There’s a lot of chatter about the HPV vaccine for kids, leaving parents confused and worried. Read on to find the answers to all your questions.

Recently, there’s been a lot of talk about giving young girls the HPV vaccine, with the government prioritizing it. A short while back, the Ministry of Health instructed seven Indian states to prepare a vaccine program for girls over the age of 9.

This has created a cloud of confusion and worry among parents of young girls and boys, especially since many people aren’t even aware of what the HPV vaccine is about. It isn’t generally found among the immunization schedules prescribed when a baby is born, leaving parents with lots of questions.

What exactly is the HPV vaccine? Does my child need it? What are the side effects? What happens if I skip it?

Today, we answer all these questions in our complete guide to the HPV vaccine for kids. Read on, and you’ll find your doubts disappearing, one by one!

Your Complete Guide to the HPV Vaccine for Kids

What is HPV?

HPV refers to the Human Papillomavirus, which is a group of over 200 viruses. They are generally spread through sexual skin-to-skin contact. There are about 40 types of HPV, which cause infections that can lead to serious illnesses like various cancers and genital warts.

In many cases, the body’s natural immune system can fight off an HPV infection, but sometimes it doesn’t. In that case, the infection can progress to cancer, especially cervical cancer in women. Here are a few facts about HPV and cervical cancer:

• Nearly all (99%) of cervical cancer cases are due to an HPV infection of the genital tract
• Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Indian women
• Cervical cancer kills a woman in India every seven minutes
• India is responsible for over one-fifth of the global cervical cancer burden
• 60% of the cervical cancer cases in India are diagnosed in the advanced stage

These stats show us how dangerous HPV is, and why it’s so important to prevent any HPV infections from the start. This is where the HPV vaccine enters the picture.

How does the HPV vaccine help?

The HPV vaccine prevents HPV infections, thus preventing them from developing into serious illnesses. Here is a list of some of them:

• Cervical Cancer
• Vaginal Cancer
• Vulvar Cancer
• Oropharyngeal Cancer
• Penile Cancer
• Anal Cancer
• Genital warts

There has been enough proof that the HPV vaccine is an excellent way to prevent these illnesses, particularly cervical cancer. In the United States, HPV vaccines helped in dropping deaths due to cervical cancer by 62%. In Denmark, HPV infections have nearly disappeared after the introduction of the vaccine in 2008.

In 2020, the WHO launched the Global Strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer, which aims to vaccinate 90% of girls by the age of 15 before 2030. Many countries have adopted special programs to make this happen.

Types of the HPV Vaccine

The WHO has approved six licensed HPV vaccines, and each country has its own version. All the vaccines are efficient in preventing HPV infections, particularly due to the virus types 16 and 18. These virus types are responsible for 70% of cervical cancer cases globally and 82% of cervical cancers in India.

In India, we currently have three HPV vaccines:

1. Cervavac – India’s first indigenous quadrivalent vaccine that protects against HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18
2. Gardasil 4 – Quadrivalent vaccine that protects against four HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18
3. Gardasil 9 – Nine-valent vaccine that protects against nine HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58

Why do we need the HPV vaccine for kids?

The best way to get the true benefits of the HPV vaccine and get protection against serious illnesses is to take it before starting sexual activity. For this reason, kids of pre-teen age are the recommended target population for the HPV vaccine.

The CDC recommends getting the HPV vaccine at age 11-12 years, but kids as young as nine can also get it. The 9-15-year window is the best age to get the HPV vaccine as it yields the best results.

Will the HPV vaccine for kids encourage risky sexual behavior?

This is a common myth among parents, especially in conservative societies like India. Parents worry that by making sex ‘safer’ for our kids, they’ll be emboldened to engage in risky sexual behavior. However, this is not true at all, particularly because sexual exposure is more about behavior than about vaccination.

A review of several studies in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics found that teenagers who were vaccinated with the HPV vaccine did not start sexual activity earlier or take more risks than unvaccinated teens. In fact, some studies even found that vaccinated children were more aware of the risks and more likely to be careful regarding sexual activity.

Is the HPV vaccine for both boys and girls?

Yes, technically speaking, the HPV vaccine applies to both boys and girls, since the list of diseases it prevents also includes cancers of the penis, anus, and throat. Yet, most programs by global organizations like the WHO, as well as governments, seem to focus on young girls, and many parents wonder why this is the case.

The reason is because of the seriousness and widespread nature of cervical cancer, which affects only girls, and because HPV is the leading cause of it. Scientifically speaking, it also makes more sense to target preteen girls, as proven by these studies:

• The Lancet found that it was more efficient to vaccinate girls aged 15-20, since boys or older girls required more doses
• Frontiers in Public Health showed that vaccinating girls aged 9–14 years offers the best public health benefit
• The World Health Organization states that vaccinating girls aged 9 to 14 years also reduces the risk of HPV infection in boys

What is the schedule for the HPV vaccine for kids?

As mentioned earlier, the best age to get the HPV vaccine is between the ages of 9 and 15 years, so that all the shots are completed by the child’s 15th birthday.

Here is how the schedule is for the HPV vaccine for kids of different ages:

• 9-15 years: Two shots, second one 6-12 months after the first
• 15-26 years:  Three shots, second shot 1-2 months after the first, and the third shot 6 months after the first

If someone took one shot of the HPV vaccine in childhood and missed the ensuing doses, they can still catch up later, up to the age of 26. After this age, the vaccine doesn’t seem to have many benefits.

Are there side effects for the HPV vaccine for kids?

The HPV vaccine for kids has been reported to be safe, and over 200 million doses have been administered globally over the last 15 years. The vaccine should be injected intramuscularly in the upper arm or the thigh. While there are no long-term side effects, there may be some short-term discomfort, especially at the site of the injection.

Here are a few mild symptoms to watch out for after getting the HPV vaccine:

• Fever in the 15 days after vaccination
• Soreness or swelling at the injection site
• Headache or dizziness
• Muscle pain
• Fatigue

It is recommended to get the child to lie down to receive the vaccine and to remain in the position for 15 minutes after vaccination. A warm compress can reduce soreness at the injection site and acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help with pain or fever.

You may want to skip the HPV vaccine if your child has a history of allergic reactions to any of the ingredients of the vaccine. If your child is suffering from high fever, diarrhea or a respiratory infection, it is best to wait till they are better before getting the vaccine.

Getting the HPV vaccine for kids is an important way of ensuring good health in their adult lives, and an essential part of protecting against many cancers. Please remember that the HPV vaccine only works to prevent infections; it cannot treat an existing infection. Please contact your child’s pediatrician about how to proceed with the vaccine and secure your child’s health.

References:

• Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• National Health Service (NHS) UK
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• UNICEF
• Cleveland Clinic
• ICMR National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research