Doing a paper on HPV..need help

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Specializes in L&D/Peds.

Hi everyone,

My group and I are working on a paper about HPV...My question is how are our young girls learning about HPV...I believe they are targeting starting around the age of 9.....Are they discussing this in schools yet? My children are in college so if anyone can help me I would appreciate it.....

Thanks so much :typing

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I have an almost 9 year old and NO they are not discussing it in schools and I would throw an absolute fit if they were. But that is another post.

Make sure you mention that it can be transmitted via fingers......YIKES!

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Specializes in DOU.

I don't think they do an adequate job of sex education in public schools. Our school district is being sued for the silly sex "education" program they do. (It is basically "just say no", being taught by the nice ladies from the local church, with pledge rings and all.) Therefore, I teach this stuff to my own kids. I talked to them about STDs when they were entering Jr. High because oral sex is pretty widespread beginning around then. Of course, I also take every opportunity that arises to reinforce what I taught them.

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Specializes in L&D/Peds.

Thank you so much for replying. I also talked to my kids as well and to this day my daughters still ask me questions and they are both away at college and I wouldn't have it any other way. If fact my oldest will call me with questions from her college friends.....

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Specializes in L&D/Peds.

Yikes is right...that's gross but I will definitely mention it in my paper. Thank you for the info....

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Thank you so much for replying. I also talked to my kids as well and to this day my daughters still ask me questions and they are both away at college and I wouldn't have it any other way. If fact my oldest will call me with questions from her college friends.....

Oh we definitely will be discussing at home. She already knows way too much about sex, sexuality, etc. I just don't want her hearing it at school first! That is cool that your oldest calls you even though she is in college!

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First some links for you:

http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/content/full/57/1/7

http://www.cdc.gov/STD/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm

http://www.fda.gov/WOMENS/getthefacts/hpv.html

I think it is very important that any parent do research on a vaccine for an STD that is targeting young girls before having it administered to their young daughters. The links I provided are a drop in the bucket, and always keep in mind the credibility of the authors.

Good Luck!

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Whenever we talk about sex it brings out denial. I tend to come out on the side of comprehensive sexual education. Or as Bud Mellom put it so eloquently in family life (ca. 1978):

"Knowledge breeds respect...ignorance just breeds"

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I'm 19 in college now and I only hear about HPV on TV comercials and from my Dr.

I can remember my first Sex education in public school in Fifth grade, they didn't talk about STDs only about how sex worked and how our bodies were 'changing' It was weird. and was only a few days of discussion. The next education was in 9th grade in a mandatory health and wellness class.

Anyway, I never heard of HPV till I was out of highschool, and nor did we talk about anything other than abstinence as a prevention for any STD that and getting checked.

I think there should be more information on the vaccine, because as a girl in the 'targeted' age I feel pressure to get the shot, but don't feel there is enough information to support the huge push. just my opinion

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Our school district is teaching about the virus and the vaccine. You can learn how to teach your child by looking at the Gardisil website. Better to be early than late.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Tele, PH, CM.
I don't think they do an adequate job of sex education in public schools. Our school district is being sued for the silly sex "education" program they do. (It is basically "just say no", being taught by the nice ladies from the local church, with pledge rings and all.) Therefore, I teach this stuff to my own kids. I talked to them about STDs when they were entering Jr. High because oral sex is pretty widespread beginning around then. Of course, I also take every opportunity that arises to reinforce what I taught them.

Thank you for being a responsible parent... I worked with teens in a Public Health Program and the things kids are into even in elementary school would curl your toes. I was lucky enough to work and live in a very progressive County that recornized the need for early and continuous education, and as a result, we had the lowest rates of both teen pregnancy and reported STDs in the state. HPV needs to be taught early. Condyloma can be devestating and there is no cure, only treatment. COntrary to what most people believe, teaching about it will not give kids incentive to do it, they already get that incentive from peers.

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My 9 year old has had no discussion of sex or sexuality at school. My 7th grader has only had the vaguest of discussions at school.

We talk a lot about it at home. They both know what HPV is. My 7th grader has not yet gotten the vaccine; I know her doctor discussed it with her at her annual appointment last summer.

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