Did you know you can protect your kids from certain cancers, just by giving them a shot? Yes, you can! The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine has been a hot topic since it was introduced back in 2006. So many parents I run into are fine with giving their teens all the other vaccines, but hesitate when it comes to this one. My oldest 2 kids are a 14 year-old girl and an 11 year-old boy. And they’ve both had theirs. Yes, I’m a Pediatrician, so I should believe in vaccines. But, I’m also a mom who does whatever I can to keep my own kids safe and healthy. I’ll share with you why I gave my kids the HPV vaccine without hesitation – and why yours should get it too.

First, a little background…

The Human Papilloma Virus vaccine protects against certain strains of the most common STD in the world – HPV. It isn’t talked about as much as diseases like HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, or herpes. But, it should be, since it’s so common. Plus, many people don’t even know they have it. HPV typically causes genital warts – which are a big deal. But, the bigger deal is that certain strains of the virus also cause cervical cancer, and cancers of the penis, mouth, and throat. The good news is that there is a vaccine that can protect your child from these cancers. I’ve chosen to protect my children – will you?

Here are my reasons:

It’s effective

According to the CDC, over 4,000 women die from cervical cancer every year. And almost 200,000 women have bad cells on their cervix that can lead to cancer. HPV causes almost 11,000 cases of cervical cancer. It also causes cancer in over 14,000 men every year. Those numbers are scary! But, the HPV vaccine prevents over 90% of cervical cancers. Ninety percent!! With the vaccine, HPV infection rates have dropped by 70-80% in teens and young adult women. Those are amazing statistics. Cervical cancer used to be the #1 cause of cancer deaths in women, but now it’s one of the most preventable. These stats are the biggest reasons I’ve decided to protect my kids.

It protects both girls AND boys

The HPV vaccine was initially created to prevent cervical cancer. So, when most people think of it, they just think of girls. But, boys should also receive the vaccine, since it can protect against strains of HPV that cause cancer of the penis, mouth, and throat. I’ve protected my son, the same way I protected my daughter.

I don’t believe the hype

There’s so much misinformation on the internet and on the streets about the HPV vaccine. Parents worry about it being “too new” or worry about false side effects, such as infertility. The reality is that it was FDA approved in 2006. That’s 13 years ago! And, even before FDA approval, vaccines go through extensive testing to make sure they’re safe for the general public. This is especially true when children are involved.

The most common side effects of the HPV Vaccine include: pain and redness at the site of the injection, dizziness/fainting right after the vaccine, nausea, and headache. We typically have children sit still for 15 minutes after they get their shot, to prevent dizziness. These are all minor side effects compared to the alternative – cancer.

I don’t think of it as a “sex” vaccine

Giving your child the HPV vaccine will NOT encourage them to have sex. Proper sex education is still recommended For teens, with or without this vaccine. I promote it as a cancer-preventing vaccine. That’s the way you, too, should think about it when you’re considering it for your own kids.

The earlier, the better

The HPV vaccine is approved starting at age 9. It’s recommended to be given at age 11-12, along with their other shots. Children who finish their HPV series before age 15 years, will only need 2 doses. But, if you wait until 15, your child will need 3 doses. That’s because your child’s immune system has a better response to the vaccine at ages 11-14, than it does when they’re older.

Yes, HPV is sexually transmitted. Hopefully, your child won’t be sexually active until well into adulthood. But, I want my kids to be protected as early as possible. Protecting them before they’re exposed to any strains of HPV will give them the best outcome. 11 is a great age to consider it.

I got my own

Back in 2009, while I was in Residency, I got my first 2 doses of the Gardasil vaccine. Back then it only protected against 4 strains of the virus. I couldn’t finish my series because I turned 26 that year (it was only approved up to age 26 then). But, once the maximum age was extended to 45 in 2018, I got my 3rd dose. Plus, it now covers 9 strains of the virus. So, it was a win-win for me! If I didn’t believe in this vaccine, I wouldn’t have agreed to get it for myself or my kids.

I try my best not to be pushy when offering vaccines to patients. But, I try to be as real and honest as I possibly can. I wouldn’t recommend anything for your child that I wouldn’t do for my own. Believe me, teens have enough medical concerns to worry about. If we can take one thing off their plate, we should. Cancer prevention is a huge deal. If you can protect your child from cancer, with minimal risk or side effects, why wouldn’t you? Please consider protecting your children, if you haven’t already!

Do you have any questions or comments about the HPV vaccine? Feel free to leave them in the comment box below!

Other helpful resources related to Why I Gave My Kids The HPV Vaccine :

• Why I Give My Kids Vaccines
• Why I Gave My Kids The COVID-19 Vaccine
• Overcoming 10 Myths About The Flu Vaccine
• Benefits of The Flu Vaccine

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