The Risks of Not Talking About Children and AIDS

The Risks of Not Talking About Children and AIDS

Teens or children can get HIV by having sex, being sexually abused, or by sharing needles and syringes with someone who has HIV. But often parents don't want to believe that their child is at risk. In fact, half of mothers of teenagers who are having sex think their children are still virgins.

Here are more reasons to become a better-informed and more communicative parent.

• More than three out of four 12th graders have had sexual intercourse.
• Almost one out of four teen girls felt pressured the first time they had sex.
• Four million teens are infected each year with a sexually transmitted disease (STD), which also increases the risk for HIV.
• More than one out of four new HIV infections in the U.S. are in teens.