HIV/AIDS has been around for a while now. The good news is that treatments for the disease have come a long way in helping to prolong the lives of those infected. Even Magic Johnson, one of the first major public figures to disclose that he suffered from HIV in the early 1990’s, is still alive. The bad news is that today’s teens who may not know the terrible toll that HIV/AIDS can take on a person, may become lax about prevention strategies.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides the following startling statistic: “Incidence is the number of new HIV infections that occur during a given year. CDC estimates that approximately 50,000 people are newly infected with HIV each year in the United States. In 2009 (the most recent year that data are available), there were an estimated 48,100 new HIV infections.” Of this number, approximately 20,000 people aged 19 years and younger currently suffer from HIV/AIDS.
These facts should prompt parents/guardians to discuss safety precautions with their children. Although doing so may make one feel uncomfortable, it will be much easier to do than comforting a child who has been newly diagnosed with this chronic disease.
First and foremost, make sure your child understands the importance of not having unprotected sex. This is true for all forms of sexual activity, including vaginal, anal, and oral. This is because the HIV virus lives in bodily fluids. Although kissing doesn’t spread the disease, other fluids do: blood, semen, vaginal secretions. Because of this, condoms as well as spermicides should be used.
In addition, a child should understand that sharing needles could transmit HIV. Of course the optimum situation would be if children did not use intravenous drugs; however, give the information to a child anyway. The spread of HIV is just one more reason to drugs.
Since tatoos have become a right of passage for teens today, discuss how dirty needles used in the process could cause HIV to travel from one person to another. If a child or young adult wishes to get a tattoo, and they can not be dissuaded, then suggest reputable tattoo parlors – those that have been inspected by a local health department. NEVER obtain a tattoo from a man or woman who does it as a hobby in unsanitary conditions!
Finally, some teens still think it’s a good idea to share blood with a friend – in essence to become blood brothers or sisters. This practice should be avoided at all costs, as HIV lives in the blood. There are other safe ways to be forever friends, including exchanging rings or bracelets.
Don’t scare your child. HIV/AIDS can’t be caught by sharing eating utensils, by sharing the same bathroom, or by holding the hands of someone who is infected. The key – bodily fluids (not saliva) contain the virus, and that’s how it can travel from one person to another.
Help a child to stay HIV/AIDS free. Don’t become lax in relating prevention tactics.
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