Should You Expose Your Child To The Chickenpox?

Before the chickenpox vaccine was made public in 1995, it was not uncommon for parents to throw what were called “pox parties”. This was an event where children with the chickenpox were allowed to play and socialize with kids who did not have it. The children who did not have the chickenpox would then get the infection and would go through the stages of it until their body won the fight. Many parents liked this idea because their child would have the chickenpox and essentially get the infection over with as soon as possible. There are pros and cons to this method of getting the chickenpox. “Pox parties” are quickly becoming an outdated event, but many parents are still wondering if they should purposefully expose their child to the chickenpox virus.

Having a child with the chickenpox can be taxing. You have to pull them out of school for five to ten days and possibly miss work in order to take care of them. You have to watch and make sure that they are not itching that the bumps and rashes so they will not scar. You also have to give them different creams and baths in order to stop the itching, as well as other medications to combat the other symptoms. Many parents had their children get chickenpox on purpose so they could schedule when they had to be home. They could have the chickenpox on a break from school or during the summer. There would also be a lot of different parents who were caring for children with chickenpox that could share remedies that were working for them.

Although it may seem convenient to know exactly when your child could have the chickenpox, it could be dangerous. There is a small percentage of people who develop serious life-threatening illnesses because of the chickenpox. No one knows who will be subjected to these kinds of complications, but exposing them to chickenpox raises that risk. The chickenpox vaccine has worked well in preventing this from happening because a child would be immune to the chickenpox without ever actually having to suffer through the illness.

Having chickenpox is not a pleasant ride. Ten days with a child who has an illness can get very tiresome. Exposing them to the virus means up to 10 days of caring for that child and taking off from work to do so. Your child will suffer through the illness after going to a “pox party” and you will hate watching your child suffer through an illness that cannot be stopped with medications. There are some remedies that can help the symptoms of chickenpox, but the best way to treat it is just to allow it to run its course. Instead of seeing your child suffer for 10 days after being exposed to the virus, you can schedule an appointment for the shots to be had. They will be immune from the virus in just a few days and both parties will not suffer for over a week. Even with the rare chance that someone develops chickenpox after getting the shot, the disease is much milder and does not last as long.

The choice to expose or not expose your child to chickenpox is ultimately up to you the parent. Both exposure and the vaccine pose a risk for your child’s health, so it is necessary to do your research and choose the best option for you. It would also be wise to talk to a doctor about chickenpox and the different options available to you.