HIV is a virus which impacts the human immune system. This, in turn, increases the risk of other diseases and infections. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV attacks immune cells called CD4. This d4 is a type of T cell and combat the abnormalities and dangerous microbes and viruses present in your body. But the HIV viruses attack these T cells. Hence, the cells lose the power to combat harmful presences in their body.
If HIV is untreated then it becomes AIDS with time. It can cause a lot of harm. HIV or AIDS is now becoming rare in children due to many preventive measures and methods. But a lot of people in the African, mainly the sub-Saharan part are born and diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. But with the right medication children can live a normal life.
Causes–
Usually, a child becomes HIV positive id the mother has HIV while pregnant. HIV passes from mother to child. But, if the mother is diagnosed with HIV and maintains the treatment then the baby does not get HIV in many cases. Hence, to prevent HIV in children, the mother needs to be protected. Often homeless people and sexually abused people encounter HIV and give birth to HIV positive babies.
Symptoms–
HIV positive children have some distinct symptom. Since most children are born with HIV because their mother had HIV IN pregnancy it can be prevented. But if the disease remains unrecognized children may show the following symptoms-
- The child fails to gain while growing.
- They do not grow as per other normal children. Their mental and intellectual abilities are below the age level.
- They have certain problems like seizures, trouble in walking and concentration
- They remain sick frequently due to infection like cold, upset stomach, diarrhea or ear infection
- Pneumocystis pneumonia, which is a type of fungal lung infection
- Oral thrush or diaper infection
- Cytomegalovirus
Treatments
Children usually are given the same medications as any adult. They are given a combination of medications called antiretroviral therapy or ART. But, often many drugs are not available in liquid form and many drugs may cause allergic reactions in babies.
How Can You Prevent Giving HIV to Your Baby?
If you are pregnant or planning for pregnancy, you should go for HIV test immediately. If you are find to have HIV positive, start taking ART as per doctor’s recommendation. Also, you should go for HIV test again in your third trimester to check whether you are at risk. Often a HIV positive father can also send the disease to the unborn child. So, if your partner in HIV positive, it’s time to consult your doctor and know how Pre-exposure Prophylaxis can help you in staying away from HIV. You should also encourage your partner to take ART. You need to remember here that people who take precautions to prevent HIV and follow all recommendations of the doctors, have no risk of transmitting the virus to the baby, and even to the HIV negative partner while having sex.
HIV treatment
Youngsters and adolescents with HIV need to take antiretroviral drugs. Antiretroviral medications are viable in treating HIV and preventing the illness from forming into AIDS.
Kids with HIV need to:
- take their medicine each day
- keep their immunizations exceptional
- see their primary care physician normally.
Right now, there’s no fix or antibody for HIV. Yet, with treatment, kids and young people determined to have HIV in Australia today are probably going to lead long and sound lives.
HIV and pregnancy
Ladies or couples with HIV getting ready for pregnancy ought to talk about their analysis with their primary care physician and build up an arrangement to decrease the danger of HIV being passed from mother to kid.
In the event that a lady with HIV takes antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy and birth, and her infant takes antiretroviral meds for a brief period, it drastically decreases the danger of the infant getting HIV.
Breastfeeding isn’t prescribed for moms who have HIV.
HIV and young people
Young people can lessen their danger of getting HIV by utilizing condoms during vaginal or butt-centric sex. They from sharing things like medication syringes and needles utilized for body-piercings and tattoos.
On the off chance that your high school tyke is explicitly dynamic, you can help diminish your tyke’s hazard by ensuring your kid has:
- Accurate data about safe sexual practices
- Access to condoms
- access to solid guidance about sexuality and sexual wellbeing from a GP or other wellbeing proficient, on the off chance that he doesn’t feel great conversing with you.
On the off chance that your youngster needs to get a tattoo or body-penetrating, you can help her locate a sheltered and expert tattooist or piercer.
What’s more, in case you’re worried that your tyke is utilizing intravenous medications, you could begin by conversing with your GP, your kid’s school advocate or other school staff for assets and bolster alternatives.
A developing collection of proof shows how youngsters living with or influenced by HIV and AIDS are particularly helpless against issues of savagery, misuse, disregard and abuse. Spare the Children attempts to avert the spread of HIV and guarantee youngsters influenced by AIDS get the assistance they need. With the help of contributors and accomplices, we help networks to think about wiped out and defenseless youngsters, just as give instruction, passionate help, and nutritious nourishment and significantly more.
Spare the Children imagines an existence where kids and families can live free of HIV disease and in which families that are influenced by HIV and AIDS can live decidedly and profitably without disgrace and segregation.
Drawing on our worldwide experience, Save the Children underpins a huge number of kids and youngsters in danger for, and influenced by, HIV. Spare the Children adopts a complete strategy in tending to HIV and AIDS, concentrating on vagrants and other powerless youngsters; youngsters most in danger to the scourge; and endeavors to battle pediatric AIDS including mother-to-kid transmission anticipation programs.
HIV is most generally transmitted to youngsters by
- A contaminated mother before birth or during birth
- After birth through the mother’s milk
In little youngsters, HIV disease is about constantly gained from the mother. Over 95% of HIV-contaminated youngsters in the United States procured the disease from their mom, either previously or around the season of birth (called vertical transmission or mother-to-tyke transmission). A large portion of the rest of the kids currently living with AIDS obtained the disease from sexual action, including, once in a while, sexual maltreatment. Due to improved security measures with respect to screening of blood and blood items, as of late no diseases have come about because of the utilization of blood and blood items in the United States, Canada, or Western Europe.
Upwards of 2,500 HIV-contaminated ladies conceive an offspring every year in the United States. Without preventive measures, 25 to 33% of them would transmit the disease to their child. Transmission frequently happens during work and conveyance.
The danger of transmission is most noteworthy among moms who
- Acquire HIV disease during pregnancy or while breastfeeding
- Are seriously sick
- Have more infection in their body
Nonetheless, transmission has declined altogether in the United States from about 25% in 1991 to 1% in 2013. Mother-to-tyke transmission has been diminished due to a serious exertion to test and treat tainted pregnant ladies during both pregnancy and conveyance.
The infection additionally can be transmitted in bosom milk. Around 12 to 14% of newborn children not contaminated during childbirth gain HIV disease in the event that they breastfeed from a HIV-tainted mother. Frequently, transmission happens in the initial couple of weeks or long periods of life however may happen later. Transmission by breastfeeding is almost certain in moms who have an abnormal state of infection in their body, including the individuals who obtained the disease during the timespan in which they were breastfeeding their baby.
