Vertical Transmission

• Women who are infected with HPV can potentially pass the virus to their unborn child through the blood stream during pregnancy.
  
  

Common Contact

• Children can also contract the human papilloma virus through contact with individuals with common warts. According Pediatric Nurse Gail Horner, children may spread the virus by touching their hands on toys, other children or their own genitals.
  
  

Sexual Transmission

• Children who become sexually active at an extremely early age can also contract HPV through consensual sexual contact.
  
  

Horizontal Transmission

• Horizontal transmission occurs when a child becomes infected with HPV due to sexual abuse.
  
  

Additional Possibilities

• According to research done by Brown University, it may also be possible for children to catch HPV through contact with infected bodily fluids such as those left behind on towels, toilet seats or through sharing bath water.