Khan MA; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12; 10: 263 (abstract no. PB0480).
National AIDS Research Instt. (ICMR), Pune, India.
203 multitransfused children with thalassemia attending the Thalassemia Clinic of the Charak Palika Hospital, New Delhi were screened for HIV antibodies by ELISA test and confirmed by the Western Blot. Of the 203 children screened 17(8.37%) were HIV +ve. This paper describes behavioural and developmental problems among these 17 and an additional 3 HIV sero +ve children referred to the AIIMS, New Delhi. Of the 20 HIV +ve children, 4 were diagnosed to have clinical AIDS according to the WHO criteria. Majority of the children had the problem of agression (80%) and 50% had anxiety. 7.1% of cases (aged 2 to 3 years) had rocking and head banging problems. Problem of temperatantrums (28%) and teeth grinding (bruxism) 21.5% seemed to result from tension originating in unexpressed anger or resentment. Of the 20 HIV/AIDS children, 7(35%) had borderline and 5(25%) subaverage developmental retardation. Data of scholastic educational performance shows that among AIDS cases mean scholastic score was 46 +/- 2.58 and in HIV cases 49.93 +/- 3.67. It appears that pediatric HIV infection is associated with behavioural and developmental problems. In a decade or two India is certain to face a major problem of pediatric HIV/AIDS. Time has come to plan and equip ourselves to effectively manage these children in future.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Child
- HIV Antibodies
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Humans
- India
- Thalassemia
Other ID:
UI: 102208786
From Meeting Abstracts