HPV/Gardasil vaccine?

[mom3boys]

I have multiple degrees in the Public Health field and so I am pretty pro-vax. I do agree there is a lot of misinformation about all kinds of vaccines on line.

I intend on having my sons get the vaccination. Not sure the age for them yet, 12-13?

The vaccination protects against the 2 most common strains of HPV that are associated with cervical cancer (and virtually all cervical cancer is associated with HPV, according to a multitude of very good research). HPV is also associated with oral cancer.
The vaccine also prevents against the 2 strains responsible for genital warts. The marketing doesn't really tout this but I don't know why not. Both men and women can get genital warts and if you have it, it may go dormant but you always have it.
In truth it is uncommon for women in the US to get cervical cancer, because the screening for it (Pap smear and now HPV testing) is widespread and there is treatment for dysplasia that is not yet cancer. However, some of these treatments can weaken the cervix and such, so it would be better to just avoid the infection in the first place.

I don't know about the side effects of this vaccine. I would ask my doctor and read papers published in the medical literature to gauge that but most vaccines have to undergo pretty rigorous testing to get the market. The FDA has a pretty low tolerance for side effects for anything given to a healthy population (particularly a pediatric healthly population). I mean, you could read about the possible side effects of oral contraceptives and it is probably terrifying, but I bet most of us have used them with virtually no problems. That will be the case with vaccines as well.

[melrose7]

This is one I was not planning in giving to my children even though I have a few years to decide. I figured when the time came I would do more research. After 2 girl just died from the vaccine in my hometown and another when sent to the ER and almost died I am certainly NOT going to be giving this one. I don't see the positives outweighing the negatives on this one.

[wendibird22]

DD1 is only 7 but I will likely have her get vexed unless there's major developments that say it's unsafe or ineffective before then. Are there probably side effects? Yes, like most vaccines. Are the side effects of cervical cancer and cancer treatment worse than the vax? In my opinion a BIG yes. Unless DD decides to be a nun (and well we don't even go to church so that's unlikely) she will eventually be sexually active and therefore at risk for HPV. In my mind this is a simple preventive step we can take.

[Twoboos]

This is such a timely thread, I just emailed some IRL friends with teens to get their take on it. (Another case of BBB imitating life! ) They were 4-1 for it, the 1 who is against is adamant that she'll wait until the kids are closer to being sexually active, because they have such a good, open relationship they'll tell her. <shrug>

DD1 will be turning 11 soon, at this point I'm thinking we'll wait at least a few years but will probably give it to her when she's 13/14. I have no real reasoning behind that, but by that point the vax will have been around for 10 years, which I think is a good amount of time to be better able to evaluate it.

Melrose, that is horrible about the girls in your town! Do you have any links to the stories - I'd like to read more about it and what happened.

[Kindra178]

http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/gardasil.asp

http://www.wisn.com/news/waukesha-gi...ccine/27382714 (cause of death unknown)

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Vac.../hpv_faqs.html

[kboyle]

ds1 had his 11 yr well check in july and they gave him his other vax but I held off on this one till next year. I do plan on having him get it, I just split the 4 vax he was going to get since we were going on vacation the following day and didn't want him to be sore in both arms.

[schums]

Thanks so much for all the replies! For those of you who are holding off until your dc is 13 and they are now 11 or so---why? (I really don't know, not being challenging).

So, hard to know what to do!

My DC are definitely getting the shots, but we're holding off until the kids are 13-15 years old. My reasoning is the vaccine hasn't been around long enough to know if it's a lifetime protection (and I've also read it isn't). If it's a 10 year booster (like TDaP), I want them to be protected during what is probably the risky time of their lives - late high school and college. Giving a 10 year shot to an 11 year old, and expecting them to remember and follow through with getting a booster at 21 doesn't make sense to me. I'd rather have them need a booster at 23 or 25, when they are more likely going to be getting regular health care.

If either DC were really into dating or I thought might be sexually active super early, we'd get it sooner. DS is 12.5 and thinks most girls still have cooties (not really, but close) and DD is 11 and has friend-zoned all the guys she hangs with/talks to. So for right now, we're OK waiting.

[zukeypur]

Absolutely yes. I can't imagine having to explain to my adult daughter facing cervical cancer or warts why I didn't give her the vaccine. I pray that any boy that she will encounter will be vaccinated as well.

[rin]

My girls will definitely get it. The risks of not getting it, IMO, are not worth the tiny chance of adverse side effects. As parents, there aren't many areas where we can have as much of an impact on their safety as making sure they wear their seatbelts and making sure their vaccines are up to date!

I would probably have my girls get it earlier rather than later. I don't see any point in gambling on my accurately predicting when they're going to have their first sexual encounters.

[egoldber]

Older DD has had 2 of the series. We started it when she was 12, but it's taken us awhile to get to all the doses....

I was on the fence about it until I realized how many kids were "dating" in her 7th grade class. Many kids have sexual contact at younger ages than they first have intercourse. Forced or coerced sexual activity is also something to consider. It isn't always consensual.