Premium
The psychosocial consequences of childhood infection with human immunodeficiency virus (for editorial comment, see page 1
Author(s) -
Waters Brent G. H.,
Ziegler John B.,
Hampson Ralph,
McPherson Andrew H.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1988.tb120571.x
Subject(s) - psychosocial , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , psychiatry , medicine , psychology , clinical psychology , immunology
This article reviews the available medical literature on the psychosocial and neuropsychiatric implications of childhood infection by the human immunodeficiency virus. This information is supplemented by discussion of cases from our clinical experience. It is clear that different psychosocial issues are confronted by children of different ages (infants, young children or adolescents) and their families. The differences are due partly to the social correlates of different modes of transmission of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the psychosocial risk factors that are associated with certain family life‐styles, whether other family members are infected, and the developmental stage and awareness of the child. Psychiatric assessments of these children and their families are recom‐mended as a routine as they will identify potential ethical dilemmas, and will allow for the detection and management of the psychosocial and neuropsychiatrie consequences of AIDS.