Biiiiink

Can any parent whose child has had it recently tell me if a blood test was required first?

We're trying to get it arranged here before we go and have come up against all kinds of excuses - the latest one is that to comply with health board protocol, our son (20mths) would need a blood test first. Yeh right!!! Can you imagine trying to take blood from a little toddler only to prove what we've been saying all along, i.e. that he's never had chicken pox and is therefore not immune. Utterly pointless and distressing for all concerned. Bah!

We're thinking of giving up (after the letter of complaint) and getting it in Canada asap - assuming no blood test is required there either.

Thanks in anticipation for any insight,

Biiiiink

MikeUK

Be careful just because your child has not shown clear symptoms of chickenpox doesn't mean to say he's never caught it or is expressing antibodies to it..

Biiiiink

That's true but in addition to our testimony, Mr B, his father, was found to be sero-negative recently so we're assuming that if Biiiiink Jr had it, even subclinically, he would most likely have infected his father too which hasn't been the case. Mr B is now vaccinated in case he were to pass it on to vulnerable patients but we can't get Jr done without a blood test, in this NHS healthboard at least.

So, anyone know if they insist on blood testing young babies/toddlers first in Canada too?

Biiiiink

Grah

Not to be callous or mean, but blood test and worst happen all the time

Why do a test according to http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vaccine/varic...en-vaccine.htm

blood testing before vaccination can be cost saving.

But try http://www.usask.ca/pediatrics/services/chickenpox.php


or ask on this site http://iparentingcanada.com/

ksct97

is it so bad to get the blood test for your little'un? it's normally just a heelprick and that's it... some discomfort but nothing too severe.

Our daughter (was about 12months) had to give blood twice this way... a bit squirmy at first but was over very quickly...

Glaswegian

We didnt have to bother as our two got chicken pox the week we were originally scheduled to fly out. The NHS didnt seem to offer it back then. It seems routine out here so I would probably wait.

HOWEVER the one I would get now is the BCG as its so far been denied to our children. Not high priority,not routine, not required in this city, only given to First Nation children, not high risk environment etc. I would concentrate on this one. So if anybody knows otherwise I would love to hear how to get it.

Chicken pox vaccine is easy to get here - and actively encouraged.

Mrs G

Siren & Brian

I don't see the point of the vaccine at all... Everyone I've ever known and all my kids (and their friends) have all had the chicken pox.

Once you've had them, it is a great rarity to ever get it again and it's a fairly harmless thing.

A fever, some mossie-bite type blisters for a few days and it's done with. AND because most people get them as a child, the occurance of shingles as an adult is virtually nil.

I understand vaccinations for potentially lethal and crippling diseases like Polio, Diptheria, Tetanus, Mumps, Measles and Rubella but chicken pox seems a bit much

Another option is to wait until they are 10 or so to see if they get the infection naturally, if not, immunize them before they are 12 (after that, more serious cases and complications can occur.)

Ultimately, it is your choice as the parent to make the decision.

Siren

dingbat

You can get it anywhere in Canada, and they will just ask (in BC anyway) if your kids have had chickenpox. I won't touch it - crap reuptake rate and I prefer the early natural infection method - over and done with! Beware: they will not ask you if anyone has recurring shingles in your family, and it matters. The vaccine does not prevent shingles. (Canada is behind on the latest vaccination information, my local health unit had never even heard of the MMR controversy in Europe, even when the research and test results were finally duplicated in the States.) To vaccinate or not is my personal choice, as it is your choice, your kid, of course.

ksct97

for most people, getting chicken pox, especially during childhood is just some discomfort for a couple of weeks, but for the unfortunate few, it can be quite disabilitating... it also can be fatal, so the potential is there... more so for unborn and neo-natal babies, and those with a weak immune system. For adults it is a very serious matter, so i concur with your sentiment of getting the vaccine pre-adolescence.

Also, getting shingles is not a nil chance... i got it when i was in my early 20's, and its just a reappearance of the herpes virus that caused the chicken pox (and also those cold sores you may get...). I though i was in decent fitness, not overly stressed out, but still got it.

Biiiiink

Thanks all - I love the time difference - post a q, go to bed, wake up and get lots of lovely replies

The blood test is hideous for a 20mth old, it's not a heel prick but a full-on let's find a vein whilst a squirmy screaming toddler has a tantrum... It's so utterly pointless. They want to do it in hospital here as no GP would have a chance of getting a single ml out of a toddler under normal circumstances. I *do* see the point in blood-testing adults who may have a hazy memory - I refused to believe Mr B when he said he'd never had chicken pox in all his 33yrs but a blood test a few weeks ago proved him right!! But as even the relevant consultant has said, in Jr's case it's a pointless and nasty experience for all, simply to comply with a protocol written for adults. Nobody in the UK has this vaccination, it's in the formulary but nobody knows what to do, how to give it, should we pay for it,...etc etc. We're clearly the first people in this healthboard to ask for it. The whole experience has been a farce thus far and we still have no vaccine for Jr but have managed to at least get one for Mr B.

BCG should be quite easy to get here in the UK although when we asked about it before Xmas for our holiday to Sri Lanka we were told no. Funny that, as we were offered it in Yorkhill the day Jr was born but declined as we didn't think it was necessary at the time. There has been lots of TB cases here, as in all the big cities. I'll look into that one before we leave, thanks for the tip Glaswegian.

It's our understanding that the vaccination *may* lead to avoidance of shingles in later life. It's not been proven one way or the other, but I'll take the chance that it may, rather than catching it naturally, where shingles is a 100% certainty if the virus reactivates. Hasn't Mr Chrétien spoken often about his excrutiating recurring shingles? -It's a nasty, nasty thing, particularly in the elderly and we'd like to avoid it for Jr if there's a slight chance to.

I don't want to start an MMR debate here but I for one am thankful Canadians have kept a cool head and treated the whole thing with the contempt it deserves. No findings have been replicated, unless you mean that now Dr Wakefield is headed for Texas he can make claims like "Scientists in America agree..." kind of thing hehe

So, it seems like you're all saying no blood test will be required? If that's so, we'll just give up on the NHS and wait. Phew!!!

Thanks again all,

Biiiiink