HIV in Children: What to Know

The HIV century disease is not only affecting adults but also taking the future and lives of many children. Meanwhile, early diagnosis of HIV in children has not been given due attention.

1. Hiv symptoms in children

Hiv-infected pediatric patients often present with a variety of manifestations. Common early symptoms in HIV-infected children are:

  • Manifestations throughout the body: children lose weight, slow growth (slow to reach basic developmental milestones), or have fever, convulsions, dehydration, anemia, malnutrition, prolonged diarrhea, enlarged liver.
  • Pulmonary pathology: children with prolonged respiratory diseases, unexplained drum finger syndrome, prolonged flu, bronchitis, pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis.
  • Head – face – neck area: children with unsusmoid small brains, chronic chronic inflammation of the herpes virus, oralfungus and mouth ulcers, otitis otitis or severe sinusitis.
  • Skin diseases: HIV children are often infected with the spreading papilloma virus, spreading mucous tumours, recurrent folliculitis, itchy papules, eczema or severe sebaceous dermatitis.
  • Neurological diseases: the baby has intellectual retretion or loss of development markers, unsym causeless spasms,…

HIV symptoms in children

Malnutrition, slow growth are signs of children being infected with HIV

2. Diagnosis and treatment of HIV in children

2.1. Diagnosis and treatment of HIV for the fetus

One of the three main roads (accounting for 25-40%) transmission of HIV/AIDS is from mother to child. Without back-up treatment, 35 out of every 100 hiv-positive mothers are born with HIV from their mothers. If given backup treatment, only about 5 children have HIV.

According to statistics of the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, in 2017, the number of pregnant women was more than 2.7 million people. In particular, the number of pregnant women tested for HIV was nearly 1.4 million (50.2%), detecting 1,108 people living with HIV. Thanks to the development of diagnosis and treatment, the rate of mother-to-child transmission has decreased significantly. Even if a parent is infected with HIV, it is still possible to give birth to perfectly healthy children if the mother soon took antiviral drugs ARV and followed the parenting as directed by health officials.

In addition, anti-HIV drugs also help protect the health of pregnant women. If pregnant women are found to have HIV infection in the first 3 months of pregnancy, take medicine early and adhere to the principle of treatment, blood tests every 3-6 months, viral load less than 200 copies, the risk of HIV infection to their child will be very low (only 2-6%).

2.2. Diagnosis and treatment of HIV in newborns

HIV in children

HIV robs many children of their future and lives

The risk of disease and premature death is very high in hiv-infected children. Therefore, babies born to hiv-infected mothers need to be diagnosed early (4-6 weeks old) for timely treatment and care. Early diagnosis of HIV infection in newborns also helps parents choose breastfeeding or alternative milk and minimize infection for other children in the community.

Regarding the treatment: babies born to mothers with HIV need to be treated with Co-trimoxazole. The use of the drug begins at the age of 4-6 weeks and lasts until the child is 5 years old. In addition, parents also need to talk carefully with doctors to know how to properly care for and treat children living with HIV.

For direct advice, please click hotline number or register online HERE. In addition, you can register for remote consultation HERE

SEE MORE:

  • What is HIV-positive?
  • What to do if you are stabbed by a sharp object with blood, suspected HIV infection?
  • HIV in Pregnant Women: What to Know

About: John Smith

b1ffdb54307529964874ff53a5c5de33?s=90&r=gI am the author of Share99.net. I had been working in Vinmec International General Hospital for over 10 years. I dedicate my passion on every post in this site.

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