Question
What is the life expectancy of a child who is HIV positive?
14 August 2024. Related: All topics, Children, Life expectancy.
What is the life expectancy of an HIV positive child?
Answer
Hi there
HIV treatment is now very good.
This means that with early diagnosis and treatment it is now very common for children to lead long and normal lives.
The greatest risk is in the first year of life, which is why early diagnosis and treatment is so important. If children are able to cope with the first year of treatment, then the outlook is very good.
Both PENTA [Paediatric European Network for the treatment of AIDS] and WHO [World Health Organisation] guidelines recommend starting ART [antiretroviral treatment]Â for all infants with HIV below the age of 12 months. The USA guidelines recommend ART for all infants. For more information on guidelines for treating babies and children, please follow these links to the European, WHO and USA guidelines.
The good news is that in the UK, with access to and good use of treatment, care and support, many children born with HIV are now in their mid to late 20s.
Many of these young people are either in college, working or starting families of their own.
This answer was updated in 2024 from a question first posted in 2012.
Hi Gabdile, thanks, this can sometimes happen but it is very rare. Some adults and children managed without meds for this long becasue they have very strong immune response.
Please see:
https://i-base.info/long-term-non-progressor-ltnp/
and
https://i-base.info/elite-controller/
In 2024, everyone who is HIV positive is recommended to use HIV treatment.
Hello. Can a child born hiv postitive live up to 18 years without taking medication?
Hello Sandy and thank you for the question.
I understand you are worried but please don’t be.
The medication your doctor prescribed are well known and used for many years.
Here are some information about the adult form of the same medication:
https://i-base.info/guides/8851
https://i-base.info/guides/3513
You are right to monitor your baby’s symptoms and it’s very good you are so careful and notice everything about the baby.
Well done.
It’s really good news she doesn’t have TB too.
I am sending you a link for the treatment – your baby might not understand the videos right now as she is very young but they are really good to watch for you too:
https://www.chiva.org.uk/infoyp/hiv-facts/medicine/
My baby is 4 years and weighing 13.3 kg
She is offered dolutegravir sodium dispersible 10 mg and abacavir sulfate and lamivudin 60mg/30mg
I tablet in morning and evening both time and one is in evening only
How good are these meds and is there any side effects. I have started today itself
She is tested negative for TB but she has shortness of breath and some bumps on legs
Doctor said this will go away as virus in control.
Hello Sandy and thank you for the question.
I am very sorry you feel life is so harsh. Sometimes it feels that way.
Are you able to send us the names of the drugs that are prescribed?
Some ARVs are available in liquid form and some you can crush. Some have to be taken in tablet form.
Please send me more information about the drugs and I will look into it.
Also, sometimes it is very helpful speaking with someone in the same situation you are.
Are you able to ask your clinic to connect you with a peer supporter?
Or are there any community organisations where you are based that might offer this service?
Hi is there availablity of syrup for 4 year old child or she needs to take pills? Is this possible? To crush the pills for kids?
My clinic said pill is available for children also
Can we crush this pill so that child can drink it? every thing is very hard
How everything will go life is so harsh on me
We are all positive
Hello Sandy and thank you for the question.
Please don’t worry. Your baby will be alright.
The doctors will check and if your baby has TB they will start her on TB treatment.
Then two weeks later they will start her ARVs.
It’s good practice to start ARVs 2 weeks after someone has been on TB treatment.
This is true for adults and for children.
It helps with having less side effects.
If your baby doesn’t have TB, the doctor should start her on ARVs as soon as possible.
Please look at this guide below about TB if you need more information:
https://i-base.info/ttfa/5-ois-and-coinfections/7-tuberculosis-tb/
This is a link for the paediatric guidelines if you want to know more:
https://penta-id.org/category/publications/penta-guidelines/
Hi my baby today tested positive for hiv. She is 4 years old but hospital didn’t start without TB test. They are saying they want a TB test done first then they start treatment
Hi Mimi,
If your baby has diarrhea she’ll need to be seen by a doctor. This is important due to her age. The white tongue could be a number of things, a doctor will be able to advise you.
If you missed a week of meds, its very possible that your viral load could have increased. Are you able to have it tested?
Hi,my 5weeks baby has a white tongue,and diarrhea, could those be signs of HIV,she tested negative at birth . I would also like to know if skipping my treatment for a week will increase her chances of transmission? She is taking nvp