I can't remember if we have discussed this or not. What do you all think of young girls getting the shot? I am asking because I only have a loosely formed opinion and I curious what all of you think. I thought in Texas it was mandatory or possibly becomming madatory??? I am never fond of the state telling me anything.....but I guess law has it's place, right? lol. Anyway, what place does it have in this instance?
Ava Rose, I've been waiting for this one to pop up expecially knowing that many of us have girls coming up to that age. I know that here in SC they are talking about making it mandatory as part of the school shot starting in a year or so but don't quote me on the date. Honestly, as far as my girls getting it, I'm really not sure. What bothers me is this shot is sooo new and what are the long term effects? I know this was brought up with the Chicken Pox shot also. Personally I'm going to do some research into this before I make a decision. That is one of the advantages of HSing is that it will be our decision and not the decision of the State. In my opinion, this is one that the Government should NOT have the final say on that one. Recommend it, okay, but not dictate it.
I guess they are starting at age 9, Sammie got her first one 2 months ago and was due for one today but we post poned it for a week. Then the last is in 4 months. I had to make up my mind on the spot kind of. But you know its kind of like the chicken pox vaccine, it helps in the long run. You can't say Oh, my kids will never get chicken pox or my dd will never get cervical cancer, because it could happen to any of them. (even with the shots there is still a chance but if it happens and you didn't get the vaccine, wouldn't you feel kind of guilty because there was a way to prevent it.) Now I hope that my girls aren't having s** until they are 30 but for the time being, I have a chance to help them now for the future. Explaining it: that was kind of hard. I just told Sammie that these shots will help prevent her from getting a certian kind of cancer in the future. It wasn't the same kind of cancer her brother had. And at about the same time she got her first shot, those commercials came out "ONE LESS", I said thats the commercial for your shot, and she got a bracelet in the mail (I had seen a thing for it on the web somewhere).
I think the important thing about the shot is that it is for treating ONLY the cervical cancer caused by HPV. (human papaloma virus) which is basically genital warts i.e. a sexually transmitted diseases. I would say, that getting it done before they would be of potential risk is really not necessary. Especially since a lot of vaccines wear off or lose effecacy at about 10 years (i.e. the advent of the "boosters"). I also know that they are not recommending the vaccine until certain ages (my husband works for a company that does work for Merck, the mfg of the Gardasil vaccine - he worked on the website and knows a lot of info about it). The other thing to consider is that HPV only causes SOME cervical cancers and also that HPV is not the ONLY cause. Hope that helps - we are holding off, hoping to teach our chlldren the blessings of abstinence and waiting for marriage. Of course, my daughters are also only 7 and 2 so I have some time I HOPE!!!! LOL
I am so glad that you guys are not taking this as a morality slap like some of the women on the other forum I'm on are taking it as. As someone who knows what this virus can and will do (I have some nightmare stories) I think that anything to help prevent this from happening to my daughter would be a good thing. I know that my daughter will not be sexually active anytime in the near future, with or without this shot so that is not an issue but I also know that like with AIDS and maybe other STD's there is no way to tell looking at the person in front of you if they are clean (most times anyhow). The "virginity" pledge is a joke for many of the kids who take it and a total crock to me. Many kids do it to look good to mom and dad and the church or whatnot but come the weekend they become totally different people and there are many ways to get around that pledge that don't involve actual intercourse. It only takes one time and then that person may not touch another person for years but if that one time was "the time" then the rest is history. I would really rather be safe than sorry. That being said the fact that they are claiming this to be a "wonder drug' puts up a ton of red flags for me. They have come out with so many wonderful new medications only to have them pulled off the market a very short time later because of unforeseen side effects it is unreal. I just read that they pulled a new vaccine for the roto virus off the market a while back because the ratio of children actually getting the virus was higher than anticipated. None of the children died but several has to have intestinal operations and many more got sick. Personally I'm very weary of everything they bring out today.
Yes, it is a important shot and something for all of us to think about with girls. Cancer does run on my dh side, so I do worry about my little girls. But, I need to do more research on it. I have a call in to my dd's godfather who is a OB-GYN I need to see his opioin before I do it. I have some question like other shots are they going to need a booster for it in a few years if that is so. Then I will wait alittle while till they are older. Lots and lots of question? Anyone else have any question you want me to ask him let me know.
Please post what you find out from him. All the doctors want to do around here is stick a needle in your arm (leg, rear, anywhere), informing is not their strongest asset!
Yes, I agree, but he is very good about it and has always been up front with us and tell us what is good and what ones not to give that wouldn't do any good.
I didn't think of asking my gyn. I finally found one I REALLY like. Oh, gosh! I have an appointment this Friday, I think!!! I forgot because of the weather! Anyway, I think she's a Christian, and she really listens. So maybe I will ask her. I don't like the idea of it being MANDATORY. Another instance of the Government taking over the parenting role. They can reccomend it, but they have no business to tell us we MUST. I know that my girls will NOT be getting it, unless by gyn can convince me of the necessity of it. (Yeah, and I don't do chicken pox vacines, either!).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that as many as 80 percent of women will get a genital type of HPV by the age of 50. For 2004, the American Cancer Society estimates that about 10,520 women will develop invasive cervical cancer and about 3,900 women will die from this disease. I have been married twice. I suppose this makes me an easy "Ho". Because I have HPV. I also was diagnosed with "Pre-Cancerous" cervical cancer cells, back in 2002. Right before I got preggers with Sashi.... I went yesterday for a check up and have to wait a week for results, but I am confident that I am fine. You may think that with all of this I would be chomping at the bit to sign up Sasha.... not really. I have issue with the newness and our history of prescribing "Miricale Drugs" that turn out to create birth defects or Sterilization. (The drug in the 60's that coused so many problems??) Just for the record, the Texas "Mandate" actualy says that Girls entering the sixth Grade are required to get the shot, UNLESS the parents choose to opt out. <<< I will opt out unless it fan out to be safe. I have the benifit of time as Sashi is only 4. Texas is BIG on personal choice. So really what they are doing by making it mandatory yet letting peole opt out..... is simply grabbing those kids who do not have parental oversite and who have early sex anyway. (I used to be one of those kids and I think the Govenor is saving them, because their parents stoped being parents a long time ago.) Texas is a whole other country and if the Govenor actually mandated a law like this with NO option for opt out, now THAT would be news..... But yes you can opt out.
So the drug is automatic unless the parents opt out. What's wrong with making it an "opt in" instead of an "opt out"? Will it be administered at school then? Will the parents be told of it before hand? And will they be sure the parents get the information? Or will it go home as a note the kids lose in their bookbags?
I will choose to opt out until I feel that it is safe. I do not feel it is a moral issue, because you can have two VERY abnormally moral kids get married, but if the guy (Most likely) had sex with just ONE other kid, his new wife may one day die of cancer...) The opt out situation is a safety net thing.... They have to figure out a way to stop the fact that Every other sexually active person in the US has this virus... every other person! And, more people than you can imagine just do not take care of their kids and the government has had to default to the "Womb to the Tomb" type of safety net regulation. They chose the Opt out situation over the Opt in situation because active parents, like us, are actually the minority, in this day and age..... People of all economic levels are NOT minding their children and leaving it up to the state to make these choices. Regardless if it is poor kids in large families or rich kids where mom and dad are never around..... Kids are getting it on and this virus is as common as the cold. Now as far as administering the shot, it is at your doctor's office. I just wish I knew if it was safe.
This is not a morality issue for me at all. I cannot control when my children decide to have sex...I can only encourage and pray for that to wait for marriage. Also, just because my dd walks down the aisle a virgin..it doesn't mean her husband will be. I walked down the aisle...I mean courthouse...pregnant. lol. I know my dh wouldn't be able to wear white honestly either....so I know I could have been at risk myself. I am against it being mandatory. I am also concerned with the long term side effects. As, PKM, said about the roto virus shot...they aren't all they are cracked up to be. I know some morality will get applied to this issue...which will only serve to complicate it. I don't think that my girls getting the shot will encourage sexual behavior. It isn't like I am putting her on bc pills. My main concern is the mandatory part and the side effects. My dd is 9...and I won't see the doc until May...so I guess I will wait until then to see what he says. I will also ask my ob/gyn...I am so overdue! I need to see him before May.
Thankfully, they can't give it to the kids if they don't go to ps!! I think I would opt out, too...until we know more about the effects. Good thread here, though. It's good to get different perspective on things.
Good point. I wish we could control all of the choices are kids make when they are older, but we can't. I will instill Godly values and teach abstinance 100%, but it doesn't mean my kids will listen. Sex is a very powerful thing and in this day and age, it is every where you turn. I hate that they have to be faced with it so strongly, but the reality is, they are faced with it. All we can do it keep communications open and strong between us and pray that they will make the right choices.
I'm torn on this issue. One part of me thinks it will give girls more reason to not worry about getting an STD, but on the other hand like many have said you can instill as many morals in your child as you are capable of but they will still make their own choices. Even when you stand by your morals, what happens if someone is sexually taken advantage of with someone who is "risky". ??? Things happen out of a person's control as sad as it is to say (I am speaking as a survivor myself after being taken advantage of as a teenager). You just can't be too careful I guess, but at the same time I try to stay away from any "unnecessary" vaccinations as possible due to our families reactions to them. I'm glad I'm having only boys after reading about this!!!
No, they government does NOT have to default. They have CHOSEN to! Let me put it this way. They CHOSE to have free lunches passed out at school. Why? Because kids weren't getting proper nutrition at home. Did that help? No. Next they started giving kids breakfast. Now they're trying to find places to feed kids during the summer. Well low and behold. this hasn't "solved" the problem of hungry kids, has it? Now they're feeding more and more kids. Parents that were packing lunches aren't now, because they feel it's the government's responsibility, not theirs. The government is chosing more and more to play parent for us. They decide what is and is not right FOR us. Most recent case...New York City trying to ban listening to your iPod while crossing the street, because there's some idiots around who don't watch where they're going. OK. Let's say I'm a parent that really doesn't give a darn. I won't give my daughter her shot in the doctor's office, because I don't care enough to take her there. So I get a note from the school, saying she needs a shot. I chose to ignore it. So what are they going to do? After all, I'm too lazy to sign a paper to opt out. Do they take her to the doctor FOR me? Or do they take her to the nurse's office and give it to her anyway? Or am I brought up on neglect charges?
