Despite being on anti-viral therapy (ART) two of our young people have died this month.
ART does not cure HIV/AIDS, there is no cure, but the treatment is supposed to slow down the progression of HIV into AIDS. There are five recognisable stages of the virus. The earliest stage has no symptoms. It used to be unrecognisable, even by blood test, under the age of 2 and a half, but I read recently that there is now a method of earlier detection. If the person has no symptoms, having been confirmed HIV infected by a blood test, then they are said to be a-symptomatic. One or two of out children remained a-symptomatic for several years. We were so worried that they might have been misdiagnosed, and hence condemned to the stigma of having HIV, that we had them retested!
In the second stage of the viral infection the appearance of other infections make themselves known. Skin infections, sickness, diarrhoea, a propensity to catch everything going, shingles, measles, chicken pox and the usual childhood infections, including malaria, because HIV/AIDS has weakened and gradually destroys the immune system. By the fifth stage, full blown AIDS, the immune system is completely destroyed. Certain infections, like TB are acquired on the way and are in themselves killers. The ART drugs are very toxic and eventually destroy the liver or kidneys.The children have to be on them for life and their long term effect is not known, as treatment for children in India only started in 2007.
Our young boy at Karuna Nivas would have been thirteen this year. He had been with us since he was seven years old.He died of cancer of the ear and throat - Kaposi's sarcoma This complication is relatively unknown now in the west, as in the west the drugs give to treat HIV have improved.
Our other child victim was also a teenager. She had been detected as having severe anaemia and died of liver failure.
One of these children had a sponsor who sent pictures and a letter to let her know that there was someone, many thousands of miles away who cared about her.
We have many unsponsored HIV/AIDS children who would appreciate an uncle or aunty to whom they could send a card at Christmas and receive one in return. We don't know how long they will live but we do our best to give them a happy and loved childhood.
The more children who are sponsored the better.
ART does not cure HIV/AIDS, there is no cure, but the treatment is supposed to slow down the progression of HIV into AIDS. There are five recognisable stages of the virus. The earliest stage has no symptoms. It used to be unrecognisable, even by blood test, under the age of 2 and a half, but I read recently that there is now a method of earlier detection. If the person has no symptoms, having been confirmed HIV infected by a blood test, then they are said to be a-symptomatic. One or two of out children remained a-symptomatic for several years. We were so worried that they might have been misdiagnosed, and hence condemned to the stigma of having HIV, that we had them retested!
In the second stage of the viral infection the appearance of other infections make themselves known. Skin infections, sickness, diarrhoea, a propensity to catch everything going, shingles, measles, chicken pox and the usual childhood infections, including malaria, because HIV/AIDS has weakened and gradually destroys the immune system. By the fifth stage, full blown AIDS, the immune system is completely destroyed. Certain infections, like TB are acquired on the way and are in themselves killers. The ART drugs are very toxic and eventually destroy the liver or kidneys.The children have to be on them for life and their long term effect is not known, as treatment for children in India only started in 2007.
Our young boy at Karuna Nivas would have been thirteen this year. He had been with us since he was seven years old.He died of cancer of the ear and throat - Kaposi's sarcoma This complication is relatively unknown now in the west, as in the west the drugs give to treat HIV have improved.
Our other child victim was also a teenager. She had been detected as having severe anaemia and died of liver failure.
One of these children had a sponsor who sent pictures and a letter to let her know that there was someone, many thousands of miles away who cared about her.
We have many unsponsored HIV/AIDS children who would appreciate an uncle or aunty to whom they could send a card at Christmas and receive one in return. We don't know how long they will live but we do our best to give them a happy and loved childhood.
The more children who are sponsored the better.
