In 2008, nearly 430,000 children were affected by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and every hour, close to 31 children die from the AIDS virus, according to UNAIDS. As many as nine out of 10 children living with HIV are in sub-Saharan Africa. Symptoms of AIDS in children range from difficulty gaining weight to chronic development of common childhood illness and delayed mental development, according to the Mayo Clinic. Children can contract the virus in several ways.
Passed From Mother
Close to 90 percent of children who develop HIV contract the virus from their mothers, according to UNAIDS. The three ways mothers can pass the virus to the child are intrauterine, at the time of birth and during breastfeeding, according to Kids Health. Pregnant women who receive treatment for HIV during pregnancy can reduce the risk of spreading the virus to the baby. In well-developed countries, pregnant women are pre-screened for HIV and AIDS, but prenatal care is almost non-existent in developing nations. Caesarean sections are often recommended to HIV/AIDS positive mothers' instead of a vaginal delivery to reduce the risk to the fetus, according to the Mayo Clinic. Breastfeeding is also not recommended to for an HIV/AIDS positive mother.
Sexual Transmission
Teenagers can contract HIV through risky behaviors, such as unprotected sex and multiple sexual partners. The disease can be contracted during sexual intercourse through blood, vaginal secretions and semen entering the body. Sexual devices shared with an infected person can also pass on the disease. Smaller children can contract the disease if they are sexually molested by a person who has the disease.
Other Methods of Transmission
Transmission through infected blood products has dramatically been reduced in the United States since 1985, when careful screening of the blood supply began, according to the Mayo Clinic. In rare cases, transmission to children through tissue and organ transplants or unsterilized medical equipment occurs. Teenagers engaging in high-risk behaviors, such as sharing needles to inject drugs and using unsterilized tattoo needles, can also cause AIDS. Accidental needle sticks account for less than 1 percent of HIV/AIDS transmissions in all age ranges.
