This has been a hot topic for me over the last few weeks. Our school district just announced that they require kindergartners to have, not only the original vaccine for chicken pox, but the booster as well.
This was a brand new vaccine the year my son was born. When he had it, they didn't know how long it would last or the severity of the chicken pox if he did get it. Not real helpful, but I dutifully got the vaccination, which was optional. My second and third children also received the vaccination.
Fast forward 4 years after more reading and knowing several children that have had chicken pox despite having the vaccine. The amount of time between boosters is getting shorter, too. We are the guinea pigs for this vaccine.
I talked with my pediatrician during the spring about this topic, before the school district made this their policy. She really wanted my oldest, 13, to have the booster because if he got chicken pox, it would likely be shingles at this point. I am probably okay with that decision.
I had been hearing so much more about shingles over the last few months, so I read up on it a bit more. I did not realize until a couple of years ago that shingles is basically chicken pox as an adult. It can be very painful and even life threatening. Chicken pox, when a child gets it, is rarely dangerous.
Years ago, as adults were around children -- and the population at large -- getting chicken pox, this was a good thing because it acted like a booster, protecting them from shingles. Now that chicken pox has been virtually removed from our US population we are seeing lots of older people having to get a shingles vaccine or actually getting shingles. We are giving a vaccine because of a vaccine! Just letting children get chicken pox would have been so much simpler.
So, now, if you decide to not have your child vaccinated against chicken pox and they are fortunate enough to actually get it, they will not have the natural booster of being around people with chicken pox throughout their life. They will eventually be forced into getting the shingles vaccine. Do you see where I am going with this? Americans have been forced into this system of vaccinations.
Don't get me wrong. I am not against all vaccinations. I think they have done some good things. This particular vaccination, however, is ridiculous. I am left with deciding, do I vaccinate my fourth child now, or in 10 years?
I live in Texas and it was incredibly simple to get the waiver for school. It is not a state law to immunize your child. The school nurse at my son's middle school recently sent home a paper that said that it was a state law that your child be current on his/her immunizations or they could not sit in the classroom. That is a false statement. Do not be bullied into immunizing your child if you do not feel good about it. Read up on it and be informed.
We will all be affected by this, not just our children. Good luck with this particular immunization -- now and throughout your life and your child's life.
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