A situation - your thoughts

[Allegra]

I first like to state that I believe that parents who are well informed about immunizations have the right to choose whether or not to immunize their children.

The Situation (a bit long - sorry)
I was discussing with DP's brother today if he was seeing his daughter(21 months) tommorow (parents of the baby girl are not together). He tells me that he will be looking after her all day because the child care center where she goes has had an outbreak of chicken pox. The Mum has uni tommorow and doesn't want to take her to childcare because of the risk of the baby getting it but doesn't want to miss uni either. The dad has to miss a few hours of work if he looks after her.
Well this baby has had some of the earlier immunizations but then the mum decided not to get the rest. The Dad wanted her to have all of the shots. They had huge fights for months over this issue and he finally relented. (they were getting no where).
I asked the dad today why he is looking after her if it was the mums plan not to immunize her, shouldn't she be the one to take care of her? He agreed with me but doesn't want to put his child at risk for getting chicken pox. I told him that it was my belief that she might already have it (she was at child care last week - 2 days before the first baby got sick) and he would be at risk of getting it.

My questions are -

Do people who dont immunize avoid situations where their children could get chicken pox?

Should the Dad ask the mum to stay home from uni and take care of their daughter if she doesn't want her to go. Also what risk is it for him getting chicken pox? (he has never had it - and I have told him that he should immunize himself before his child)

Should he bring up the immunization question again with her (he often asks for DP's and my advice)

Just interested to hear people's views. Dont want to debate on the immunization issue just want to know what people do in this type of situation.


angie

[missie_mack]

Do people who dont immunise avoid situations where their children could get chicken pox?

(We do vax but not for everything and will not be vaxxing for Chicken Pox) Legally I dont think the kids are allowed to be at the school if they have had a break out but in general I am not afraid of my children getting chicken pox.

Should the Dad ask the mum to stay home from uni and take care of their daughter if she doesn't want her to go. Also what risk is it for him getting chicken pox? (he has never had it - and I have told him that he should immunise himself before his child)

Firstly he may have a natural immunity. My Mum never had it and survived 2 children and 17 neices and nephews who all had it and had contact with her during the time for example. But not wanting him to risk getting shingles.. depending on the situation at uni (ie there was something on that would affect my degree if I missed it) I would probably be the one at home or ask another relative to help me out who has had chicken pox

Should he bring up the immunisation question again with her (he often asks for DP's and my advice)

I think that is up to him. I try not to meddle in other peoples marriages and wouldn't like to be responsible for stirring up arguements.

[Lila]

firstly
the vax doesn´t give you 100% cover, my kids were immunised, but got the chickenpox anyway 6 month later.....

secondly
if the outbreak occured already, then there is no point in panicking, as the incubation is around 2-3 weeks, so by the time the first child started having signs, the others were infected already...

third
my dh and i didn´t get the chickenpox when our older ones had them, but i caught them last year from somebody UNKNOWN.....hurray-
and it wasn´t a big deal, a bit a headache, a bit a itch, but really no big thing.....

[stellarella]

Do people who dont immunize avoid situations where their children could get chicken pox?
I dont immunise and yes I would definately keep my child away from any situation where he might catch something. ALTHOUGH chicken pox is mild in children and part of me thinks it would be better to expose DS to it at a young age. So I'm undecided on the chicken pox issue.

Should the Dad ask the mum to stay home from uni and take care of their daughter if she doesn't want her to go. Also what risk is it for him getting chicken pox? (he has never had it - and I have told him that he should immunize himself before his child)
I dont know the actual risk of him getting chicken pox. I'm not entirely sure of the incubation period however its still unlikely his daughter even has it (What kind of contact did she have with the infected child?) And even more unlikely he will get it.

As for him asking the mother to stay with the child, thats something they need to work out together. He sounds like a great dad and would prefer to be with his daughter rather than have her go to daycare. It depends how willing the mother is to compromise I guess.

Should he bring up the immunization question again with her (he often asks for DP's and my advice) I am pretty sure both parents need to consent to immunisation. He cannot have her immunised if she wont agree. Of course he can state his case again if he feels compelled to.

HTH

[Myztik]

I am pretty sure both parents need to consent to immunisation. He cannot have her immunised if she wont agree. Of course he can state his case again if he feels compelled to.

Just want to say that I have never had to get consent from my ex in regards to DS1's immunisations. I just go to the doctor and say he needs his needles, he signs a form and I go see the nurse.. There has never been any mention of whether the father consents or not..

Also chicken pox/shingles in adults can actually be quite serious..

eta

Since shingles is a reactivation of a virus contracted previously—often decades earlier—it cannot be induced by exposure to another person with shingles or chicken pox (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_pox). Those with active blisters, however, can spread chicken pox to others who have never had that condition and who have not been vaccinated against it

[RedPanda]

Do people who dont immunize avoid situations where their children could get chicken pox?

I think most do, unless like Ella said, they want their child to contract the disease to build natural immunity.

Should the Dad ask the mum to stay home from uni and take care of their daughter if she doesn't want her to go. Also what risk is it for him getting chicken pox? (he has never had it - and I have told him that he should immunize himself before his child)

He should make her take time off if he hasn't had chicken pox yet. It is very nasty to get as an adult. And I believe it is quite contagious. My BIL had it when he was 26 and it wiped him out for ages. If I were your BIL, I would go and get immunised!

Should he bring up the immunization question again with her (he often asks for DP's and my advice) If it's something he feels strongly about, then yes, he should. He has just as much right to put his case forward as his child's mother. I can't see that there could be a compromise, but perhaps they could understand each other's point of view a bit more.