AEGiS-06IAC: Caregivers' perceptions of their school age children with perinatally acquired HIV infection.

6th International AIDS Conference


San Francisco, California, USA — June 20-23, 1990

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Caregivers' perceptions of their school age children with perinatally acquired HIV infection.

Int Conf AIDS 1990 Jun 20-23; 6:328 (abstract no. Th.D.811)
Crandles S, Jean A; SUNY Health Science Center, Brooklyn, N.Y., USA

OBJECTIVE: To determine caregivers' perceptions of how children with perinatally acquired HIV, age 4 years and older, are 1) coping with their medical condition; and 2) reacting to HIV related illness and loss in their family.

METHOD: Caregivers of children, age 4 and above, were invited to participate in an interview studying parents' perceptions of their children's capacity to cope physically and psychosocially with their HIV related illness.

RESULTS: 20 caregivers (7 parents, 8 grandparents, 3 aunts, and 2 foster/adoptive parents) of 22 children, 4 to 12, participated in the interview. 16 children, 73%, lost at least one parent to AIDS, 14 lost their mothers. Of this 16, 9 talk about the deceased parent. 27% ask questions about their illness; children generally ask about their pain and why they are different. 13 children, 59%, attend school; 12 of the 13 have peer relationships. 75% do not believe their child knows he/she has a serious illness. 65% of the caregivers do not believe children should be told their diagnosis at any age. Even if the child's diagnosis differed (i.e., leukemia), 77% of this group still would not reveal the diagnosis. Reasons for not revealing are 1) fear of stigmatization, and 2) belief knowledge would contribute to child's psychological and medical deterioration. Preliminary findings indicate that despite their illness and losses, only 4 of the 22 children exhibit serious psychological symptoms.

CONCLUSION: The majority of caregivers of children age 4 to 12 with perinatally acquired HIV believe their child is coping well. However, future research needs to incorporate direct child observation.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV Infections, Caregivers, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Perception, Adaptation, Psychological, Child Psychology, Parent-Child Relations, Interviews, Mothers, Child, Human, ICA6KWDaegis,hivinfections,caregivers,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,perception,adaptation,psychological,childpsychology,parent-childrelations,interviews,mothers,child,human,ica6

900620
ThD811

Copyright © 1990 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.