Sage-Tips

Can HIV be passed onto kids?

An HIV-positive mother can transmit HIV to her baby any time during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. If you are a woman with HIV and you are pregnant, treatment with a combination of HIV medicines (called antiretroviral therapy or ART) can prevent transmission of HIV to your baby and protect your health.

What is the most common way children get HIV?

Sexual transmission is the most common way teens contract HIV. Transmission can occur during vaginal, oral, or anal sex without a condom or other barrier method.

How long does it take for HIV to show up after being infected?

It can take 3-12 weeks for enough signs of the virus to show up on routine tests for the infection, which measure antibodies against HIV. A new kind of screening, called a nucleic acid test, can detect the virus itself during this early stage, but it’s expensive and not usually used for routine HIV testing.

Can a child be born with HIV if the mother is infected?

Not every child born to an HIV-infected mother will acquire the virus. In the U.S., teens and young adults between the ages of 13 and 24, especially among minority groups, represent one of the fastest growing HIV-positive groups. The number of infants who become HIV positive when born to an infected mother has decreased.

What happens if HIV is not treated in children?

Treatment for HIV is not a cure, but it can keep HIV under control and prevent your child from becoming ill from HIV. Without treatment, HIV will damage your child’s immune system, and this puts them at risk of serious illnesses. For babies and young children, untreated HIV is very serious.

Is there antiretroviral treatment for children living with HIV?

Antiretroviral treatment for children living with HIV. FAST FACTS. • Antiretroviral treatment (ART) can keep your child healthy and help them lead a normal, fulfilling life with HIV. • A healthcare professional will be able to give you guidance on matching the right type of treatment to your child’s age and existing health condition.

Can kids with HIV and aids go to school?

Kids with HIV and AIDS can safely go to school. But they may face bullying and discrimination unless the other students and teachers understand how HIV spreads. Awareness and education programs help break down the stigma around HIV so that children can have friends and feel normal growing up.