with me in an attempt to catch it.

I believe that catching chicken-pox during pregnancy can cause some sort of foetal complications and is, therefore, best 'got over with' before there is a chance of pregnancy.

[Chattirbank]

do the poxes have little chickens oosing out of them?

[red_dragon]

Octavius, the reason i say it may be a good idea for her to catch it now is that if she were to catch it as an adult the symptoms would be worse.
It always used to be the case that people actively sought out others who had it to "get it over and done with"
I wasn't sure if she was classed as a child still and therefore wouldn't suffer the symptoms as bad as an adult would.

[Octavius]

I think it is a matter of personal choice.

Although the two most common and potentially dangerous complications of chickenpox (pneumonia and encephalitis � inflammation of the brain) are very rare, it might be worth checking out your thoughts with your GP. Some would say go for it, others might not, depending upon your child�s present health and medical condition.

[tigwig]

I don't really know for sure (and neither would a doctor) how ill your daughter could get but I would have thought she may be quite ill with it. My niece had chickenpox and although she was a baby she got encephaltis and almost died. I would personally keep her away just incase, there is no point her being ill if it can be avoided

[carrust]

Having had chicken pox at the age of 28 I would say it was a good idea. I've never been so ill in all my life. I was delirious, had hot & cold sweats & I had spots everywhere!!!

[Robinia]

The same happened to me too carrust I was ill for a month & the post viral depression was awful...I wish I'd had it when I was 14 & had my mum to look after me instead of when I had 2 young sons of my own (I caught it from them & thankfully they weren't ill with it, just terribly itchy!).

[annie0000]

On the other hand there is no guarantee that she will ever get it. I am 42 this year and have never had it despite having two kids who both had a fairly strong dose of it as toddlers. i would never encourage anyone to deliberately catch something.

[discoinferno]

personally, if my mum had knowingly exposed my to chicken pox when i was 14 i'd have been raring. i would consult your daughter before you expose her to something she may not thank you for!!

[IggyB]

i agree with the above - exposing your daughter to an illness without talking it through with her will end badly no matter what.

my instinct is to avoid unnecessary suffering - and if there are complications how guilty are you going to feel if you forced them upon your daughter. If you are worried about her future then go to your gp and ask for the vaccination, even if he says the need is low so won't fund it surely it is better to then pay for it yourself than infect your daughter deliberately!

[tufty7]

Something to consider is the possible scarring of the scabs if she were to scratch them , perhaps not worth the aggro just in case she had a nasty pox scar on her face ..she would not thank you for that ....

[red_dragon]

Just to say, of course I have talked it through with her - I wouldnt just expose her to it without her knowing!
By the way, she decided she wanted to see the baby and didnt mind taking the risk so that was the answer! As someone else said here, she may never catch it anyway.
Thanks for your replies.