19 mo old with Chicken Pox!!!!

[DietCokeLover]

My vaccinated 19 mo old DS has chicken pox.

We went to MOther's Morning Out today (where I also work). He was fine this morning. He had a couple of little bumps, which I assumed were mosquito bites as I have some, DD has some and we've been outside quite a bit lately.

They called me to his class because he was grabbing at his legs, where there were a couple of "bites" that had just popped up. He was screaming and falling on the floor.

I called the doc and we got in. ... He screamed the whole way there and flailed about so much that he was partially out of his car seat when we arrived (horror story #2 of the day). After crying so hard that he fell asleep, the doc saw us and as she was examining DS, more spots were developing.

UNREAL!!! Now, we have to wonder if DD really has mosquito bites or if she has chicken pox too.

We are quarrantined at home for a week now.

Thanks vaccine. You've been very helpful.

[g-mama]

Two of my kids had them at the same time a couple of years ago. My oldest ds, who was 6, and my youngest, who was 10 months old. Youngest had not gotten the vaccination yet (12 mos) and oldest had a "breakthrough" case. They now give a 2nd chickenpox vaccine as a result of that very thing happening so often.

So sorry! It stinks but the baby's case was much less painful than the 5yo, if that gives you any comfort.

[brittone2]

:hug: Sorry you are going through this, but yea for natural immunity!

I never had chicken pox as a child (and that was confirmed via titer in my teens) and so I was one of the first people I know to get the varicella vax when I was a teen. When I was working as a PT, the recommendation for a 2nd dose came out...if I had received it, I would have had to stop working with many of my immune compromised patients. Sticky situation! My titer came back with adequate immunity at that point so we didn't proceed. (during the time I was working I was exposed to a few natural cases, which is thought to give a nice natural "booster", so I think that helped)

It has been more than 10 years. I'm stuck wondering if my vax induced immunity will ever hold up...getting it as an adult is not a good thing. I will not do the booster dose anyway, but even if I did, I'd always have to wonder if my vax-induced immunity would be effective enough. So in that way, it is nice that your DC will have natural immunity...from someone who does not.

[SnuggleBuggles]

So in that way, it is nice that your DC will have natural immunity...from someone who does not.

I agree on that note since I didn't get it as a child, but have wound up with shingles as an adult. I wish that I had gotten it as a child. Now it seems like our kids will just need boosters all the time. Natural immunity has it's benefits...though I am sure it stinks to have to go through the illness with your little one. :( I hope that he (and dd??) feels better soon!!

Beth

[ladysoapmaker]

The same thing happened to our DS#1. He got the vaccine and then got a mild case around age 5 about 3 to 5 spots, then the same thing about 2 years later then got a full blown case that lasted about a week at around age 10. None of our other kids (all vaccinated) developed it from his last case however his cousin who wasn't vaccinated did get them. her case lasted about 3 to 4 weeks. (would have not lasted as long but DH's step-monster showed her how to scratch the spots with a wash cloth while in the bath, so she wouldn't get scars). SIL and BIL were pissed when they found out.

I, on the other hand, developed chicken pox at age 17 less then 2 months before my 18th birthday and my annual checkup. We were going to be giving me the vaccine at that point. I had a misserable 2 weeks.

[citymama]

Beth, you could get a blood test to check if you're still immune. I never had it as a kid either and live in eternal dread of getting it as an adult. Funny thing is I had plenty of exposure - just never had it (confirmed by titers). I had to get the vax and booster on two separate occasions, because the first round apparently didn't do the trick. Weird.

To the OP, all the best! Hopefully this will be a very mild case and will be done soon.

[JBaxter]

my 2 older boys were vax'd for chicken pox and both got it about 3 yrs after the vaccine. I know SO many kids in the same situation ... go vax'd then got chickenpox. We are completely skipping that one with Nathan and Jack.

[calv]

Aveeno oatmeal bath is helpful and fun for the kids! I hope your little one feels better soon.

[Fairy]

I'm sorry! Poor little guy. We had a scare last week that ended up being bites and not pox. I am so sorry, but I agree that natural immunity is great. And at least he won't need the booster now, so one less shot . ..

[Melaine]

Oh man! Sorry to hear that, but I guess it's not such a bad age to get them. Hopefully it will be a quick and mild case. Why are we getting our kids all these shots if they don't even work?!

[g-mama]

I did get chicken pox as a child but also got shingles as an adult. In fact, that's how my kids ended up getting chicken pox - touching my arm before I knew it was shingles.

[ha98ed14]

I agree on that note since I didn't get it as a child, but have wound up with shingles as an adult.


I had a really bad case of it as a child and I still have shingles. I think you are dm'd if you do and dm'd if you don't.

[bubbaray]

I'd ask for a 2nd opinion that its CP.

DD#1 was sent home from DC last year with "CP". A (newly graduated -- his degree was on the wall) dr at a walk-in clinic said, yea, its CP, but b/c she's been vax'd it won't look like CP and will be really "mild" (she had less than 25 "pox").

2d later, she got really sick. REALLY sick. Different dr at a different walk-in clinic thought she had leukemia (!) and sent her off as a priority case to Children's. Children's thought she had HSP, ruled out leukemia.

Long long road of specialists later, she has folliculitis. If you see Fairy's thread on bites from earlier in the week, there is a link there. DD#1's "pox" were not nearly as serious as those photos, but the main difference is that the "pox" in CP are filled with clear fluid. Those with folliculitis are like whiteheads and are filled with non-clear fluid (white or yellowish).

Anyway, we were told that it is exceedingly rare for vax'd kids to get CP and it is often a misdiagnosis.

Oh, and BTW, for some children, CP is NOT a "mild" childhood disease. For some, like my DD#2 who has severe eczema, CP is a serious risk for her and would end up in her hospitalization.

[bubbaray]

I agree on that note since I didn't get it as a child, but have wound up with shingles as an adult. I wish that I had gotten it as a child. Now it seems like our kids will just need boosters all the time. Natural immunity has it's benefits...though I am sure it stinks to have to go through the illness with your little one. :( I hope that he (and dd??) feels better soon!!

Beth


You likely had CP as a child, but were asymptomatic. You can't "catch" shingles. You only get shingles as the second manifestation of the varicella virus -- the first manifestation is as CP. Second is shingles. It sits dormant in the body until typically stress sets it off again.

[SnuggleBuggles]

You likely had CP as a child, but were asymptomatic. You can't "catch" shingles. You only get shingles as the second manifestation of the varicella virus -- the first manifestation is as CP. Second is shingles. It sits dormant in the body until typically stress sets it off again.

I learned that I had an uber mild case of chicken pox at 3m, when all the rest of my family had full blown cases.

I'd still rather have gotten a big old case of CP as a kid and maybe it would make some difference. probably not but I don't know.

Beth

[Fairy]

You likely had CP as a child, but were asymptomatic. You can't "catch" shingles. You only get shingles as the second manifestation of the varicella virus -- the first manifestation is as CP. Second is shingles. It sits dormant in the body until typically stress sets it off again.

I was just going to say that. Yes, I was set straight last week by the ped, as well. You can't get shingles or a second onset of CP in any way from anyone that has CP or shingles. It's unknown what brings the dormant virus back on, but stress is oftencited, apparently.

[bubbaray]

I learned that I had an uber mild case of chicken pox at 3m, when all the rest of my family had full blown cases.

I'd still rather have gotten a big old case of CP as a kid and maybe it would make some difference. probably not but I don't know.

Beth


having a fullblown case of CP or a mild case of CP makes zero difference re immunity for later/adult CP or shingles. If you are infected by varicella, you are able to get shingles as a secondary condition. By far the majority of people who are infected with varicella DO get CP in the classical presentation. But, even those who get a very mild case of CP or who have zero symptoms will have the varicella dormant in their system for life and can therefore get shingles.

The severity of shingles is not related to the severity of CP, either. You can have mild CP and have severe shingles or severe CP and mild shingles. From what my dr's told me when I had shingles, the severity of shingles depends on your immune system's capabilities and your stress level. In most people, if they catch it soon enough, antiviral meds work great.

[SnuggleBuggles]

having a fullblown case of CP or a mild case of CP makes zero difference re immunity for later/adult CP or shingles. If you are infected by varicella, you are able to get shingles as a secondary condition. By far the majority of people who are infected with varicella DO get CP in the classical presentation. But, even those who get a very mild case of CP or who have zero symptoms will have the varicella dormant in their system for life and can therefore get shingles.

The severity of shingles is not related to the severity of CP, either. You can have mild CP and have severe shingles or severe CP and mild shingles. From what my dr's told me when I had shingles, the severity of shingles depends on your immune system's capabilities and your stress level. In most people, if they catch it soon enough, antiviral meds work great.

Ok, ok. I shouldn't have posted what I did earlier. :) I almost didn't. SHould have just said- better to have gotten the CP than have to get the booster every 5-0 years for the rest of their lives. :)

I did get meds quickly as an adult and it really wasn't bad at all, btw.

The problem is I feel a need to talk sometimes and dumb things come out...

Beth

[lizajane]

i had chicken pox at 6 months old. i still have scars on my legs, which were from my diaper rubbing the pox and the skin growing down my legs.

of course, now i am TERRIFIED of shingles!! ack!! i should not have read this thread!

[Fairy]

The problem is I feel a need to talk sometimes and dumb things come out...

Would you stop! It's not dumb, you didn't know. I thought you got shingles from people with chicken pox until a week ago. I can see why you'd think mild = less immunity. It's no biggie :-)

[bubbaray]

Would you stop! It's not dumb, you didn't know. I thought you got shingles from people with chicken pox until a week ago. I can see why you'd think mild = less immunity. It's no biggie :-)


:yeahthat:

CP/shingles is a touchy subject with me. b/c I had shingles at a very young age (for shingles), I got a lot of misinformation thrown my way (at an otherwise particularly stressful time in my life, to boot).