Responsible Parenting in the Era of HIV

No parent wants to imagine that his or her child could contract HIV, despite information provided in school health classes, ads in teen magazines and on television, and warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, diagnosis of HIV in teen and young adult populations is rising, according to 2009 statistics on the CDC website. As a parent, you can take steps to keep your child safe in the era of HIV.

  1. Awareness of Risks

    • The CDC states that teens are having sex early. As many as 46 percent of high school students admit to being sexually active at least once -- some before the age of 13. Nearly 40 percent of teens say they do not use a condom. The largest number of newly diagnosed HIV cases is in young adult males having sex with other males. Talk to your child about sexual activity before he reaches puberty. Stress the risks of pregnancy, rape and all sexually transmitted diseases -- especially the risks of HIV. Monitor your child̵7;s activities and encourage him to use condoms, if he is sexually active. Also, discuss other ways your child could contract HIV, such as drug use or getting a tattoo.

    Testing

    • Your child̵7;s annual physical is an ideal time to revisit the HIV and sexual activity conversation. Encourage your child to be tested for HIV and other STDs during her annual physical, and allow her to talk to her healthcare provider privately, suggests the Office of Adolescent Health website. Your teen can also go to a public health clinic for an anonymous HIV test, if your child is not willing to tell you she is sexually active. Some public health clinics offer free testing or for a low fee. If your child has been sexually assaulted, insist on STD testing with follow-up tests at the six-month post-assault date, and annually for several years afterward. HIV can take time to develop, and repeat tests ensure that treatment can begin early if your child contracts HIV.

    Firm Limits

    • Set limits for your teen, but be realistic enough to know that sometimes kids violate the limits. Your child could give greater weight to those limits if you explain why you want your child to be chaste or to practice safe sex techniques. No one is saying you have to buy condoms for your child, but if you know your child is sexually active, it could not hurt and it could send the right message about sexual health.

    Education

    • Learn about HIV with your child. Use information that is written for teens, such as the WebMD ̶0;HIV/AIDS and Teens FAQ,̶1; pamphlets produced by the CDC and other educational materials from authoritative sources such as KidsHealth.org or the American Academy of Pediatrics. Encourage your local school district to continue teaching kids about STDs and HIV. If you homeschool, include the information as a part of your child̵7;s health curriculum. Kids might not believe that HIV could happen to them, but it can. Education can encourage your child to make smart, healthy decisions about HIV risk.

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