Wednesday 2 March 2016

Why I plan on giving my son a vaccine "for girls"...

Image Source: http://vaccines.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=005206
The other day I was discussing with a family member who is a Doctor about the meningitis vaccine as it has been in the news lately.

I have been lucky as my son fell into the catch up programme when he was a few months old, and has already had his first vaccine. However, I knew that you can buy the vaccine and if he hadnt have fallen into the age group I would have done this. I wouldnt have known that this was an option if someone hadnt told me, and I wonder if other parents knew... I dont know if there are any restrictions on this vaccine (ages etc.) but it made me ask the Doctor "is there any other vaccinations you would recommend I pay for my son to have?"

The answer I got was unexpected.

He said he had had his 2 sons vaccinated when they were younger with the "cervical cancer" vaccine... To which I immediately thought "what"?!

I have always known the vaccine that girls now have (between 11 and 14) as the cervical cancer vaccine. I am too old to have had it so my knowledge is limited. However, the Doctor went onto to tell me that it is actually a vaccine againt HPV. Many of you may know about this, especially due to coverage over the past few years because it causes cancers such as throat cancer (something we all seem more aware of these days, due to celebrities having being diagnosed with it) as well as cervical cancers.

When I had a look into it myself I was surprised to find that HPV can cause many different types of cancers including the following in males:
  • Penile Cancer
  • Anal Cancer
  • Mouth & Throat Cancer
(For source click here)

When I read this, as a mother to a boy, it concerns me that this vaccine isnt being offered to boys as well. I am not quite sure why the NHS feel that only girls should be getting this vaccine? It may help prevent the spread of HPV virus one way or the other, but until HPV isnt a threat I dont feel that boys shouldnt also be vaccinated. On an emotional level it feels like my son's life has somehow been deemed less important than a girls. (Now dont get me wrong, I feel every one is important, no matter gender, age etc. But I am struggling to understand this decision). I appreciate, as a woman, how big an issue cervical cancer is, but I dont feel it should become more important than a man's cancer of the penis!

Either way, without becoming too political and delving into issues that I am not completely read up on, I wanted to blog about this for any Mum's with boys. I know that when my son turns 11/12 I will be paying to get him vaccinated with the "cervical cancer" vaccine. I just wanted to put this on here in case anyone else wasnt aware and would want to know about it.

Some more information: http://www.cdc.gov/features/hpvvaccineboys/

Hello again...


It has been a very loooong time since I posted, for anyone who likes to read my blog regularly I am sorry... I hope there is someone who does... :)

I could go through the long list of reasons I haven't posted in a while: sinus infections, flu, baby not sleeping, baby teething, working lots, a house move and a new job... the list can go on. But the basic reason is just being so busy and not feeling very inspired lately.

However, I am hoping I will now have a new lease of life into my blogging.

I feel like I should share something of my December and Christmas... Because that is where I last left this blog, and despite all that businsess I didnt managed to do half the things I had hoped. I had the typical visions of being a domestic goddess, earth Mother type with a Christmas that had Santa envious. Where I would be blissfully baking organic, refined sugarfree mince pies with a festive apron on and a lovely cooing baby sitting watching patiently in his highchair.


Typically I set myself up for a massive fail. Not foreseeing a house move mid December and the active nature of a 7 month old beginning to crawl. Seriously, how did he go from a snail pace shuffle to racing car fast in the space of a week? Any why oh why does he think the other side of the room is amazing mid nappy change?

Nothing gets you moving like chasing down a crawling baby with a dirty nappy half hanging off their cheeky bum!

I got no baking done, despite promising family lots of goodies. I feel bad about this! I have promised to make the festive treats next year instead... am I setting myself up for failure yet again? Probably.

Christmas Eve and Day was not quite what I imagined either. I bought my baby the "Santa is coming to Sheffield" book, which is really lovely. I had imagined reading it to him on Christmas Eve, naturally he would be all serene. Maybe looking at me lovingly while I began a Christmas Eve tradition. Did it go like that? Hell no! He wiggled and wormed around on my lap, desperate to get away. It was a battle of wills, at one point my husband told me to give it up. But I was determined to finish the darn book... I finished the lovely story about Santa coming to Sheffield, but I wouldnt class it as a magical moment or parental "win".

Naturally my son barely slept the 2 nights leading up to Christmas and after being up until midnight putting up a trike on Christmas Eve I was exhausted. I was less earth mother, and mother of all zombies! I ended up cooking the worst roast I have ever done and forgot to have even one glass of festive tipple!

I just want to share my Christmas catastrophe, I feel like I need to warn other parents. It isnt all fairy lights and magical moments. The (parental) struggle is real, even over the festive season!