Should You Get the HPV Vaccine for Your Children?

The HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) Vaccine is a shot that was previously recommended for girls 11 to 13 years old in order to prevent a sexually transmitted disease and is now also being recommended for young boys. Some parents view this vaccines series of three shots as giving their children permission to have sex. In reality the original purpose of this vaccine was to reduce the number of incidences of cervical cancer in women. A link had been found between women who had contracted this virus and increase in the incidence of cervical cancer. Males were thought only to be carriers for this disease. New research supports a link between this virus and other forms of cancer in males as well. The Center for Disease Control is recommending that all tweeners receive this vaccine as a preventitive for certain forms of cancer. I think we, as parents, should look at this vaccine as a cancer preventative rather than a vaccine to prevent a form of STD.

Getting this vaccine for our children may just wipe out this particular STD and in addition reduce the number of certain forms of cancer. From where I am standing I see that as a win-win. My daughter has already gotten this vaccine, and I will be checking into whether my son should get it as well. I think it is important to note that the only reason that I hesitate in getting my son this series of vaccines is that he has Crohn's Disease and his medications compromise his immune system. If your child has health issues, check with their doctor to see if this vaccine is right for them.