[lsolaBella]

So yes, there are many diseases which are associated with childhood..... you just forget you can still get them as adults.

So Whooping Cough is doing the rounds we know and many are succumbing to that.

Chickenpox was very inconvenient for my brother at 32 (and pre kids - did not have friends with kids). He got a doozy of a dose and had it through his hair, around his privates etc. Complication was the fact that he had gone to NY on business and all of a sudden could not fly for 3wks. He had to stay in his hotel room. Even his friends in NY could not come and visit as (after they all called their mum's) they discovered they had never had it too.

So onto today....

DH has SCARLET FEVER. Yes that's right. Scarlet Fever. You know the one which killed Beth in Little Women (she recovered from the fever but her heart was weakened by it. It is actually a side effect of SF).

So what 'Kids' diseases have visited you/your family as adults?

This post has been edited by lsolaBella: 22/06/2012, 04:53 PM

[kadoodle]

My grandmother died from chicken pox. Chemo for throat cancer had seen off her immune system and chicken pox was doing the rounds.

[Red Cabbage]

I know a few adults that have had the opportunity of having Neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer. Not enough is known about it in kids for doctors to even know where to start to treat adults.

[red_squirrel]

Can adults who haven't had chickenpox get the vaccine?
Serious question, I don't know the answer to. I had chickenpox as a kid and booster shots for all the things didn't get.

Chickpox vaccine would be seriously worth getting as an adult if its a possibilily. I know a man who had it as an adult. His wife was 17 weeks pregnant at the time. It was a very long wait for them to see if the baby had suffered damage.

[Natahs_mum]

Chickenpox was very inconvenient for my brother at 32 (and pre kids - did not have friends with kids). He got a doozy of a dose and had it through his hair, around his privates etc. Complication was the fact that he had gone to NY on business and all of a sudden could not fly for 3wks. He had to stay in his hotel room. Even his friends in NY could not come and visit as (after they all called their mum's) they discovered they had never had it too.

Only a blood test can tell you whether you have had chicken pox or not. Before we had a family l went for a blood test to see whether l had had chicken pox as a child, thinking l hadn't and mum saying l hadn't. But according to the blood test l have had it. Sometimes you just get the cold symptoms and don't need the spots...

And if you have had chicken pox then you are more likely to get shingles (esp if immune system is down). Poor mum had shingles when she was haivng treatemnt for cancer... and she had no hair and shingles all over her head. And yep she had had chicken pox as a kid... She would rather then shingles as its very very painful. Come to think of it my sil had rash on her arm last year and her arm was very sore ened up being shingles

[katykins]

You can indeed have the chickenpox vaccine as an adult. The older you are when you get it, the more severe it can be, so vaccination is alwyas a wise move. Also don't forget that people can get chickenpox from shingles.

[Missy Shelby]

If Hand, foot and mouth is considered a childhood disease (which I think it is) I have had it!!

I was horrible, horrible, horrible

[red_squirrel]

Slightly OT but does the chickepox vaccine stop you from getting shingles later in life?
Shingles is caused by the dorment chicken pox virus reactivating. The vaccine doesn't have any live virus and therefore neither do you - so nothing to reactivate in theory. Is this the case?

[Schnitzelvonkrum...]

I was fortunate enough to get slapped cheek, but the adult variation of it which included viral arthritis. It was awful! But, it was a good reminder for me of just how awful kids must feel when they get these bugs.

[Paddlepop]

Adults can have the chicken pox vaccine. I've had it only a few years ago, when we were preparing to TTC. First you'll have a blood test to see whether you are immune to it or not, then the vaccine if you aren't. I can't remember if it was 1 needle or a few needles over a few months. I've also had the Hep.B vaccines since my DD was born. Seemed a bit silly that she was vaccinated, my DH is vaccinated for work purposes and for me to not be vaccinated.

My nieces had chicken pox about a year ago even though they were vaccinated. But because they were vaccinated they only had a very very mild case and weren't even itchy. The worst thing they experienced was missing out on school and being with their friends for about a week.

Vaccinating is definitely worth it.