How to Talk to Your Children About AIDS

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How to Talk to Your Children About AIDS

How Do You Talk To Your Children About AIDS? More About AIDS: For You and Your Children

Some Basic Facts About HIV/AIDS

What is AIDS?

AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS refers to a group of illnesses due to infection by HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus.

A person can be infected with HIV and not know it. People who are infected with HIV often have no symptoms and feel healthy.

On average, it takes more than ten years for a person who is infected with the virus to become ill with AIDS. AIDS is the last stage of HIV disease. The virus weakens and finally causes a collapse of the body's ability to fight off illness.

When this happens, people with AIDS are vulnerable to other diseases, including rare types of cancer and pneumonia, and infections that do not threaten people whose immune systems are healthy.

How do you get infected with HIV?

There are three major ways of becoming infected with HIV.

These are:

Through any type of unprotected sexual intercourse.
Through the exchange of blood, primarily by sharing needles.
From an HIV-infected woman to her baby during pregnancy or birth.

Can you get infected with HIV from food, air, or water?

No. There are no known cases of HIV infection from toilet seats, clothing, dishes, sneezing, coughing, sharing food, biting, kissing, or simple contact with a person who has AIDS or is HIV-positive. In families where children have played, eaten, slept with, or kissed a brother or sister with AIDS, there are no known cases of child-to-child or child-to-adult transmission. In fact, there are no cases of family members being infected by living with someone who has the disease. Because HIV is found in blood, individuals should not share toothbrushes and razors. Families need information about how to safely handle blood.

Are blood transfusions safe?

The U.S. blood supply is very safe. Before 1985, several thousand people did become infected as a result of blood transfusions. Now all blood is screened for HIV. In very rare cases (one out of 40,000 transfusions), infection still occurs. You can donate your own blood before an elective surgery. Donating blood for other people is needed and poses no risk of infection.

Can anyone become infected with HIV?

Anyone who practices unsafe behaviors is at risk for HIV infection. Men, women, and children have become infected. Black, White, Asian, and Hispanic people have become infected. Heterosexuals, bisexuals, gay men and lesbians have all become infected. It is not who you are that puts you at risk, but what you do.

Is there a cure for AIDS?

No, not at the present time. Unfortunately no sure is likely to be discovered in the near future, although there are treatments helping people with HIV disease to lead longer, healthier lives.

How do you know if you have the virus?

There are tests that can tell if a person has been exposed to HIV. Your local health department can refer you to a testing site. Counseling should come before and after the test. You may want to go to a clinic where the test is tracked by numbers and you do not have to give your name.

What if a child in the local school district has AIDS?

You don't need to worry about your child becoming infected by playing with, or studying next to, a child who has AIDS or is infected with HIV. HIV is not spread by any type of casual contact. Children with HIV infection have the right to attend school.

How can you protect your children from AIDS?

Because there is no vaccine or treatment to prevent or cure AIDS at this time, the only protection is to teach your children about HIV and AIDS and about how they can protect themselves.