CHICKEN POX - advice please

On May 15, 6:01 am, Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Just as an aside, they're now recommending a booster
for the chicken pox vaccine. I think the current recommendation
is one at 12 months and a second at 4-6 years. If they're older
than 4-6 years but have only had one shot, it's either one or
two additional shots they need.

Correct. Contrary to before, the recommendation is now one shot at 12
months (often in a combined vaccine with the MMR) and one at 4-6 years
old (again often combined in the MMR booster). As this change was
just made within the last year there are probably a lot of school age
kids who will be due for a chicken pox (aka varicella) booster at
their next check-up. There have been enough breakthrough cases due to
decreased effectiveness over time that the booster is now
recommended. Anyone who got the actual disease is automatically
considered immune, though in some unusual circumstances a blood test
might be needed to prove that.

Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel
and the Bug, nearly 4 years old

"Akuvikate" wrote in message
ups.com...
On May 15, 6:01 am, Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Just as an aside, they're now recommending a booster
for the chicken pox vaccine. I think the current recommendation
is one at 12 months and a second at 4-6 years. If they're older
than 4-6 years but have only had one shot, it's either one or
two additional shots they need.

Correct. Contrary to before, the recommendation is now one shot at 12
months (often in a combined vaccine with the MMR) and one at 4-6 years
old (again often combined in the MMR booster). As this change was
just made within the last year there are probably a lot of school age
kids who will be due for a chicken pox (aka varicella) booster at
their next check-up. There have been enough breakthrough cases due to
decreased effectiveness over time that the booster is now
recommended. Anyone who got the actual disease is automatically
considered immune, though in some unusual circumstances a blood test
might be needed to prove that.

My kids that were previously vaccinated are now 14 and 9.5 - should I ask
for booster shots?
The 14-yr-old recently survived an outbreak at his middle school.

deja.blues wrote:
"Akuvikate" wrote in message
ups.com...
On May 15, 6:01 am, Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Just as an aside, they're now recommending a booster
for the chicken pox vaccine. I think the current recommendation
is one at 12 months and a second at 4-6 years. If they're older
than 4-6 years but have only had one shot, it's either one or
two additional shots they need.
Correct. Contrary to before, the recommendation is now one shot at 12
months (often in a combined vaccine with the MMR) and one at 4-6 years
old (again often combined in the MMR booster). As this change was
just made within the last year there are probably a lot of school age
kids who will be due for a chicken pox (aka varicella) booster at
their next check-up. There have been enough breakthrough cases due to
decreased effectiveness over time that the booster is now
recommended. Anyone who got the actual disease is automatically
considered immune, though in some unusual circumstances a blood test
might be needed to prove that.

My kids that were previously vaccinated are now 14 and 9.5 - should I ask
for booster shots?
The 14-yr-old recently survived an outbreak at his middle school.

A good source of information on vaccines is the CDC (Centers for Disease
Prevention and Control). You can look he www.cdc.gov. They just
changed their home page, so you will have to hunt around a bit (or just
use the search function).

Another thing you can do is ask your kid's doctor at his next visit.
There usually is a check up every year. And the summer is a good time
for them.

According to immunize.org, you teen needs a shot if he had only one shot
when he was younger. Your 9.5 year old will need a shot, too.

Here is the latest recommendations from the CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwr...cid=rr5515a1_e

Jeff

deja.blues wrote:
"Akuvikate" wrote in message
ups.com...
On May 15, 6:01 am, Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Just as an aside, they're now recommending a booster
for the chicken pox vaccine. I think the current recommendation
is one at 12 months and a second at 4-6 years. If they're older
than 4-6 years but have only had one shot, it's either one or
two additional shots they need.
Correct. Contrary to before, the recommendation is now one shot at 12
months (often in a combined vaccine with the MMR) and one at 4-6 years
old (again often combined in the MMR booster). As this change was
just made within the last year there are probably a lot of school age
kids who will be due for a chicken pox (aka varicella) booster at
their next check-up. There have been enough breakthrough cases due to
decreased effectiveness over time that the booster is now
recommended. Anyone who got the actual disease is automatically
considered immune, though in some unusual circumstances a blood test
might be needed to prove that.

My kids that were previously vaccinated are now 14 and 9.5 - should I ask
for booster shots?
The 14-yr-old recently survived an outbreak at his middle school.

Definitely ask about a booster and/or about getting
the immunity checked. Chicken pox is significantly more dangerous
at this age. Not everyone's immunity failed after a single dose,
and your kids might be just fine. I suppose it's a judgment call
whether one would rather just have the shot or have a blood test
possibly followed by a shot ;-)
My 9 and 11 year olds had been vaccinated at somewhere
around 12 months, but both came down with chicken pox last fall--
a milder case, fortunately, but they had it nonetheless. I don't
recall what percent are thought to have inadequate immunity after
only one shot. It's not a majority at your children's ages. Still,
chicken pox is nothing to mess around with at their ages either.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Ericka Kammerer wrote:
deja.blues wrote:
"Akuvikate" wrote in message
ups.com...
On May 15, 6:01 am, Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Just as an aside, they're now recommending a booster
for the chicken pox vaccine. I think the current recommendation
is one at 12 months and a second at 4-6 years. If they're older
than 4-6 years but have only had one shot, it's either one or
two additional shots they need.
Correct. Contrary to before, the recommendation is now one shot at 12
months (often in a combined vaccine with the MMR) and one at 4-6 years
old (again often combined in the MMR booster). As this change was
just made within the last year there are probably a lot of school age
kids who will be due for a chicken pox (aka varicella) booster at
their next check-up. There have been enough breakthrough cases due to
decreased effectiveness over time that the booster is now
recommended. Anyone who got the actual disease is automatically
considered immune, though in some unusual circumstances a blood test
might be needed to prove that.

My kids that were previously vaccinated are now 14 and 9.5 - should I
ask for booster shots?
The 14-yr-old recently survived an outbreak at his middle school.

Definitely ask about a booster and/or about getting
the immunity checked. Chicken pox is significantly more dangerous
at this age. Not everyone's immunity failed after a single dose,
and your kids might be just fine. I suppose it's a judgment call
whether one would rather just have the shot or have a blood test
possibly followed by a shot ;-)
My 9 and 11 year olds had been vaccinated at somewhere
around 12 months, but both came down with chicken pox last fall--
a milder case, fortunately, but they had it nonetheless. I don't
recall what percent are thought to have inadequate immunity after
only one shot. It's not a majority at your children's ages. Still,
chicken pox is nothing to mess around with at their ages either.

The recommendation from the CDC is two shots, one around 12 months and
one at ages 4-6. If either shot is missed, the shots should be made up.

If someone has chicken pox, there is no need for shots.

But don't trust me. Ask your kid's doctor.

And double check the immunization records. A lot of the time, we forget
which kid had which shot.

Jeff

Best wishes,
Ericka

"Robert Watson" wrote in message
news:Jc13i.88264$Ae.71140@trnddc07...
The recommendation from the CDC is two shots, one around 12 months and one
at ages 4-6. If either shot is missed, the shots should be made up.

I jumped in late to this thread so I apologize if this has already been
answered but, is this booster recommendation relatively new? My ds had his
six year check up in November but they didn't say anything about a booster.
I think I'll call the office to see what they are doing.

JennP.
If someone has chicken pox, there is no need for shots.

But don't trust me. Ask your kid's doctor.

And double check the immunization records. A lot of the time, we forget
which kid had which shot.

Jeff

Best wishes,
Ericka

JennP. wrote:

I jumped in late to this thread so I apologize if this has already been
answered but, is this booster recommendation relatively new? My ds had his
six year check up in November but they didn't say anything about a booster.
I think I'll call the office to see what they are doing.

It is relatively new. IIRC, it came out about the time
my boys came down with chicken pox, which was right before
Thanksgiving.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Ericka Kammerer wrote:
JennP. wrote:

I jumped in late to this thread so I apologize if this has already
been answered but, is this booster recommendation relatively new? My
ds had his six year check up in November but they didn't say anything
about a booster. I think I'll call the office to see what they are doing.

It is relatively new. IIRC, it came out about the time
my boys came down with chicken pox, which was right before
Thanksgiving.

Best wishes,
Ericka

It could be that Jenn's ds already had the booster when he was four or
so. Anyway, if your doctor's isn't doing the booster, download the
recommendation and bring it with you next time you go to the doctor's
office.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwr...cid=rr5515a1_e

You might want to print a few relevant pages or find the pdf file of the
recommendations that show a nice a table, and bring that in.

Jeff

Robert Watson wrote:
Ericka Kammerer wrote:
JennP. wrote:

I jumped in late to this thread so I apologize if this has already
been answered but, is this booster recommendation relatively new? My
ds had his six year check up in November but they didn't say anything
about a booster. I think I'll call the office to see what they are
doing.

It is relatively new. IIRC, it came out about the time
my boys came down with chicken pox, which was right before
Thanksgiving.

It could be that Jenn's ds already had the booster when he was four or
so.

Could be, but unlikely given that two years ago they weren't
recommending the booster. There's also a bit of a vaccine shortage
going on, with (I think) the quad vaccine (MMR + varivax) in short
supply, which may be affecting how offices are planning their catch-
up strategies for those who didn't get the booster.

Best wishes,
Ericka

On May 17, 11:23 am, Robert Watson wrote:
deja.blues wrote:
"Akuvikate" wrote in message
oups.com...
On May 15, 6:01 am, Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Just as an aside, they're now recommending a booster
for the chicken pox vaccine. I think the current recommendation
is one at 12 months and a second at 4-6 years. If they're older
than 4-6 years but have only had one shot, it's either one or
two additional shots they need.
Correct. Contrary to before, the recommendation is now one shot at 12
months (often in a combined vaccine with the MMR) and one at 4-6 years
old (again often combined in the MMR booster). As this change was
just made within the last year there are probably a lot of school age
kids who will be due for a chicken pox (aka varicella) booster at
their next check-up. There have been enough breakthrough cases due to
decreased effectiveness over time that the booster is now
recommended. Anyone who got the actual disease is automatically
considered immune, though in some unusual circumstances a blood test
might be needed to prove that.

My kids that were previously vaccinated are now 14 and 9.5 - should I ask
for booster shots?
The 14-yr-old recently survived an outbreak at his middle school.

A good source of information on vaccines is the CDC (Centers for Disease
Prevention and Control). You can look hewww.cdc.gov. They just
changed their home page, so you will have to hunt around a bit (or just
use the search function).

http://www.cdc.gov/nip/menus/vaccines.htm#varicella