Adolescent & HIV Positive

Three years ago. when we first interviewed ‘Angela’ as we’ll call her, she smiled and laughed and talked openly about being born HIV positive.

“I’ve been H-I-V positive all my life.” she proclaimed.

But now. it’s painful to talk about HIV. and she doesn’t want anyone to know.

“As I grew, the people became more ignorant, so I just like, keep it to myself about it,” she says.

Did people around her change? Or did Angela? Experts say it’s a combination of both.

Pamela Bachanas is a Clinical Psychologist with Grady Health Systems in Atlanta as well as the Emory School of Medicine. “We really hear kids talking about they sit in health class and they hear about H-I-V in the context of people talking about it like this is some dreadful disease you get I you do bad things. Well these kids didn’t do bad things. they were born,” she says.

Angela is now old enough to be afraid of what would happen if her classmates learned she was h-i-v positive..

“If they find out they might tell other people and other people, and then it’s going to be (split) teaming up on me. thinking I’m different,” she says.

“Particularly during adolescence kids don’t want to stand out and be different from their peers. and that probably more than any other developmental period it’s so important for them to be like everyone else, and not have anything about them that is different,” says Dr. Bachanas.

And so, adolescents like “Angela” become isolated and ashamed and that’s why, experts say, they desperately need the help of their parents.

“You have to continue to give them the knowledge that they’re o-k with this virus. that the virus is not you,” says HIV educator Zina Age.

“For parents to realize that that’s an area that they have nobody to talk to about and their parents are one of the few people in their lives that know their situation and can empathize with their situation,” says Dr. Bachanas.

Kids with HIV in Missouri are now able to have hope – Camp Hope. The camp is the only one in the region that specifically serves children with HIV and their families. The kids and their families are able to be a part of a fun, trusting, supportive and peaceful environment free from the daily struggles associated with living with HIV.

Camp Hope is an annual program affiliated with Project ARK (AIDS Resources and Knowledge), which was developed by the Washington University (St. Louis) School of Medicine. When Camp Hope was founded by Project ARK in 1994, the life expectancy of children living with HIV was usually bleak. Now, however, due to advances in HIV care, children once thought not to survive past preschool are preparing to enter high school.

The best approach to take in case your child comes to you with questions about a classmate who has HIV is to be prepared beforehand. Parents can use the time to educate their children with facts about HIV as well as on how to treat other people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, parents might consider including the following points in that conversation:

• Provide the adolescent with a definition of AIDS. For example, explain that AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is a condition in which the body’s immune system breaks down. Because the immune system fails, a person with AIDS typically develops a variety of life-threatening illnesses that almost always prove fatal.
• Give a definition of HIV infection. The adolescent needs to understand that AIDS is caused by a virus that scientists call human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. Once a person is infected, he or she can infect others, even if no symptoms are present. The fact that other STDs share this characteristic provides an excellent opportunity to expand the conversation to include other sexually transmitted diseases should the opportunity feel right. Point out that a special blood test can detect HIV.
• Explain how HIV is transmitted from one person to another. The adolescent needs to clearly understand that there are two primary ways that people become infected with HIV:
• By engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal, or oral) with an infected person
• By sharing drug needles or syringes with an infected person.
• A parent might want to point out that women who are infected with HIV can pass it on to their babies during pregnancy, birth or breast-feeding. The fact that some people have become infected through receiving blood transfusions might also be pointed out. Although these cases are rare, the fact that a parent knows about them and mentions them can only add to their credibility in discussing such an important subject.
• Explain how to reduce the risk for HIV infection from sex. The easiest way to avoid getting HIV from sex is to not have sex. Abstinence is the only sure protection. This may seem simplistic in the face of the significant rates of sexual activity reported by teens in today’s society. However, it does provide an opening to discuss some of the values that your family stands for in regard to premarital sex. Remind them of some of the realistic values of choosing not to have intercourse including:
  – Virtually guaranteeing their safety from all sexually transmitted    diseases, including HIV infection. Point out that approximately    every 11 seconds a teen in the U.S. gets a sexually transmitted    disease.
  – Providing the teen with additional time to mature physically and    emotionally.
  – Providing them with more time to learn and understand more about   the physical and emotional aspects of sexual relationships.
  – Avoiding unwanted pregnancy. Some sources report that   approximately every 30 seconds a teen in the U.S. gets pregnant.
• Finally, reinforce the critical importance of avoiding making decisions about sexual intercourse while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. These substances can cloud their judgment and cause them to take risks that put them in danger of becoming infected with HIV.
• Explain how HIV is transmitted through drug use.
• Discuss how to join the community response to AIDS.
• Give your thoughts on the importance of understanding and compassion toward people with AIDS.
• Talk about the importance of eliminating prejudice and discrimination related to AIDS.

American Medical Association

UCSF Center for HIV Information
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/dhap.htm