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Should I let my kids get chicken pox?

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batgirl_cdn
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Post by batgirl_cdn » Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:59 am

In order to get shingles you must have already had chicken pox. Here is info from wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_zoster

Found in the "Prevention" section,

A live vaccine for VZV exists, marketed as Zostavax. In a 2005 study of 38,000 older adults it prevented half the cases of herpes zoster and reduced the number of cases of postherpetic neuralgia by two-thirds.[26] A 2007 study found that the zoster vaccine is likely to be cost-effective in the U.S., projecting an annual savings of $82 to $103 million in healthcare costs with cost-effectiveness ratios ranging from $16,229 to $27,609 per quality-adjusted life year gained.[27] In October 2007 the vaccine was officially recommended in the U.S. for healthy adults aged 60 and over.[28] Adults also receive an immune boost from contact with children infected with varicella, a boosting method that prevents about a quarter of herpes zoster cases among unvaccinated adults, but which is becoming less common in the U.S. now that children are routinely vaccinated against varicella.[29][8]

In the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, population-based immunization is not practiced. The rationale is that until the entire population could be immunized, adults who have previously contracted VZV would derive benefit from occasional exposure to VZV (from children), which serves as a booster to their immunity to the virus and may reduce the risk of shingles later on in life.[30] The UK Health Protection Agency states that while the vaccine is licensed in the UK there are no plans to introduce it into the routine childhood immunization scheme, although it may be offered to healthcare workers who have no immunity to VZV.[31]

A 2006 study of 243 cases and 483 matched controls found that fresh fruit is associated with a reduced risk of developing shingles: people who consumed less than one serving of fruit a day had three times the risk as those who consumed over three servings, after adjusting for other factors such as total energy intake. For those aged 60 or more, vitamins and vegetable intake had a similar association.[32]

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:00 am

There is a Shingles vaccine however, if your are interested. I'm not sure what the local medical fraternity's position on this is though.....

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/shi ... c-faqs.htm
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jpatokal
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Post by jpatokal » Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:29 pm

batgirl_cdn wrote:In order to get shingles you must have already had chicken pox.
Yes, but -- shingles and chicken pox are caused by the same virus. If you catch chicken pox as an adult, the odds of it turning into shingles are much higher than if you catch it as a child.
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batgirl_cdn
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Post by batgirl_cdn » Thu, 25 Jun 2009 4:47 pm

But you see, the increased use of the chicken pox vaccine has resulted in more adults catching the disease rather than children.

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Post by sierra2469alpha » Thu, 25 Jun 2009 5:47 pm

Would anyone like to inject so truth about this?

I'm happy to, because after dealing with kiddies in Mexico with rats eating their toes; in Thailand; in Vietnam with my deaf kids - well everyone is an expert!

Ah and the vaccine - no - it's only in final human testing. The only way to shove HVZ is with a measured dosage of Aciclovir (trade name) 10mg/kg body weight) followed by oral Aciclovir 50mg t.b.d.

@batgirl_cdn - quote something from a reputable source. Wikipedia? Fine, don't inject your kids, or do - but it seems your research is a little sour.

HTH, Mr. P

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Post by batgirl_cdn » Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:07 am

We were talking about the varicella (chicken pox) vaccine and whether it can in fact protect people from getting shingles, not a separate shingles vaccine, although that came up in the wikipedia article.

I don't use wikipedia as a source for choosing vaccinations for my kids. In any case, I suppose the parents that read the leaflets from the pharmaceutical companies in the doctors office and then get their kids the jabs have done more solid research than I have. :lol:

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