Question
Is it safe for an adult to use a babys dummy?
16 February 2009. Related: All topics, HIV transmission, Pregnancy.
Me and a friend are HIV-positive and when we go round to see another friend and her young daughter he sometimes puts her dummy in his mouth to clean it and then passes it back to her to use.
My female friend has expressed some concern to me about this situation and we were wandering if he was in any chance putting her at risk by doing this.
Answer
This is not good practice for the baby irrespective of HIV.
It is pretty basic baby care for adults not to suck a dummy and then give it to a baby – sounds stupid to me and he certainly is not cleaning it.
HIV is not a risk as it is not active in saliva, but other infections are.
Ask your friend not to do this, especially if you are not happy with this.