Chicken Pox

[Guest guest]

You could always request a blood test to see if you are immune or not.

Odrade wrote:

Thanks for all your input

about chicken pox and my pregnancy. I have left a message for my

midwife but she hasn't gotten back to me yet. I have had them twice

already, and have been exposed to chicken pox at least 10 other times in

my life and haven't gotten them again so who knows. Nothing I can

really do about it now - just have to wait and see what happens and hope

for the best!!

BTW, Hi Nanci! I just "talked" to you

privately about your vaccine group today. =)

~Odrade~ (aka )

[Guest guest]

Hello,

Everyone in my family has had the chicken pox, nothing bad ever happened.

My son was about 18 months old when he got it, and my baby was only 3 or so

months old. She never caught it. I never even tried to seperate them.

I would be more concerned about you getting them as an adult, but as far as

your kids, if they get it, great! Life long immunity without the fear of a

vaccine reaction. Just make sure you know enough about the chicken pox so

you know not to give things like Aspirin, which can cause secondary

problems, and secondary problems are usually what is so bad about normal

illnesses.

Hope this helps!

M from Michigan

On Fri, 25 Aug 2000 20:22:22 -0400, Vaccinationsegroups wrote:

> So, the chicken pox discussion got me thinking, and I decided to call MY

> mom and see if I'd ever had the disease (or the vax - as if it'd do any

> good:-)) The answer was no, no pox or vax for me. I have 2 young

> daughters - 2 and 5 - who Have never had the disease and are completely

> un-vaxed for chicken pox, AND I'm 7 months pregnant with kiddo #3. The

> concern is that my 5 year old starts co-operative preschool in 2 weeks;

> if she were to be exposed either to a recently vaxed child OR one with

> the actual disease, what would be the risks to unborn babe and mama

> (me!)? My midwife happened to drop by this afternoon and seemed

> relatively unconcerned - her reasoning being that increased immune system

> function during pregnancy would protect me. This was nice to hear, but

> I'm still a little worried. Does anyone have experience dealing with pox

> as an adult? - I'm 26, and hear the disease can be pretty viscous the

> older you get. Also, it would be next to impossible to " quarantine "

> myself from new, breast feeding babe IF I were to come down with it; any

> info on immunity passing through breast milk would be much appreciated!

> Whew! Hope I haven't confused you all with my rambling..... Thanks in

> advance, Gretchen

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[Guest guest]

Gretchen,

Homeopathy definately could help. I just don't know conditions regarding

pregnancy. I would encourage you to visit a homeopath.

Gretchen L wrote:

>

> So, the chicken pox discussion got me thinking, and I decided to call MY

> mom and see if I'd ever had the disease (or the vax - as if it'd do any

> good:-)) The answer was no, no pox or vax for me. I have 2 young

> daughters - 2 and 5 - who Have never had the disease and are completely

> un-vaxed for chicken pox, AND I'm 7 months pregnant with kiddo #3. The

> concern is that my 5 year old starts co-operative preschool in 2 weeks;

> if she were to be exposed either to a recently vaxed child OR one with

> the actual disease, what would be the risks to unborn babe and mama

> (me!)? My midwife happened to drop by this afternoon and seemed

> relatively unconcerned - her reasoning being that increased immune system

> function during pregnancy would protect me. This was nice to hear, but

> I'm still a little worried. Does anyone have experience dealing with pox

> as an adult? - I'm 26, and hear the disease can be pretty viscous the

> older you get. Also, it would be next to impossible to " quarantine "

> myself from new, breast feeding babe IF I were to come down with it; any

> info on immunity passing through breast milk would be much appreciated!

> Whew! Hope I haven't confused you all with my rambling..... Thanks in

> advance, Gretchen

> ________________________________________________________________

> YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!

> Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!

> Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit:

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>

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@...

***************************************************************

Any information obtained here is not to be construed as medical

OR legal advice. The decision to vaccinate and how you

implement that decision is yours and yours alone.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/25/2000 8:29:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time, brofu@...

writes:

<< Does anyone have experience dealing with pox

as an adult? - I'm 26, >>

My husband had chicken pox at 27. At the time I was about 34 weeks pregnant.

I had already had CP though as a child, so the midwife wasn't concerned at

all. It was pretty nasty. But, we just tried to keep him as comfy as we

could. and we got through it. You should see our new baby picts though.

He's got little scabs and things all over his face. What a memory! I was just

picturing me going into labor early and him not being able to be there!

[Guest guest]

gretchen,

i too never had cp as a kid, i was exposed many times as a child and as an

adult. i was exposed early on in my first pregnancy by a niece and then just

before elliott was born i was exposed by a girl i worked with--fortunately,

no problems. then, when elliott was 4, he started going to preschool 2 times

a week and got cp--well, so did i at 34 years old. it was very

uncomfortable, had high fever, was totally " out of it " for 2 days, but then

was fine--i did get an infection in my sores as they healed [probably from

laying in my bed/pajamas for 3 days constantly putting calendula etc. on

sores to relieve--was just plain dirty ( i know this doesn't go along

with the germ theory discussion we've been having--but old mindsets are hard

to change and i'm still learning with that one!! )] anyway, other than

that i was fine, no long term problems or anything. and as far as being

more/less susceptible while pregnant--i dunno, i felt great during both my

pregnancies, no colds, flu etc. i ate well, took care of myself and i felt

like i had better immunity to things in general during my pregnancies. now,

the fact that your son will be starting preschool, will give him much greater

exposure to things, but doesn't mean he'll get anything--or that you will

either.

as far as i know, if you did get cp after baby was born and were BFing, you

would pass immunity on. but, i could be wrong about that, maybe someone

else can help there.

brigit

[Guest guest]

Hi , my son just got over coxsackie. I too thought it was chix pox at first. But then I was told by the mother of a little boy that he was around that he had been exposed to the virus. It started out as little poxes or pimples on his butt. There was only one vesicle. Then he got it on his tongue. Poor little guy didn't want to eat for almost 2 days, so I made jello, pudding, oatmeal, really soft stuff that he really didn't need to chew. He got one vesicle on one thumb and one on each of four toes of both feet. So most of it was really on his butt. Nanci

-----Original It may not have been chicken pox......my son had something similar and it was hand, foot, mouth disease....aka.coxsackie virus He got it on his legs, and feet. Some get a lot on their hands and/or mouth. in Toronto

[Guest guest]

,

I had chicken pox as a child, one and only one time. I have been exposed

to it as an adult when my own kids had it and had no reactivation. However,

I did not show signs of CFIDS until several years after that, just the FMS

since childhood.

-Theresa

>I know that there are other viruses that can become re-activated in CFS,

>like mono and herpes. But I haven't heard anyone mention Chicken Pox. >Any

comments?

>

>

[Guest guest]

My mother just purchased this doll for my daughter over the weekend. My daughter happens to really love her!

Lynne B.

8/30/96 & 9/10/00

[Guest guest]

Hi,

My son got chicken pox twice ... he's not vaccinated, and he was at a

daycare at the time. They still have it " go around " even though the vax is

available (I think it is fairly new and I don't know how many of the other

children were vaxed against it). So, I think cp is " available " ! The first

time it was very mild, less than 20 spots and virtually no fever. The

second time he " got the rest " , he had over 400 spots and a higher fever.

Still, he coped with the fever very well, seeming to understand that this

was something that his body NEEDED to do. I gave no medications other than a

cool cloth, and he came through it with NO problems. I know he is stronger

for it and he knows that he can cope with illness when it comes and has

confidence in his own body. I don't think it is anything to be afraid of,

and I think seeking it out is not a bad idea ... though it will probably

find your son anyway even if you don't.

Hope this helps,

in Calgary, Canada

chicken pox

I had the chicken pox as a child and came out of it with no more problems

than a small scar or two, but I know adults who got it & had much more

serious complications. My concern is that if my son doesn't have the vaccine

and all his playmates do, the chances are that he won't get it as a child. I

know there are some parents who try to infect their children with cp to

prevent them from getting it as an adult but I'm not sure about that method

either. Anyone else worried about this? Am I being paranoid? I just wish he

could catch it, or not catch it, naturally like when I was a kid. sigh...

Thanks,

Jen

mom to Andy, 5/1/00 - no vax

[Guest guest]

My daughter had no lack of oppritunities for getting cp. And she was

generous with sharing it wit all her friends ;-). If one of your kids

friends get it just schedule a playdate and they will all have a chance

to spread the love around. All they have to do is come into contact with

an infected person or an object the infected person has touched in the

last 24 hours (thats what someone told me but I am not sure if I buy

that). If your child starts getting older where cp cold bve more serious

you can have him vaxed then. Most people will need a booster then anyway

if they had the shots as children. Does that make sense?

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[Guest guest]

>>I had the chicken pox as a child and came out of it with no more problems

than a small scar or two, but I know adults who got it & had much more

serious complications. My concern is that if my son doesn't have the vaccine

and all his playmates do, the chances are that he won't get it as a child. I

know there are some parents who try to infect their children with cp to

prevent them from getting it as an adult but I'm not sure about that method

either. Anyone else worried about this? Am I being paranoid? I just wish he

could catch it, or not catch it, naturally like when I was a kid. sigh...<<

That's the problem b/c now that vaccinations are coming out for things like

chicken pox and now that the majority of kids are vaccinated, a lot of the

diseases are moving to the adult population where they shouldn't be. You

aren't alone in your concern. I worry about things like rubella or measles

for example that my child probably would have caught as a child b/f vaccines

became so prevalant. But now I worry she will get those diseases as an

adolescent or adult where there could be more complications as a result. So

in a way by most children being vaccinated now we as parents are put in a

difficult spot b/c even if normally we wouldn't be afraid of our children

getting these diseases now we are because they might get them as adults

KWIM? I still won't have my daughter vaccinated for chicken pox or rubella

or measles, but it still worries me she may get those things as an adult.

:-)

[Guest guest]

We can't say for certain how long the vaccinations protect for (if in fact

they do) anyway- so it seems to me that even children who are vaccinated

face the same risks as adults...

Lori

Re: chicken pox

> >>I had the chicken pox as a child and came out of it with no more

problems

> than a small scar or two, but I know adults who got it & had much more

> serious complications. My concern is that if my son doesn't have the

vaccine

> and all his playmates do, the chances are that he won't get it as a child.

I

> know there are some parents who try to infect their children with cp to

> prevent them from getting it as an adult but I'm not sure about that

method

> either. Anyone else worried about this? Am I being paranoid? I just wish

he

> could catch it, or not catch it, naturally like when I was a kid.

sigh...<<

>

> That's the problem b/c now that vaccinations are coming out for things

like

> chicken pox and now that the majority of kids are vaccinated, a lot of the

> diseases are moving to the adult population where they shouldn't be. You

> aren't alone in your concern. I worry about things like rubella or

measles

> for example that my child probably would have caught as a child b/f

vaccines

> became so prevalant. But now I worry she will get those diseases as an

> adolescent or adult where there could be more complications as a result.

So

> in a way by most children being vaccinated now we as parents are put in a

> difficult spot b/c even if normally we wouldn't be afraid of our children

> getting these diseases now we are because they might get them as adults

> KWIM? I still won't have my daughter vaccinated for chicken pox or

rubella

> or measles, but it still worries me she may get those things as an adult.

>

> :-)

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/16/01 10:52:14 AM Pacific Standard Time,

jenwilson@... writes:

<< Anyone else worried about this? Am I being paranoid? I just wish he

could catch it, or not catch it, naturally like when I was a kid. sigh...

Thanks,

Jen >>

He will probably get the vaccine version of cp which is much more nasty than

the natural one. Just another reason why they will push the vaccine. Look

through health dept. stats for various diseases.Ohio lists everythingf BUT

cp,but franklin county seems to have the most of any of the

diseases(measles,pertussis,mumps,hib) so I bet they have a lot of cp.Maybe a

lot of amish in that area.

Anyway my point is yes it will be harder to expose your child to cp.You will

just have to look/take your child to areas with low vax rates.Or perhaps set

up a list of parents in your area interested in cp parties,so you all can

contact each other when one child comes down with it.

sara in ohio

[Guest guest]

wendy,

i think you might have something there--i was exposed to chicken pox many times (via other siblings/friends, etc.) as a child and also exposed to them as an adult (via young co-workers and nieces and nephews), but i never got chicken pox until my son (3 years old at the time) caught them--most likely from kids at day care--who were just vaxxed. (he went 2 days a week for a couple of hours, my attempt to let him be around other kids, as he was an only child and we had no other playmates for him--looking back, never should have let him, he only learned bad habits and learned that some kids are mean!!) anyway, it was when the chicken pox vax was new and all the kids in his class got their shot--except him and 2 others. interestingly enough, he got cp right then and after he got over them--so did i. at the age of 33--i have often wondered if there is a difference between catching the wild version of an illness and catching it via the "medical" man-altered version--thru a vax.

but you idea about what will our kids now get as adults makes me think about this incident...

brigit, in albany

[Guest guest]

>>We can't say for certain how long the vaccinations protect for (if in fact

they do) anyway- so it seems to me that even children who are vaccinated

face the same risks as adults...

Lori<<

I totally agree, what I was trying to say is that by pushing vaccinations

now all people, vacced or unvacced are in a worse situation b/c they aren't

likely to contract a disease as a child which used to be the norm, but now

are more likely to get a disease as an adult when the complications could be

worse.

:-)

[Guest guest]

Dr. Len:

Thanks for your information. I really appreciated it.

[Guest guest]

Sounds like the first had cow pox and the second just got my brain just flew

away and waved bye-bye dufus at me!!!!!!!!

Doctors are so dumb they don't even know that chickens carry chicken pox!!!

You have to inoculate them. (If you do that sort of thing) That's how they

got the name.

Ellen

ladylumbee@...

I believe that what is right is not always popular and what is popular is

not always right.

[Guest guest]

Don't forget that Vitamin A is also supposed to be an antiviral. There's a

Vitamin Therapy thread at www.mothering.com in the Vaccine Forum

Kathleen

In a message dated 6/20/2001 4:09:35 AM Central Daylight Time,

dougtrac@... writes:

> Well, I noticed that my 6 yr old son had some spots on his neck and tummy,

> looked closer and, yep, it's chicken pox. 4 yr old daughter has a couple of

> spots and imagine the 2 yr old will have some in a few days! n has a

> bit of a fever and is seeming tired, not much appetite. The others seem ok

> so far. I've given them vit C, and we'll have to do the bath thing and maybe

> some placebos because n especially, is acting very pitiful! I probably

> won't give them anything else for now unless anyone has any great

> suggestions out there. I usually let the illness run it's course.

>

> H. in Utah

>

[Guest guest]

TREATMENT—

• Drink freshly made juices, with added protein powder and brewer's yeast.

Drink vegetable broth.

• When the fever drops and appetite returns, give mashed bananas and fresh

raw applesauce. Use a light fat-free, sugar-free, diet. You can give vitamin

C to bowel tolerance.

• Catnip tea, with a little molasses, is good during the fever. If the child

is over two, catnip tea enemas will help reduce the fever.

• The only real concern with childhood chickenpox is pock scarring. This may

be minimized by several simple baths and applications. And, of course, do

not scratch.

• To avoid scratching the pocks, keep the child's nails short, to minimize

spreading of the infection. Have the child wear mittens or gloves, to avoid

scratching—especially at night. Instead of scratching, apply pressure to the

area. Bathe him often.

• Relieve itching with calamine lotion, moist baking soda, or starch baths.

Vitamin E oil can be applied directly to each papule.

• A deep, warm, 15-minute bath at the onset of the disease will help the pox

develop more rapidly. Keep the head cool. Do not let him become chilled.

• Each day, give a tepid bath, followed by a change of clothes and linens.

Protect against chilling while bathing and other times. Chickenpox pneumonia

can develop!

• Oatmeal baths are soothing, because they are alkaline. Put 1 pound of

uncooked oatmeal (or 1 heaping cup of uncooked rolled oats, ground fine, in

a blender) in a bag made of 2 thicknesses of old sheeting. Soften it with

hot water and then float it in the bathtub or hang it, so the faucet will

flow through it. You can use the bag to gently sponge the body. Pat dry when

finished; do not rub.

• If needed, mix 1 level teaspoon of salt with 1 pint (2 cups) of water, and

gargle with it.

• Avoid constipation.

• If you contract chickenpox as an adult, go on a fasting program of fruit

and vegetable juices, interspersed with light meals.

• Keep the infected child away from newborn infants, elderly people, and

pregnant women. They may not have had chickenpox before.

• Do not send the child back to school until all lesions have finished being

crusted.

• Antibiotics and corticosteroids do not help in any way, and should not be

given.

• Do not give aspirin! About 10% of Reye's syndrome (which see) cases occur

after chickenpox, as a result of aspirin dosages. Reye's can cause

irreversible coma or death.

>From: <dougtrac@...>

>Reply-Vaccinations

><vaccinations >

>Subject: chicken pox

>Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2001 18:52:28 -0600

>

>Well, I noticed that my 6 yr old son had some spots on his neck and tummy,

>looked closer and, yep, it's chicken pox. 4 yr old daughter has a couple of

>spots and imagine the 2 yr old will have some in a few days! n has a

>bit of a fever and is seeming tired, not much appetite. The others seem ok

>so far. I've given them vit C, and we'll have to do the bath thing and

>maybe

>some placebos because n especially, is acting very pitiful! I probably

>won't give them anything else for now unless anyone has any great

>suggestions out there. I usually let the illness run it's course.

>

> H. in Utah

>

_________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

Can we come over, ?!?!

Michele

Well, I noticed that my 6 yr old son had some spots on his neck and tummy,

looked closer and, yep, it's chicken pox. 4 yr old daughter has a couple of

spots and imagine the 2 yr old will have some in a few days! n has a

bit of a fever and is seeming tired, not much appetite. The others seem ok

so far. I've given them vit C, and we'll have to do the bath thing and maybe

some placebos because n especially, is acting very pitiful! I probably

won't give them anything else for now unless anyone has any great

suggestions out there. I usually let the illness run it's course.

H. in Utah

..

[Guest guest]

Sure! I actually have a friend coming over so her kids will, hopefully, get

it. She wants them to get it now while they are fairly young. Maybe I should

advertise in the paper. Oh wait- the health department will probably come

and declare an official outbreak of chicken pox-heaven forbid!!

H. in Utah

> From: " Michele Welsh " <jjcwelsh@...>

> Reply-Vaccinations

> Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 10:41:22 -0500

> <Vaccinations >

> Subject: RE: chicken pox

>

> Can we come over, ?!?!

>

> Michele

>

>

> Well, I noticed that my 6 yr old son had some spots on his neck and tummy,

> looked closer and, yep, it's chicken pox. 4 yr old daughter has a couple of

> spots and imagine the 2 yr old will have some in a few days! n has a

> bit of a fever and is seeming tired, not much appetite. The others seem ok

> so far. I've given them vit C, and we'll have to do the bath thing and maybe

> some placebos because n especially, is acting very pitiful! I probably

> won't give them anything else for now unless anyone has any great

> suggestions out there. I usually let the illness run it's course.

>

> H. in Utah

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> .

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I saw a new chicken pox vaccine TV ad today. Just one more way to scare

parents into spending money. I hope the parents are smart enough to laugh at

the scary commercial and remember there own experiences.

[Guest guest]

Doubtful, I imagine this is how measles was turned from a benign childhood

disease into a " killer " . Besides, I already see the beginnings of this same

conversion with chickenpox. Some moms actually fear chickenpox now! Can you

believe it?!

Kathleen

In a message dated 6/27/2001 12:39:12 AM Central Daylight Time,

JILBAIT@... writes:

> I saw a new chicken pox vaccine TV ad today. Just one more way to scare

> parents into spending money. I hope the parents are smart enough to laugh

> at

> the scary commercial and remember there own experiences.

>

>

[Guest guest]

OMG! OMG! OMG!! I HATE this commercial!! Everytime

it comes on, dh thiks I have gone nuts, cos I start

freaking out and ranting at the tv!! Think he's

getting used to it now tho!! LOL!!

~Donna...central Illinois (otherwise known as Hell on

earth)

--- JILBAIT@... wrote:

> I saw a new chicken pox vaccine TV ad today. Just

> one more way to scare

> parents into spending money. I hope the parents are

> smart enough to laugh at

> the scary commercial and remember there own

> experiences.

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

My friend just informed her ped that she wasn't vaccinating, and was given a

slick, glossy booklet (courtesy of our friends at Merck) featuring the crying

teddy bear, sad because many children die of Chicken Pox every year, and at

the end is a smiling teddy bear with a band aid, because now that he has had

the shot, he is not afraid of dying from the chicken pox. Pluh-ease!!!!!

When I said I was no longer vaccinating my 2 year old, Varivax was the only

one they tried to talk me into. I was shocked. They didn't even mention the

MMR. Yikes.