Adherence (see fact sheet 405) is a major challenge for children and infants. Both the child and the parents may need extra help. Many children do not understand why they should put up with medication side effects.
Their parents are usually HIV-positive. They may have their own difficulties with adherence. Their children may take different medications, on a different schedule. Many ARVs taste bad or have a strange texture. A feeding tube directly into the stomach may be necessary if an infant refuses to swallow medications.
Where ARVs and good medical care for pregnant women are available, new infections of children are rare.
Treatment of HIV-infected children is complicated. Not all ARVs are approved for use by children. The correct dosing is not always known. Children may have a difficult time tolerating medications and taking every dose as scheduled.
However, because children’s immune systems are still developing, they might have a better chance of fully recovering from damage caused by HIV.
Children with HIV should be treated by a pediatrician with experience in HIV.
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