Information for the Parents of an HIV Positive Child.
Though more adults suffer from HIV than children, there are families that must deal with the unique stresses, concerns, and questions of caring for an HIV positive child. Naturally, you as parents worry about the health and well-being of your child. And make no mistake — as your child gets older, he or she will have concerns, too.
Arming yourself with information can help you better understand your child’s illness and answer questions when they arise.
Ryan White was a thirteen-year-old in 1984 when he was diagnosed with HIV. At that time, the disease was not well understood, and so Ryan faced prejudice and discrimination from his community in Kokomo, Indiana. Parents and officials feared that Ryan would spread his HIV to classmates through nothing more than casual contact.
While some may still harbor this sentiment, despite more widespread knowledge about HIV today, you needn’t fear. An HIV child is of no risk to a friend or classmate he casually interacts with. HIV is not spread to others by casual contact including playing together, sharing toys, drinking from the same cup, or eating from the same plate. Simply put, your child is not a risk to other children; he or she will not transfer their infection simply by being around other children.
With all the above being said, there are indeed a couple of precautions that you need to take. Kids will be kids, and eventually they will skin a knee or cut themselves. Any bleeding cut, laceration, or abrasion could potentially expose other people to HIV infected blood. Simply use gloves when handling you child’s wound and when cleaning up any blood. All cuts or lacerations should be covered to avoid exposing anyone to HIV infected blood and to keep out any bacteria that could cause the wound to become infected. If any redness, swelling, or drainage from the wound occurs, these may signal that the wound has become infected. Infected wounds need to be assessed by your child’s HIV specialist.
It is wise to share proper wound caring steps with your child, as well.
We all know how mean, cruel, and brutally honest kids can sometimes be. Teasing, name calling, and making fun of other kids just because they are different can unfortunately become commonplace.
You should keep this in mind when discussing your child’s illness or when helping your child take his or her daily medications. Having your son or daughter take necessary medications around friends and other children could cause embarrassment and emotional stress. Instead, arrange your child’s medication schedule so that medications can be taking in a private, routine location without distractions. This will improve adherence and help your child feel less stress.
Most of you are aware of the vaccinations that are recommended for your children. Some of these vaccinations are required by school systems before allowing a child to start kindergarten. Experts agree that vaccinations are an easy way to keep your children healthy. But what about children with an immune system weakened by HIV? Should your HIV positive son or daughter get vaccinated as well? The answer to that question depends on the vaccination (and in the case of some vaccines, your child’s CD4 count).
Recommended Vaccines
Vaccines to Avoid
The Measles Vaccine
There is some debate surrounding the measles vaccine and whether or not it should be given to HIV positive kids. Though it is recommended for children in general, there is a case of an HIV positive person dying from measles after receiving the vaccine. Other Recommended Vaccines
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