With my daughter slowly reaching the preteen phase of her life, I’m starting to hear more about vaccinating her against HPV (Human Papillomavirus). HPV is a sexually transmitted disease consisting of a few different strains that is believed to have been around for a while now. As a parent, I felt no other choice but to get educated on this particular matter.
My gynecologist informed me that simply because previous pap smears didn’t test for this virus, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t always been around. New research and new ways of testing have shined some light on this newly-discovered virus. It has been determined to be the main cause of cervical cancer and has been linked to genital warts. My doctor advised me that it is recommended to be given in a three-dose vaccine and is more successful when given earlier on, before sexual activity occurs. At this time, the standard vaccine is not considered suitable for boys, however a medication called Gardasil is available for boys. Gardasil has been proven to protect against several different strains of genital wart viruses and two types of HPV. In her opinion, it is just as important as the flu, Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) and the Meningococcal Vaccines.
The Debate Among Parents
Some of the parents I have spoken with feel this vaccination is a form of “permission.” They believe it encourages our children to become sexually active by offering a form of false security and some parents just simply insist their children would never do such a thing. On the other side, some parents believe it is a wise choice and a form of preventive maintenance. They think it is better safe than sorry and see it as a form of preparing their children to make safe and wise decisions if/when becoming sexually active. However, both sides of the debate, for and against, have compared it to the long-lived “birth control debate” in preteens and teenagers; Is it “better safe than sorry” or “permission”?
As you can imagine, this gave me and my husband a lot to think about. We do not personally feel like our daughter is ready for this but we will keep an open mind as we venture into the future. We will obtain more information and a second opinion and hopefully when the time comes, we will make the right choice for our children.
At this point, it is the parents choice whether or not to vaccinate their child against HPV, but who knows? It may soon become one of the many required shots for our children. If you are the parent of a preteen or have a daughter between the ages of 13 and 26 or a son between the ages of 9 and 26 who haven’t been vaccinated, I encourage you to get educated. Knowledge is power.
Note: I am not a doctor or medical personal. The medical information in this article is based only on a personal conversation between me and my doctor. For more information contact your local health care provider.