How do I know if the HPV vaccine is safe?
HPV stands for human papilloma virus. It’s the known cause of 99.7% of cervical cancers and it is sexually transmitted. Your daughter is not sexually active now, but in the future the vaccine will protect her when she is.
The HPV vaccine protects against strain 16 and 18 of the virus — these cause 70% of cervical cancers. The vaccine also protects against genital warts. As we know, HPV is now a causative agent in 5% of all cancers (not just cervical), so it makes sense to be protected. Research has shown the vaccine to be 99% protective against cervical cancer and 96-100% protective against genital warts.
The vaccine itself isn’t infectious; it contains virus-like particles, but no active virus. The World Health Organisation continuously reviews the evidence for the vaccine, including reported side effects, and has concluded that it is safe and its benefits outweigh any harm.
No vaccine is side-effect free. A lot of girls report redness at the injection site, pain, headache, sickness and aches and pains in the muscles.
Some girls faint in the aftermath of the vaccine, so should always hang around for 15-20 minutes after the shot. None of these side-effects are reasons not to vaccinate.
So would I want my daughter to have a vaccine now protecting her against cancer in the future? Yes. Would I worry about it? Of course, it’s a parent’s job to worry — but what I would not do is deny her the vaccine without doing my research.
We have lots of groups coming out against the vaccine. People have the right to put their point across, but it has to be based on robust evidence — not anecdote.
As both a parent and a medic I believe, based on the best scientific evidence available, that this vaccine is safe and is worthwhile. I would put more faith in the World Health Organisation than I would anti-vaccination campaigners on the internet. My advice is, if in doubt, don’t say no, don’t defer — discuss it with your GP. Why does my son keep getting A STYE is also called a hordeolum, a word that I think makes it sound very serious indeed. In fact, they are incredibly common in kids and occur because of an infection in the eyelash follicle in the eyelid.
Thankfully, most styes go away without any intervention in four to five days. We tend to advise parents to use a warm compress — such as a clean face cloth with warm water — and apply it to the stye. This will soften it and helps to discharge the pus.
They should also clean the eyelids morning and night with a fresh cotton bud moistened with cooled, boiled water. This will get rid of any debris. No contact lenses should be worn during a stye flare-up.
The reason it occurs can’t usually be pinned down. However, if your son rubs his eyes a lot, this can be a trigger. In addition some people develop a condition called blepharitis, which is an inflammation of the eyelids. It gives a type of flaky dandruff appearance. This can make you more prone to styes.
The main infective agent in styes is a germ called staphylococcus aureus. One in five people carry it on their skin. It’s harmless but can sneak into a break in the skin and cause an infection.
It is also the cause of impetigo and abscesses. The nose can sometimes be a reservoir for this germ. Also, recurrent infections can be the sign of diabetes, but in your son’s case, if he is otherwise well, I think this is unlikely.
I’m pretty sure its down to him putting unclean hands on his eyes, so hand hygiene should also help to break the cycle.