<p>Daughter mailed in her physical exam info to college. Receives an email asking why there is no record of a second varicella vaccination. She explains she actually had chicken pox in 1994 (a year before the vaccination was available). School health center replies that she needs to get the second vaccination or have a blood test to prove she had chicken pox.</p>
<p>What a waste of money and time! This isn't that serious of a disease to began with...</p>
<p>Does her pediatrician have it recorded that she had chicken pox? So far it seems like D2’s school is just taking her word for it. I can’t remember what we provided for D1.</p>
<p>Neither my d’s had chicken pox shots. Pediatrician wrote on their immunization forms for school ( we are in GA) the year and month they had chicken pox. I remember we had a problem in middle school since only the year was initially recorded. D1 is a sophomore in college and hasn’t had a problem.</p>
<p>The school is right to be concerned. Chicken pox is usually a mild disease if you get it as a child, but if you get it as an adult (and I mean chicken pox, not shingles) it can be very serious. An adult case of chicken pox could easily land your daughter in the hospital. You should be thankful the school is concerned for the welfare of your daughter and the other students.</p>
<p>“Cases of adult chickenpox are far less common than those in children, but the potential complications for adults infected with chickenpox are very serious.”</p>
<p>It’s actually very serious for some kids. My two nieces were hospitalized when they had it as babies because they had sores inside their mouths and throats and could not eat or drink without pain. It was their experience that made it an easy decision for me to vaccinate my youngest. Her older sister just has had to list the year she had them, and it’s clear that it was before the vaccine was out.</p>
<p>Actually chicken pox can have very serious complications, especially for adults. Our pediatrician had a record of our son having the illness. Does yours? If not, get the test and be done with it.</p>
<p>As someone who was a student in New York when there was a major Measles outbreak in the late 1980’s, I can see why they are concerned. The vast majority of students who got it had been immunized.</p>
<p>The body does not always develop immunity, either through the vaccination or from the virus itself. I had it twice as a child (my brother and cousin developed immunity the first time, we are certain that’s what it was both times). You have a choice - a blood test to show she is immune, or get another immunization. It’s not that big of a deal! My DD had to have an extra Polio vaccine last year (at age 16), because this state requires the final one to be after the 4th birthday - they only require three, but she had 4 before the age of 4 to meet the requirements when she started school in Maryland. Each state handles thing slightly differently, both in k-12 and for college students. Her college may be in a state that does not consider family history to be adequate - many now require the blood test (though it could be a blood test done 10 years ago and noted in the medical records). If the blood test was done, it pays to have those details in the records, even if your own state doesn’t require it.</p>
<p>It’s exceptionally serious as adults. My oldest brought it home from pre-school when he was three and passed it on to our 18mo just before the vaccine was being introduced to the general public. Neither my DH or myself had a documented case of CP and I was pregnant with our third. We were sent to a major hospital and both received blood tests. I had all the antibodies one could hope for, he had none. We were on the outset of exposure but they gave the vaccine to DH anyway. Three days later sitting in a hotel on business he broke out in the rash. It was hideous. It’s hard as a very young child (my 18mo had over 100 pox on his tiny face alone), but as an adult it’s very dangerous and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.</p>
<p>If the Dr’s records aren’t enough, the labwork to show antibodies is a pain but I can’t imagine it will be that expensive. The university has a responsibility to make sure they keep the student population at as low a risk as possible. Those dorms are a literal petri dish for anything communicable.</p>
<p>People who have had only one vaccine are now at risk for susceptibility. A second is needed. The school is quite right in mandating a second vaccine or assuring that your child has an adequate titer.
My children were infected in pre-school just before the vaccine was approved. I in turn got it as a 35 yo. I have never been more ill in my entire life… delirious, super-infections on top of the virus, my sclera even had blisters. I have no idea how my husband was able to look at me…something out of a textbook of infectious diseases.
So for the sake of the entire college population, get the blood test.</p>
<p>blueiguana - How in heaven’s name did your H get home??</p>
<p>I got chicken pox when I was 35. It was miserable - I missed two weeks of work. I had blisters everywhere including my vagina and inside my mouth. It’s worth it for colleges to make sure there’s a herd immunity.</p>
<p>If your pediatrician made note of the chicken pox in her medical records, they can send a letter to the school. That’s what we did and it was fine, no extra vaccinations or blood work necessary.</p>
<p>creative1,
In 1993, while home after giving birth to my youngest, her two older sisters came down with the chicken pox. In six weeks during my maternity leave I had three children with the chicken pox. Youngest had it at six weeks! </p>
<p>Fast forward to last week. After requesting the most up to date immunization records during her college physical, I received a phone call from public health. They didn’t believe that a 6 week old could have had the chicken pox. I told them I remember those six weeks very well. Paid for a blood test to check for immunity. She did have immunity…Chicken pox is a big deal for adults!!! If a young woman has chicken pox during pregnancy, bad things can happen! [Chickenpox</a> and pregnancy: What are the concerns? - MayoClinic.com](<a href=“http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chickenpox-and-pregnancy/HO00036]Chickenpox”>Chickenpox and pregnancy: What are the concerns? - Mayo Clinic)</p>
<p>Agreed stradmom. This is especially true because once you called the pediatrician and told you that you think your child had chickenpox, they didn’t want you anywhere near their waiting rooms, to potentially infect others…
My kids were offered the vaccine the first year it was available in 1995 and we didn’t want them being the beta testers for it so we decided to wait and luckily they both got and had mild cases at ages 1 and 2…</p>
<p>The varicella titer test is commonly administered and no big deal, just a typical blood test. My husband never had chickenpox as a child but our health care provider insisted he have the blood test before they would give him the chickenpox vaccine. The test proved that, indeed, he never had chickenpox. Ten years after receiving the vaccine he developed shingles, so the vaccine (which is a live but weakened virus) does NOT always ensure that kids will not some day come down with shingles. So our kids who received the chickenpox vaccine may also need the shingles vaccine when they are older. Merck has a great revenue stream for the foreseeable future.</p>
Luckily he didn’t have to get on a plane. He did have to wait for an associate to finish a meeting who was with him on the trip and then could drive him the 3.5hrs home. It was less then 12 hours from first blister to home and he was covered, and I mean everywhere. He was out of work for over two weeks. </p>
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This is why I was sent several hours to the nearest women’s hospital to check for immunities. It was there that DH mentioned he’d never had the CP either and they tested him also. When the tests came back and I was fine & he needed the vaccine he became the first man ever admitted to Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburg. You’ve never seen so many nurses crowded in one room to give a guy a shot in the rear!! :D</p>
<p>Many years ago a very good adult friend got the chicken pox after her kids had it. She was absolutely a mess. The doctors wanted to see her in the ER BUT they did not want anyone else to be there (this was a VERY small town hospital). She could not drive herself. I was the only person she knew who was SURE they had the chicken pox as a child…so we waited until the coast was clear…and I took her to the hospital. She was actually admitted…she was THAT sick.</p>
<p>My son had chicken pox. We tried and tried and tried to expose DD to the illness and finally gave up. Despite our best efforts, she was the ONLY kid in her nursery school who did NOT get the illness…and the only one at her day care who didn’t get it. She got the shot. She actually has had it twice…needed a second shot before she went to college.</p>
<p>A childhood friend died when she was 12 for complications of chicken pox. She developed meningitis and died a week after. My aunt had it when she was pregnant, and my cousin had a lot of learning disabilities as a consequence.</p>
<p>It is a serious disease, get your daughter the second vaccine to make sure she has immunity, or get the blood tests.</p>
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