4 research outputs found
Recommended from our members
Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome education in schools
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic has grown during the past 15 years. Education remains a critical component of our efforts to prevent HIV infection/AIDS in school children and young adults. To accomplish this goal, school personnel should receive updated information about HIV infection/AIDS so that accurate teaching on this topic can be included in the K-12 health education curriculum. Informed pediatricians and nurses can serve as important resources for school health services and administration to provide current information for the curriculum. Each community should have a school health advisory committee that enlists community support and provides input to health education programs in schools
Recommended from our members
Issues related to human immunodeficiency virus transmission in schools, child care, medical settings, the home, and community
Current recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for infection control practices to prevent transmission of blood-borne pathogens, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in hospitals, other medical settings, schools, and child care facilities, are reviewed and explained. Hand-washing is essential, whether or not gloves are used, and gloves should be used when contact with blood or blood-containing body fluids may occur. In hospitalized children, the 1996 recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) should be implemented as modified in the 1997 Red Book. The generic principles of Standard Precautions in the CDC guidelines generally are applicable to children in all health care settings, schools, child care facilities, and the home. However, gloves are not required for routine changing of diapers or for wiping nasal secretions of children in most circumstances. This AAP recommendation differs from that in the CDC guidelines. Current US Public Health Service guidelines for the management of potential occupational exposures of health care workers to HIV are summarized. As previously recommended by the AAP, HIV-infected children should be admitted without restriction to child care centers and schools and allowed to participate in all activities to the extent that their health and other recommendations for management of contagious diseases permit. Because it is not required that the school be notified of HIV infection, it may be helpful if the pediatrician notify the school that he or she is operating under a policy of nondisclosure of infection with blood-borne pathogens. Thus, it is possible that the pediatrician will not report the presence of such infections on the form. Because HIV infection occurs in persons throughout the United States, these recommendations for prevention of HIV transmission should be applied universally
Recommended from our members
Surveillance of pediatric HIV infection
Pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) surveillance should expand to include perinatal HIV exposure and HIV infection as well as AIDS to delineate completely the extent and impact of HIV infection on children and families, accurately assess the resources necessary to provide services to this population, evaluate the efficacy of public health recommendations, and determine any potential long-term consequences of interventions to prevent perinatal transmission to children ultimately determined to be uninfected as well as for those who become infected. Ensuring the confidentiality of information collected in the process of surveillance is critical. In addition, expansion of surveillance must not compromise the established, ongoing surveillance system for pediatric AIDS. An expanded pediatric HIV surveillance program provides an important counterpart to existing American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommendations for HIV counseling and testing in the prenatal setting