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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

HPV vaccine, what's the score, it is compulsory ?

53 replies

piratecat · 30/06/2014 11:42

DD is 12, got a letter to bring home today. I am busy googling as know little about it.

Anyone decide not to go ahead? if so why.

OP posts:
Hakluyt · 01/07/2014 20:36

Condoms don't protect you from HPV. And while regular smear tests are essential, it's a bit late, frankly.

flingingmelon · 01/07/2014 21:00

I had HPV. It gave me abnormal cells on my cervix that had to be operated on. The operation and seven days of recovery weren't too bad. The problem was that ten years later when I was pregnant I had problems with my cervix. Unfortunately the operation had left my cervix weakened which caused complications whilst I was carrying my DS.

If I could go back in time and get the jab, I wouldn't have thought twice.

Dancergirl · 01/07/2014 22:11

piratecat my dd is also needle phobic and we have just been through this. She managed to have the first one done at school amazingly. However the 2nd one, despite the nurses coming twice to her school, she was too scared to go through with it. I took her to the catch up clinic and she eventually had it done there.

But she still hasn't had the 3rd. We spent a traumatic 1.5 hours at the clinic last month, poor dd really wanted to have it but just couldn't manage it. But with the news that they are now doing 2 jabs, we may not call it a day at that rather than put her through all that again.

Get your dd some local anesthetic cream. Not elma which isn't great, there is another one whose name escapes me.

Original poster
piratecat · 01/07/2014 22:33

Sad dancergirl how distressing for you all. do you think the two she had were enough? not sure if there has been a change in the actual dose in the new twice only vaccines.

how was the pain with the first one your dd had.

not sure if dd is phobic. she has had bad experiences of canulas in hospital which has increased her fear. had to have special child nurse to do a visualization. still screamed is head off though.
i said this evening if she leaves it till she is older it will mean three jabs.
i agree emla cream has never numbed anything. despite nurses saying it should then acting very surprised when she cries. which only adds to the distress.

OP posts:
Bunbaker · 01/07/2014 22:47

DD is very needle phobic after having undergone extensive blood testing for suspected cancer when she was in year 7.

There was no way I would allow her to not have the vaccine, so she had the jabs done at the clinic where the nurses could calm her down and give her more time. She had three jabs, the second one being the worst.

By the time I took her for her year 9 boosters - DTP and Men C (I think) she was a shivering wreck. However, we had an absolutely fabulous nurse who was very experienced in dealing with nervous needle phobics, and she just did the injections very calmly and professionally. She was brilliant. She then cheered DD up by saying that, unless she planned to visit countries that required jabs, the immunisation programme was finished.

Dancergirl · 01/07/2014 23:25

JUST call it a day

Dancergirl · 01/07/2014 23:31

piratecat she said the first one didn't hurt too much, but was sore after. 2nd one was more painful which was why she was so scared about the 3rd. I have no idea why everyone says the 2nd is worse, same stuff, same needle so why the difference?

2 doses aren't ideal but better than nothing. You have to balance things and I feel that it's slightly better for dd not to go through the trauma than have the full protection. I know I'll probably get flamed for this and others might force their dd to have it, but for us with dd already dental phobic, she has to be in control and build up trust of medical professionals.

Original poster
piratecat · 02/07/2014 21:00

well she's decided to have it, has been crying, is so scared, but we are going to ring the phone number to speak to a nurse to try and put her mind at ease a bit.

x

OP posts:
newtoallofthis8 · 10/07/2014 18:05

What worries me about the gardasil injection (as well as the lack of good facts to prove it works) is that if a parent or guardian decides not to have their daughter vaccinated, the nurse or school representative on the day can ask the child what she wants it and if so will administer it. Surely that is illegal as the child is under age and undermines the parent's authority and responsibility to decide what is best for the child. Its very scary..... Does anyone else believe this to be illegal? We try to protect our children and this totally undermines this. This from the NHS website:

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/how-is-hpv-vaccine-cervarix-gardasil-given.aspx

""Do I have to consent to the HPV vaccine?

The HPV vaccine is given to girls at secondary school aged 12 and 13 as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme.
If your daughter is in year 8 at school, you will usually receive a letter about the vaccine and a consent form before she is due to have the vaccine. Although, as a parent, you're asked to sign a consent form, it is up to your daughter whether she has the vaccine or not. ""

I am sorry but i am outraged by this ......

Original poster
piratecat · 10/07/2014 18:14

i have no idea.
there seems to be a blurred line even when you take am under 16 to the doctor. the child is asked their opinion on treatment.
i am all for inclusion but it is not satisfactory that a twelve year old gets to make the vaccine decision.
yet i won't ultimately be the one to make the sexual contact decision.
not easy.

OP posts:
TarkaTheOtter · 10/07/2014 18:15

It's not outrageous at a all IMO. Most 12/13 year olds are perfectly able to make their own decision on this.

MaureenMLove · 10/07/2014 18:30

It isn't 3 jabs if you wait. It's only 3 for those that have started the programme already. So, if a girl was off sick on the day they were done this year and they need to catch up, they will still need 3. Those that start the programme from now, only need two.

This is from the school nurses, who I've been dealing with today, to organise it for September at my school.

If you're choosing to wait, may I suggest you make a note of that on the form, rather than just ticking the 'no' box. If you just tick no, then your form will come out of the system and you won't be asked or reminded again and run the risk of leaving it too late. Maybe this time next year she'll feel a little less nervous?

MaureenMLove · 10/07/2014 18:32

And certainly our nurses, will not give an injection to a girl, who doesn't have parental consent.

Original poster
piratecat · 10/07/2014 18:59

Maureen, dd has decided to go ahead (i posted a little further down).

Your nurses wouldn't go ahead without parental consent? I am confused now!

OP posts:
Original poster
piratecat · 10/07/2014 18:59

ah so if she chose to have it delayed, it would only be 2 in the future?

OP posts:
MaureenMLove · 10/07/2014 19:07

Oh sorry, I'm skim reading tonight! Blush I also need to correct, just for the record, it is still 3 if you start in yr9! I just re-read the e-mail from my nurses! Grin

No, the nurses definitely won't give it without parental consent. It's just not worth the backlash that you could potentially get from 'that' pita parent. One would assume that all yr8 girls live with a consenting adult, so it really doesn't need to be an issue to get it signed.

At the same time, if a parent has consented and the girl kicks off and no amount of encouragement will get her to have it, it is marked as a refuser and she is returned to the catch up list for next time.

I've been organising and supervising these sessions for 7 years now and there are very few that don't have it and we have never had anyone have an adverse reaction. That's not to say it doesn't happen, but the odds are very low and quite often when someone has an unlying illness or surpressed immune system.

Does she know when it's going to happen? I don't inform the girls! It saves mass hysteria! They find out about an hour before! No one knows. Not even the head teacher! Grin

sonlypuppyfat · 10/07/2014 19:18

I've delayed my DDs jabs, I felt that no way would she be sexually active yet and wouldn't need protected yet.

nooka · 11/07/2014 07:12

They do the same thing at our school. dd has had all her jabs, I know she isn't sexually active and I don't think she will be for a while, but I really can't see the point in delaying, much better to get it over and done with alongside all the other girls. Assuming that there isn't a specific reason for extra care that is.

adeucalione · 11/07/2014 08:12

I agree, better to have it done with everyone else than to wait until you suspect that she may be on the brink of becoming sexually active.

What if you leave it too late? And how do you have that awkward conversation anyway - 'you look like you might be about to have sex, we'd better get those jabs now'?

I don't understand the reasoning behind waiting at all.

foxdongle · 11/07/2014 13:10

mine dd12 has just had third jab last week no probs.

mumtoateen · 12/07/2014 08:44

DD (15 now) didn't have it. No real testing, googled it and many risks. If/when she decides she wishes to become sexually active, we will go forward with getting it. It protects against HPV, NOT cervical cancer. It's a strain of bacteria that COULD cause cervical cancer, it is not a vaccine against the cancer.

Original poster
piratecat · 12/07/2014 09:08

but it protects against some strains that cause cancer, so reduces the risk of cancer.

OP posts:
ChoudeBruxelles · 12/07/2014 09:16

I don't understand why you would choose not to have something that can prevent a horrible disease. Two needles vs cervical cancer (yes I know you could still get cancer but it dramatically reduces risk) It's a no brainier for me. Don't know why boys aren't vaccinated too to stop the spread.

dontcallmemam · 12/07/2014 09:42

I'm with you Choude the reason boys aren't vaccinated is purely financial. If all boys a & girls were vaccinated the incidence of cervical cancer would drop dramatically in 20 years time.

adeucalione · 12/07/2014 10:32

I think a lot of parents are putting a lot of faith in their teens telling them that they're thinking of becoming sexually active, when IME sexual activity usually happens in an unplanned way - at a party, or when you're getting carried away with a boyfriend.

How many of you planned your first sexual contact? And if you did, how many of you told your mum you were going to do it?

Better to vaccinate a little early than too late.