HIV in Children: Symptoms, Cause & Treatment

Causes of HIV in Children

This includes —

1. Vertical or Perinatal transmission:

Also called mother-to-child transmission, a child contracts HIV in any of these ways — from a pregnant mother to the foetus in the womb, during childbirth or labour, or during breastfeeding. Although perinatal transmission is the most common cause of HIV in children, not every child born to a mother diagnosed with HIV will contract the virus.

2. Horizontal transmission:

This is also called secondary transmission, in which children contract HIV by coming into contact with infected blood, semen, and vaginal fluid. Among teens, sexual transmission is the most common cause of HIV if they don’t use a barrier method like condoms.

3. Avoid using needles:

HIV can also spread if you share needles, syringes, and similar items.

Symptoms

The HIV symptoms in children vary based on their age.

A) Infants up to 1 year of age:

• Persistent fever

• Swollen abdomen

• Enlarged lymph nodes

• Pneumonia

• Recurring diarrhoea

• Oral thrush, i.e., fungal infection in the mouth

• Weight loss

• Lack of energy

• Delay in growth and development

B) Children and teens:

• Enlarged spleen or liver

• Enlarged lymph nodes

• Oral thrush

• Lung infections

• Kidney problems

• Itchy rash

• Diarrhoea, which can be recurring

• Fever that lasts more than a month

• Abdominal swelling

• Tumours, which can be benign or malignant

Diagnosis

HIV is diagnosed through blood tests; however, more than one blood test may be required to arrive at a proper diagnosis. If the blood samples show HIV antibodies, then it’s a confirmed case. However, if there are no antibodies present but your doctor suspects an HIV infection, the test can be repeated in 3 months and subsequently in 6 months.

A) In Infants below 18 months:

If the mother is HIV positive, doctors usually ask for virologic tests at these intervals – within 2 days of birth, after 1 or 2 months, during 4 to 6 months. When two different blood samples test positive for the virus, it’s a confirmed case of HIV.

B) For children aged 18 months and above:

After an HIV-positive mother gives birth, the HIV antibodies remain in the blood of the infant for up to 18 months. After the child completes 18 months of age, an HIV antibody test is conducted to make a diagnosis.

Complication

HIV attacks the immune system, making children more vulnerable to infections and diseases, such as pneumonia, meningitis, hepatitis, herpes, chicken pox, shingles, intestinal disorders, skin diseases, sinusitis, ear infections, sepsis, etc. The right treatment can help prevent these conditions.

Treatment

The treatment for HIV-affected people of all ages, including children, is antiretroviral therapy and medications. These help to manage the condition and enable them to live healthy lives. However, the treatment plan depends on several factors, like the weight of the child, severity of the infection, risk of progression, if the child has any history of HIV-related illnesses, the possibility of drug resistance, etc. You should make sure that your child takes the medications as prescribed. If they have trouble swallowing the pills, you can give them the same in syrup form.

Vaccinations for HIV

Currently, there are no vaccines to prevent or treat HIV. So, to improve immunity in children and teens, doctor advice vaccination against other diseases. These vaccines include Varicella (chicken pox and shingles), pneumonia, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus (HPV), influenza, MMR, polio, meningococcal meningitis, and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis).