Dear to whom this may concern,

Greetings , my name is Tyona Smith from Carman Ainsworth High School in Flint, MI. On my behalf I would like to express my concerns regarding infants born with HIV/Aids. I am stating my knowledge about how important this issue is and how it affects the lives of newborn babies. This topic is important to me because I have knew and known about babies born with this virus that can eventually turn into a disease. HIV/AIDS( human immunodeficiency virus) starts as a virus and progresses to the deadly disease known as AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) if left untreated.. Did you know “fewer than 200 babies with HIV are born each year in the United States Citing from the (Aidsinfo .Gov )website: “. Most infants gets HIV from their mothers who had HIV while pregnant, during the birth process (labor) or from breastfeeding.

Not all babies with HIV will show symptoms and symptoms can vary. Some of the common symptoms are failing to thrive, lack of development, brain and nervous system problems, and being sick often with infections such as ear infections, a cold, upset stomach and diarrhea. If left untreated the baby starts to develop worsening symptoms like pneumonia, fungal infections of the lungs, and Cytomegalovirus. (webmd.com) Babies and children with HIV receives treatment to control their infections and keep them healthy because of their weakening immune systems.

“For 6 weeks after birth, babies born to women with HIV receives medicine. The HIV medicine protects the babies from infection from HIV that's passed from the mother to the child during childbirth. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) Some medications used to help treat them are Zidovudine and Bactrim. HIV testing is recommended at 14 to 21 days after birth.

Passing HIV along from mother to child is preventable. For mothers who already has the virus and becomes pregnant can cut the chances down to less than 1% if she gets good prenatal care, and regularly takes the antifungal drugs prescribed to her during her pregnancy. kidshealth.org By parents taking the initiative to be more responsible and concerned for their child’s health it decreases the risk and lives HIV/AIDS affects.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic could dramatically be decreased if people took the time to responsible and protect themselves and also their children from the horrific virus and disease. No child deserves to be born and left untreated for HIV. A newborn has no control over what happens but a parent does. Its starts with the parent. Be the responsible one to care for your child’s health.

Sincerely,

Tyona Smith