How long do children with HIV live without treatment?

HIV is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in humans. Currently, there is no specific treatment for the disease and no vaccine to prevent it. Currently, only antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) are used to slow HIV replication in the body, protect the immune system and help reduce the chance of opportunistic infections, improving quality of life and age. patient's lifespan. Accordingly, many patients can live up to 50 years if taking the drug regularly and in sufficient doses.

Children are defined as people under the age of 18, the regulation in our country is under 16 years old. In terms of HIV disease, HIV-infected children can be divided into two groups: those that are transmitted from birth (mother-to-child transmission) and those infected by risky behavior (sexual intercourse, injection drug use). ,...).
For children infected with HIV from birth, the risk of infection is much higher. In the early stages of life, when the immune system is not yet fully developed, HIV-infected children have a higher risk of illness and death than healthy children.

How long do children with HIV live? According to a study in the African region, if children do not receive antiretroviral therapy for HIV, after 1 year of life, the mortality rate for children with HIV is about 35.2% (while the mortality rate in healthy children is about 35.2%). only 4.9%). By the time of 2 years of age, the mortality rate for children infected with HIV is 52.5% (children without HIV are only 7.5%).
According to some HIV experts, if an infected child does not receive antiretroviral treatment early, it is unlikely to live until the age of 1. However, now, with early intervention on children such as early diagnosis (thanks to PCR test), early ART for children under 2 years of age, morbidity and mortality rates have been significantly reduced. Many children infected with HIV from their mothers have lived to adulthood.
At the same time, with other interventions such as HIV screening in pregnant women, treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission, the health sector in our country is expected to move towards the goal of controlling HIV transmission from mother to child.
Watch now: Caring and nurturing newborn babies with HIV-infected mothers

How long HIV-infected children will live for a group of children with risky behaviors is a burning question for the whole society. As noted by WHO, the increasing trend of HIV infection in this age group mainly comes from causes such as war, poverty, etc., which makes children prone to fall. In addition, there is the problem of drug use and the lack of knowledge about safe sex among adolescents.
In this group of children, the mortality rate did not differ from that of the general population. Even children have a higher mortality rate than adults (affected by lifestyle, economic circumstances, slow access to HIV diagnosis, health care and treatment).

In HIV-infected mothers, because HIV virus can be transmitted through breast milk to babies, the choice of infant feeding method should pay attention to:
Do not breastfeed the baby but use a complete milk substitute to reduce HIV transmission from the mother to the child, ensuring the child's development. Pay attention to using clean water and completely sterilized milk-making equipment, keeping absolute hygiene; When there are not enough conditions for breastfeeding, the mother can exclusively breastfeed the baby until 6 months of age and wean as soon as possible (preferably after the baby is 3 months old). Absolutely do not give the child breast milk and substitute milk at the same time because eating a mixture of 2 types of milk can disrupt the baby's digestive and immune systems, increasing the risk of HIV transmission from mother to child. Attention when breastfeeding:
Clean the nipple thoroughly before feeding the baby; Breastfeed properly, avoid cracking or inflammation of the mother's nipples; If the child has an infection of the oral cavity or the mother has a skin infection, it is necessary to completely cure the above conditions before feeding the baby directly; When the child stops breastfeeding, it is necessary to feed the baby with alternative foods such as milk powder, porridge, powder, etc. to provide the necessary nutrients for the baby; The mother must be on antiretroviral therapy and good adherence to ensure that the HIV viral load is at a safe level. Notes when caring for children born to HIV-infected mothers:
Give children ARVs within 24 hours of birth as prescribed by a doctor to reduce the risk of HIV transmission from mother to child; Instructing mothers for children to take tests to confirm HIV status; Take the child to the pediatric facility for advice on feeding and caring for the baby, prescribe and provide the drug Cotrimoxazol to prevent the risk of pneumonia when the child is 4-6 weeks old, monitor and treat the infection opportunities, assess the child's development; Advice on the appropriate vaccination schedule for children. How long children infected with HIV live depends on their age and the treatment and care of the disease. It is best for HIV patients to cooperate with their doctors throughout the course of treatment to improve quality of life and prolong life.
For more nutritional knowledge and child care for each age, parents should regularly visit the website vimec.com and make an appointment with the leading doctors, pediatric and nutrition experts of the National General Hospital. Vinmec when needing advice on children's health.