Hi everyone!

We've been given the opportunity to have free chicken pox vaccines for our kids. I think that it'd be beneficial for Evan with his low immunity and then probably for Brandon so that he's not as likely to bring the chicken pox home. The problem is that our provincial government is only doing them for free until the end of May. I've asked my doctor's office to reserve two vaccines for us when they come in, but I want to know everyone's thoughts on the vaccine. (I learned today that they've been giving them in Japan for 25 years and that no one has had to be revaccinated.)

And by the way, it's not just Newfoundland getting a last blast from Old Man Winter. It looks like we're in for more snow tomorrow here in Ontario. Can you believe it? It's the end of April all ready, for Pete's sakes!

Hi Janette

Trent got his Varicella (chicken pox) vaccine a month ago. All kids in states get them at age 1. My 5 year old got hers at age one and she has never had them. Trent did fine with it and did not have any side effects from it.

Amy

Thanks for the info., Amy, especially about no side effects.

Are you serious? Everyone in the States gets this vaccine? For how many years has your government been doing this? Do you have to pay out of your pocket or do health insurance companies cover it? A few of our provinces have it included in their PHIPs (Provincial Health Insurance Plans), but not so here in Ontario. They will be offering it for free until the end of May, so I appreciate any information those of you with experience and knowledge about this vaccine can give me.

One last question (for now, anyway). :D What have your doctors told you about whether or not the kids will have to have a follow up booster sometime (years) down the road? From my research, I'm finding that no one really knows at this point.

I don't think they get boosters here, at least my daughter has not gotten one and it has not been mentioned.

The government started requiring this vaccine about 8 years ago. It is required to be able to attend school. Most health insurance covers it, since it is a required immunization.

Here is a good website to go to about the chicken pox vaccine:
www.cdc.gov/nip/vaccine/varicella

Amy

I forgot to put this on my other comment.

This is what the government website says about future varicella boosters:

Will a booster vaccination be needed in the future?
Ongoing studies and surveillance will determine the need for, and if appropriate, the timing of additional doses in the future. At this time, there is no recommendation for a booster dose.
(copied directly from site)

Amy

:? :oops:

:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

Sorry about the double post! My computer froze during the first one, and I didn't think it worked!

amy

Thanks again for the info., Amy. I've heard about the possibility of follow up boosters in 10 or more years. Japan has been doing the vaccination for 25 to 30 years without the need for the boosters and without people getting the chicken pox.

Hey Janette,
I was wondering how u found out that the Gov. of Ontario is providing the vaccine for free until the end of May? I was just speaking with my doctor about it 2 weeks ago and he mentioned the cost but not anything about the government providing it for free...Our insurance company will reimburse me so I am more than likely going to have the kids get it but free is obviously better...

Hi Stacy,

My mom told me about it, but I also read it in the local newspaper. I called the Public Health office like it suggested, but haven't heard back from them. In the meantime I called the doctor's office and they confirmed it. They're only going to be given 50 doses, but are reserving two (somewhat reluctantly) for my kids. The vaccination doses weren't in yet as of yesterday afternoon, but they hope to have received them by the end of this week. The only problem is that they're only free until May 31st. After that, they'll cost again. (No reason why! :roll: )

Let me know how it goes when you speak with your doctor's office.

Just curious, Stacy...How much did your doctor say the vaccine would cost?

I was told that it would be 100.00 a shot...

Yikes!!! Add that to the cost of the meningitis shot if you so choose, and it's pretty pricey! Has anyone done the meningitis shot for their kids?

We don't have the meningitis shot available here for all children. I asked our doc about it, and she said that it is only administered to children at high risk. I would like for Trent to get one, though, just can't find anyone to give it to him.

Amy

Do you think that doctors would consider our refluxers high enough risk to give the meningitis vaccine?

We've decided to go ahead with the chicken pox vaccine for both of our kids. They'll get it Tuesday. Do they need Tylenol before hand like with the other shots? Gee, I kind of hope they break out with it before Tuesday so we don't need to have the needles. Brandon has already been in contact with it at school.

Stacy, did you hear that Liz Witmer brought in a new (member's) bill? It looks like the chicken pox and meningitis vaccines may soon be available for free on a more permanent basis here in Ontario. Keep your fingers crossed!

Hi all,
No Janette, I hadn't heard about the possibilty that the vaccines would be free...wouldn't that be wonderful? Besides, they should be free anyways! We have an appt. with the ped. next week and I already have it on my list of questions to ask (I have to keep a list handy or I always forget to ask something).
I'm not sure if it's suggested to give them tylenol beforehand or not. I will try to find out if possible before Tuesday...
Take care all :D

Hi Janette.

They do recommend giving Tylenol before the vaccine as well as all the others only b/c one possible side effect is fever. I gave Trent tylenol before, and for 24 hours after the shot.

Amy

Stacy,

Here's a website that touches on the private member's bill.

http://thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_PrintFriendly&c=Article&cid=1083235194191&call_pageid=968256289824

Hey Janette,
Thanks for the info.! I'm gonna print it off and bring it to the doctor's office with me...let us know how the shots go tomorrow for your boys...

We had to cancel the vaccinations for today, and only within 1 1/2 hours of the appointment. When I dropped Brandon off at school, I learned from another mom that half of the class has been off with chicken pox. I called the doctor's office and found out that if my kids have already been in contact with the chicken pox and get the vaccine, they could come down with a very severe case. There's a 21 day incubation period. After that, they'll probably want to do a test to see if the boys have already built an immunity. Yuck! Oh well, I was kind of hoping the boys would get the chicken pox before getting today's vaccine anyway. Unfortunately, now they just might...

Oh no! Be careful what you wish for I guess...lol. I am such a firm believer in that, especially after being in the car accident while I was 35 weeks pregnant with Branden. I said throughout my whole pregnancy, "Geez I just want him out and NOW!!". well, little did I know that wish would come true, thankfully all turned out ok....ANYWAYS, I've always believed everything happens for a reason, so hopefully this will all turn out for the best too. Keep us posted and good luck! :D

O.K., so the nurse practitioner at our doctor's office told us that giving the vaccine if the kids had already been in contact with chicken pox would give them a much more severe case. It looks like Brandon (and possibly Evan too) may be in the early stages of chicken pox. We took them to the doctor on call this morning. She said we have to wait to see if the spots get a blistery look with clear fluid inside. Then they would break open and scab over. She said that we should consider getting the vaccine for Evan, that it would do nothing for him if he's already had contact with the chicken pox, that it would help him to have a less severe case if he does get it, and that it certainly would not make his chicken pox worse if he has already been in contact with the virus. I'll call the ped. in the morning, but in the mean time, does anyone know the real scoop on whether or not the vaccine would give him a more severe case of chicken pox if he has already been in contact with the virus?

So, ...the chicken pox saga continues. No one will confirm whether or not Brandon's spots are the chicken pox. We learned through a visit to the on-call doctor, a call to the ped., a call to the Healthy Babies, Healthy Children hotline and most importantly a call to the communicable diseases office that it's too late for Brandon to be vaccinated (last week would have been fine), but that it could still help Evan's case to be less severe if and/or when he gets the virus if he is still vaccinated today or tomorrow. Needless-to-say, I hurried Evan out for his Varivax vaccine this afternoon. We'll see how the next few days go.