HPV-OMG!


So I phoned the pediatrician last Friday to confirm whether or not my three children needed any new vaccines before school started.

The call was pretty seamless…at first.

Me (to the nurse): Do they need any at this time?
Nurse: No. They are each up to date until x, y and z years of age.
Me: Great! Thanks! Have a nice day!
Nurse: (clearly not through with me) OH! Well, your two girls are eligible for the HPV vaccine.
Me: Okaaaay...-(I’d heard about HPV and briefly read about what the vaccine was meant to do.)

What I didn’t know was the ages at which a youth (boy or girl) should first receive it...AGE NINE!
Considering the HPV virus is noted to be caused by sexual intercourse, and therefore is a sexually transmitted disease, I was left speechless.

Me: EXCUUUUSSE ME!? –(I said this to myself of course)-though it probably came out like, ‘Uhhh…’

I had to wonder....

Was it the fact that society was saying ‘younger youths are having sex (and so commonly unprotected they need vaccines against sexually transmitted diseases beginning at nine years of age)' which prompted pharmaceutical companies to make it available for young kids barely out of the Barbies and Legos??



Or was it because, somehow, the vaccine worked better, the younger you received it?

The latter is what I was hoping.

Still.....Cringe, ew, yuck and OMG!  Really!!???


After I composed myself I said: ‘I will have to get back to you on that.’

I went home and did some research on the HPV Vaccine. 
Come to find out it is best to start young. 
Three doses is recommended prior to having sexual intercourse for the first time. 

I am still not kosher with this. What 'this' is...
I have yet to figure out...

I will have to get back to you on that.

 
Truly,
Amber




Click here for information on HPV virus. 

Information on HPV Vaccine:
http://www.cdc.gov/hpv/vaccine.html 

Center for Disease Control (CDC) website for more HPV info:
http://www.cdc.gov/hpv/



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