Are chickenpox parties still a thing?

No, they are not “ a thing.”  And the science behind them “back in our day” never was very good.

The urban myths behind a chickenpox party is that you expose your child to chickenpox, they get chickenpox on your schedule, and in some way, getting them sick is good for them because of immunity.

Let’s bring the science: 

• Chickenpox is highly contagious. After exposure, symptoms develop in about 10-14 days but can take as long as 21 days. The exposed person is MOST infectious in the 2 days BEFORE symptoms start (like most successful viruses, it’s evolved to do that to reach as many new hosts as possible). Some children have a mild “prodromal” symptoms (runny nose, cough, or fever) in the 2 days before spots break out. The child (or unlucky adult) remain contagious until the last blister has scabbed over.   In short, children can be contagious to others before they become ill so the neighbourhood chicken pox party your child attended has now spread to your child’s creche or school — but the other parents didn’t get a choice about attending (and their upcoming Easter holiday in CenterParks or Lanzarote is already booked and paid for).
• Chickenpox has a reputation of being a mild disease, but not for every child. You can’t always predict which children will become very unwell.  More than 100 children in Ireland are hospitalised every year with chickenpox complications of sepsis or pneumonia.
• Chickenpox is more serious in young infants, pregnant women, and people who are immunosuppressed, which is why if you are bringing your child with chickenpox to the GP, always ring ahead and let them know so they can prepare to isolate you on arrival.
• But your child is protected from future chickenpox? Yes, but not the virus.  Varicella Zoster virus causes chickenpox, but can reactivate at any point later in life causing shingles. If you never had chickenpox, you don’t get shingles.
• The myth that everyone has to get chickenpox at some point. Did you know?   1 in 10 adults in Ireland are not immune to chickenpox. 

No one likes to see their child ill. No one likes to take 5 days (usually more, especially if you have multiple children all getting the virus one after another) off of school or work.  If you follow me, you know where I am going with this:  In some countries, the chickenpox vaccine has been used for decades and is now part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule. Chickenpox is a vaccine-preventable disease. The vaccine is safe, effective, and should not be available in Ireland only to families who are able to afford it.  

In 2023, should we still be accepting that in a modern country with a functioning(?) health service that our children are still dealing with outbreaks of preventable diseases like chickenpox, measles, mumps, and whooping cough due to a combination of factors such fears, misinformation, and fees?

My own children are vaccinated, and were exposed to chickenpox in school early last year.  They had mild breakthrough. In countries with vaccination  programmes, chickenpox doesn’t circulate any more. In Ireland, due to prevalence of exposure, children may experience very mild breakthrough disease.  A vaccine will protect against against serious disease and complications.

More Chicken Pox Basics:

Chickenpox is causes by the Varicella Zoster Virus. Your child will become unwell 10-21 days after exposure with a 2 day prodromal illness, that is runny nose or fever with no spots.  The itchy spots appear and take around 5 days to completely scab over.  They are contagious until last spot is scabbed over.

Paracetamol (Calpol) is first choice for fever and discomfort in chickenpox. Ask your GP before given ibuprofen (nurofen).  Oat baths can be very effective. Read more here. .  Your chemist can recommend topical treatments, such as calamine lotion. Make sure your child gets plenty of fluids.  If you are worried, ring your GP or OOH GP.  Always let any medical professionals know that you will be bringing a child with chickenpox or suspected chickenpox, if you aren’t sure.

If you are worried about your child or not sure about chickenpox, ring your GP or chemist.  Avoid crowdsourcing folk remedies on social media.   Child safety and rights:  if you post about your chickenpox parenting experience online, try to focus on yourself.   Doctors always recommend that you always protect your young child’s identity and dignity online, and carefully consider before posting any pictures of your child’s body.

If you need more information on chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine, check chickenpoxaware.ie  It is pharmaceutical sponsored, which I’m usually against, but the content is very good and easy to read, and is better than the HSE site.