Signs and symptoms of HPV
How do you know if your child has HPV?
There is an HPV test that can detect high-risk HPV strains in DNA from the body’s cells. But it is not included in the regular STI testing because it is not widely accessible. Currently, the test is usually only used in rare circumstances, either when a physician recommends it or when there are abnormal results on a Pap test. Many parts of Canada do not have the test, and since it may not be covered by your health plan, you may have to pay about $90 for it.
Chances are your child will contract an HPV virus at some point in their life, but will never know they have it and will have absolutely no problems. Most of the time, the HPV virus will clear up by itself.
Having HPV does not mean you have a disease. Most people who get HPV don't even have any signs or symptoms.
There are, however, some low risk types of the HPV virus that cause genital warts, and these can appear several weeks, and sometimes months, after sexual contact. In rare instances, the virus persists, especially the high risk types of the HPV virus, and can develop into pre-cancerous lesions and cancer.
For girls who have become sexually active, the Pap test is an effective way to find early signs of abnormalities and pre-cancerous cells in the cervix.
Why Pap tests are important?
A young woman should have her first Pap test within three years of becoming sexually active, and then every two years after that.
The Pap test is the only way to detect abnormal cells in your cervix. If your daughter has an abnormal Pap test, this may mean that there are cells that are pre-cursors to cancer and there is a small chance that your daughter may develop cancer. This can be treated successfully at this stage because the progression to cancer takes many years, sometimes up to 10 years.
If you need information to talk to your daughter on what to expect when having a Pap test, this brochure provides practical information.
