A pox party is a party held by parents for the purpose of infecting their children with childhood diseases, most commonly chicken pox, thus acquiring some immunity to the disease.[1] According to the Washington Post, parents who expose their children to the virus in this manner believe that this method is "safer and more effective than using vaccines."[2] Similar ideas have been applied to other diseases such as measles. In the case of chicken pox, and also some other diseases such as mumps and hepatitis A, the course of the disease is typically less severe in children than adults.
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History
Historically, smallpox parties and other forms of controlled inoculation reduced significantly the death rate due to smallpox (see Variolation). With the introduction of a smallpox vaccine, inoculations of wild smallpox virus fell into disuse. In the United States inoculations of wild chickenpox, via pox parties, remained popular up to the time of introduction of the varicella vaccine in 1995.[citation needed] The virus can be obtained from persons with either chickenpox or herpes zoster.
Depending on the disease that is attempted to be spread during such an event, holding a pox party and/or wilfully exposing one's children to a disease can be illegal. Potentially relevant acti rei are battery and the intentional spreading of infectious diseases, which can violate infection prevention laws.[citation needed]
Flu parties
During the 2009 flu pandemic in Canada, doctors noted an increase in what were termed flu parties or flu flings. These gatherings, as with the pox parties, were designed explicitly to allow a parent's children to contract the "swine flu" influenza virus[3]. Researchers such as Dr. Michael Gardam note that because the pandemic is caused by a flu subtype that most people have had no exposure to, the parents are just as likely to get the disease and further the spread.
See also
- Chickenpox (South Park episode)
- Milhouse of Sand and Fog (The Simpsons episode)
- Bugchasing
References
- ^ "Debating the Wisdom of ‘Swine Flu Parties’". New York Times. May 6, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/world/americas/07party.html. Retrieved 2009-05-07. "Chickenpox parties, at which children gather so they can all be infected by a child who has the pox, are often held by parents who distrust chickenpox vaccine or want their children to have the stronger immunity that surviving a full-blown infection affords and are willing to take the risk that their child will not get serious complications."
- ^ Henry, Shannon (September 20, 2005), "A Pox on My Child: Cool!", The Washington Post: HE01, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/19/AR2005091901225.html
- ^ News staff, CTV (3 July 2009). "Doctors say 'flu parties' not a good idea". CTV News. http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090702/flu_parties_090702/20090703/?hub=TorontoNewHome. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
External links
- The return of the measles party
- Playing chicken: Some parents want children to catch chicken pox
- Mothering Magazine article
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