Lollipop Parties to Infect Kids with Chickenpox

So, why would a parent purchase a lollipop that was licked by a child with Chicken Pox, for infecting her child with Chicken Pox? Not to mention the disgust factor, or the assumption that you child will contract chicken pox, apparently some parents think that it's a matter of convenience to intentionally expose their children to an infectious disease.

By the way, it's not a foregone conclusion that a child will ever contract Chicken pox. I've never had Chicken Pox, Mumps, measles or any of those childhood diseases.


http://newyork.ibtimes.com/articles...enpox-lollipops-federal-crime-carry-risks.htm

 

Parents want their kids exposed as a child because complications due to chickenpox are less likely and less severe than if they contract it as an adult. Complications in an adult can be pretty serious. My son contracted chickenpox without us having to resort to chickenpox parties or other unorthodox methods, thankfully.

 

uuugh! I typed up a big long response to this, and i timed out :-( Anyways, the point of my reply was....Why not just get the vaccine? Why risk exposure for your child? The article makes a valid point: How will you feel if your child is one of the few that develops serious complications from the Varicella virus? IMO- Id rather deal with a bit of pain, swelling, redness from the injection site.

 

I'd rather use the vaccine too, but I see why people do expose their children to it. They just think they're doing the right thing.

 

I would not intentionally expose my child or any other child to Chicken Pox or any other childhood virus just to get it out of the way because I think the risks out-weigh the benefits if the illness spins out of control.

If I understand the evolution of viruses and the experts studying them, there are now several strains of Chicken Pox out there. One strain that may have been native to an area or region and other mutated strains "imported" from other areas. Although a child may have enough antibodies to "fight" a native strain through the various ways such antibodies are developed (breast feeding, etc), there may be no protection against the mutated/foreign strain.

 

both mine have had the vaccine, far easier and safer. too many pregnant woman walking around here to risk infection

 

True, true.