Vaccination against cervical cancer/HPV

[nooshoo]

This vaccination protects against a sexually transmitted virus which can lead to cancer and other problems. Does anyone know why is it recommended as standard for children from 11 years, is it because there is perceived realistic risk of sexual contact occuring from this age?

Are you ok? Have you been absent from society your whole life.. no it's not generally perceived that children are active in this way from age 11. If you have genuine reason to ask this, email the local authority who run the scheme and ask them because your reason for asking and repeatedly asking is giving me the massive creeps.

Rubella vaccine was given to my class when we were 15 (this was before MMR), back in 1971.

Thank you for posting this - the Gillick case is so important. Children should be able to advocate for their own health - particularly in the case of vaccinations/treatment that will prevent them from getting ill. For people whose children are in Year 8: I'm sure you were given materials/links etc about the vaccine - did those also contain information about consent and the child being able to decide for themselves if they actually want the vaccine even if the parent declines?

I opted out for my dc and the school
accepted that and didn’t speak to them about it or pressure them in any way.

Unclear why you are mentioning the Rubella vaccine - aka German Measles? Or the vaccination timelines used in 1971? Rubella is a totally different virus (RuV) to the HPV virus. And the vaccination protocols these days are very very different to those used in 1971.

Because a significant number of teenagers are sexually active at 12/13.

They certainly were at my very naice leafy grammar school back in the 1980s.

Finally. My DS and nephew didn't get despite both my brother and I having hpv related cancers

Your choice of course - though I hope you told your child that they can decide to have it if they wish, and that the vaccine will protect them against a vast number of different - preventable - cancers. The thought of my child getting preventable cancer in their private parts/head/neck is too awful to even contemplate - so having this vaccine is absolutely amazing. Unfortunate that you are not only putting your child at risk, but also could lead to your child unfortunately contracting the virus and thereby inadvertently putting other people at risk (for example those who are immuno-compromised, or - worse - even their own kids later on down the line given the virus can be transmitted through totally innocent contacts - and parents often do have to have contact with their children when changing nappies/applying nappy rash cream etc etc. Just putting that out there for you to ponder - and hopefully even if you don't change your mind you will at the very least give the information to your child so they can choose for themselves if they wish to do so.

I did answer it - their immune systems are very strong at that age and will create better immunity. It's not 11 - it's year 8 which is 12/13. Before any sexual activity is likely.

Do you also let them ride bicycles without helmets and play in the road?

Oh gosh I am so very sorry you both have suffered those awful cancers! How terrible! I am so glad that my niece/nephews are young enough to be able to benefit from this vaccine - it's amazing that they can now be protected against such a long list of awful awful cancer - and not only that but their future partners/spouses can be too - so they won't have to go through the hell not only of suffering those cancers themselves but of having to look after a loved one who is suffering with them. I hope you are free and clear of cancer and are living your best life - sending you hugs.

60-70% of throat and mouth cancers are attributable to HPV. If you've ever known anyone with either of these, you would be lining up to get this vaccine for your kids.

Unless you don't really love your kids, which is my assumption about those who decline it.

I don’t allow them to have bikes actually.

No but some might be and why delay if it will benefit some children?

My eldest got very unwell immediately after the vaccine so we decided not to have it for the other dc. They are fully vaccinated for everything else except Covid and it’s just the hpv one too that we didn’t do

More like playing on a motorway...in the dark. Also it's way worse than letting them ride a bike without a helmet: because it not only potentially harms their own child, but also may permit their child to later on inadvertently (or intentionally sadly) infect others with the illness: not everyone can have the vaccine (immunocompromised people for example can't have certain vaccines, nor can people who have allergies to the ingredients etc) so unless the child refrains from all future intimate/sexual contact with others the decision to stop them getting that virus is putting those other partners at risk. Awful really.

No, it means that children are not sexually active at this age (except in very rare cases) and therefore it is a good time for them to have it, seeing as they have got to have it before they have become sexually active. Both my children had it in Yr8. It is age 12-13 in the UK.

So when they contract HPV you will ... what? What will you do?

What do you mean ? I doubt I would be aware or they would be aware if they did have it ? I only know I’m negative from smear tests and unless it caused an issue they don’t routinely test for it ? All their peers have the vaccine so I assume they are very protected by herd immunity ?

"very unwell"? Have you seen what happens when someone gets anal or cervical cancer??? Clearly your child was fine. And clearly the doctors gave you some information on WHY the vaccine may have caused a reaction: there are different manufacturers, and also things one can do if, for example, the child is allergic to the liquid the vaccine is in. Either way it's far better to feel grotty for a few days than to end up having to have your anus removed and have to poop out of a hole in your side for the rest of your (sadly quite likely severely shortened) life. Or to get cervical cancer and lose your ability to have kids/suffer from rounds of radiation/chemo and whatever other awful interventions are required. It's a shame you decided that it was better to expose your child to a list of awful cancers than to figure out a way for them to get the vaccine and perhaps feel a bit gross, but also get treatment for feeling gross - Doctors are only too happy to figure out alternatives and ways of managing reactions to vaccines.

What if lots of other parents make the same irresponsible choice you've made? Why are you assuming you can freeload on people doing the right thing?

My child is severely disabled since having the vaccine on high rate for both components and needs a lot of care. Was fine before and developed severe Pots and ME immediately after. I don’t care about ‘what’s ifs’ and other scenarios about possible hpv related issues I care about making sure it doesn’t happen to my other children . My gp actually said to us that herd immunity is for families like us

So you are relying on other people being responsible to make up for the fact that you aren't??? Wow.
Read the list of cancers again: it's not just cervical. the vaccine prevents against many many types of cancer. And just because you have had negative smear tests does not for one minute mean that they won't snog/have sex with someone who failed to get the vaccine. Your history of sexual contact has absolutely nothing to do with what your child may get up to (or may be forced to endure - god forbid). Plus, not all countries have the HPV vaccine - so if your child goes off on holiday abroad and has intimate contact with a hottie on a beach (as many young people like to do), or meets an exchange student in the UK at university (as may young people do) they won't be protected by herd immunity at all. Yikes. Sounds like you haven't put much thought at all into the repercussions of failing to protect your child from this awful virus.

It’s a choice not a legal requirement and we have the backing of our gp