j----_. - New York Civil Liberties Union

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support AIDS research in New York State. The U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services has provided nearly $440 million to fund research projects to
find preventative and/or treatment methods for AIDS and/or the opportunistic
infections associated with the disease.
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AIDS in Children
61. Haw many children have AIDS?
Approximately 462 U.S. children have been reported as having AIDS as of
Harch 1987. Host of these children, born in New York City, have mothers
involved in IV drug abuse.
62. Haw do ch1ldren get AIDS?
The majority of infected children acquired AIDS from their infected
mothers, presumably through blood exchange in the uterus or during birth. A
few children developed AIDS from blood transfusions prior to screening of the
blood supp11es.
6J. How can children be Drotected from AIDS?
All high-risk women of Childbearing age should learn if they have been
exposed to the HIV virus, and should consider postponing pregnancy if they are
positive. Women are considered high-risk if they have ever engaged 1n IV drug
abuse or 1f they have ever had sexual contact with a known IV drug abuser,
bisexual man or hemophiliac.
64. What is the risk of an infected mother Dassing the HIV virus to her
baby?
Limited studies indicate that as many as 50% of infected mothers pass
the virus to their babies. An infected mother can transmit the virus even if
she herself has no symptoms of AIDS or ARC.
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65. 'Can children develop AIDS from mother·s milk?
There is one case of AIDS in Australia which may have been transmitted
to an infant through mother· s milk. So far, there are no cases of AIDS in the
U.S. specifically linked with breastfeeding, but any woman who is positive for
HIV antibodies is advised to refrain from nursing as a precautionary measure.
66. If a ',ilt bil AIDS. can he/she Dass it on to another child?
Nont o~ th. identified cases of AIDS 1n the United States is known or
suspected toh.ve been transmitted from onech1ld to another in the home,
school, dayoeeart or foster-care setting. Even baby twins, one infected and
one not, shar1ng nipples, toys, food, bed and playpen have not passed the
virus between them. I
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