Should teachers be told if a child has HIV?

Everyone has their own prejudices, and all too often other people suffer because of them. This week marked World Aids Day, and, realising that I was ill-informed on this subject, I thought it would be a good time to post on one mother's experience of having a child with HIV. There is a lot of ignorance around this issue, and education (understanding that children aren't at risk from cuts or grazes for example) can make a real difference.

*Laura's daughter has HIV. She is currently at a school where staff, pupils and other parents have no idea of her condition. This is largely because of the way she had previously been treated. Laura explains more:

"Let me tell you about Anna. She has never been on any anti-retroviral medication, and she is not on any other treatment for HIV. She has never been seriously ill, yet.  For all intents and purposes she is a very healthy child who swims, runs around, get sweaty, goes to the beach, does ballet and gym, rides her bicycle, rollerskates, loves going to ‘big’ school, adores her friends and is an extremely popular little girl.

She has been taught not to touch blood, cuts, sores or body fluids.  She has been taught about germs in very basic terms. We are careful, ensuring that we do not negligently expose her to conditions that could cause her to become ill. For example: when she goes swimming we make sure she gets dried quickly and we don’t let her sit in a draught wearing a wet costume. Aside from the commonsense approach to her care, she receives no treatment different to that which other children get.

When I was looking for primary schools for Anna, I found one I liked. I wanted to meet the head and ask if the school had an action plan to alert parents if there was a child who had chicken pox or other infectious disease. The head asked why I wanted to know, and I told her that it was because my daughter had a problem with her immune system. When she then asked me exactly what the problem was I felt pressurised into saying that she had HIV. She immediately sat back and physically pulled away from me.  Her body language shouted at me and gave her thoughts away, with utter disbelief on her face. She said: ‘We haven’t had one of those before’ and I was horrified.

I explained there was no risk to the other students nor teachers, the only real risk was to Anna if she picked up an infection from one of the other children. The head said she didn’t know anything about HIV and that she would need to discuss it with her staff before getting back to me.

But she didn't get back to me, so I contacted her again. This time she said that one of the teachers had raised a concern about teaching a child living with HIV. I asked which teacher - one in Reception? But the head would not name him or her. Instead she said she would go back to the staff again. She then told me that that this teacher was actually speaking on behalf of all of the teachers - they all had concerns.

The head said that she had spoken to the school's legal department as well as a doctor attached to the school about the issue. She said she personally didn't have a problem but that if my daughter came to the school the dinner ladies would have to be told in case she had an accident. I said that nobody was at risk, but she wasn't happy. Instead she suggested that I apply to other schools, but that I should not tell them about Anna's HIV status. We teach our children not to lie, and then I am encouraged to live the lie...? I was then advised by our healthcase worker not to tell anyone else about her status because of the bigoted attitude people have to the disease. I never wanted to live a lie.

I am angry and disappointed about this whole experience. Anna's HIV status was not of her doing. Who has the right to judge my little girl by that which runs through her blood? I expected teachers to be educated and professional – they were not.

Anna is now at another school and they know nothing about her status. The teachers think Anna is fantastic, and she is very popular with her peers. We have not told many people, since we feel it will be Anna's right to inform people when and if she feels ready to. But I do wish I could be honest with her teachers and particularly her headteacher. I cannot bear to even look at her headteacher, because I feel so guilty about keeping the truth from her.

Why don’t we speak out about HIV/AIDS? We speak out about so many other issues, some of less relevance. Education and Empathy would be positive steps in making people realise that this disease can be managed. It would make the public aware that people who are HIV+, can still contribute positively to the economy. They can still lead healthy, happy and ‘normal’ lives: go to school, have relationships, study, qualify, get married and become parents of children who are not HIV+, and make a positive contribution to society."

*Names have been changed.

Read School Gate on:

Ending HIV discrimination in schools.

Comments

[mermer]

i dnt see a reason why people take this HIV stuff to be so scaring and devastating,even if the teacher is told or not she should know that when taking care of children she has to protect herself properly to avoid infection of the untold situations.(what if a child is not aware of his situation?)

[Anomynous]

No, I really don't think they should be told. I'm a student at school, and I personally know from a close friend of mine, that it does not help as she has had a similar experience. Yes, it stops a lot of questions being asked, but it does not help the situation. When my peer had shared her problem diagnosed with the school, it caused much more chaos than it was originally when secret. Things like this do not stay confidential!

[Matt]

All the comments about this. I'm amazed at the ignorance of the disease, both by the people in the article, and by the comments below. I've worked in EMS for 7 years now, and I've come in contact with every bloodbourne pathogen you could probably think of. It's all a matter of universal precautions, and knowing about these things. HIV is not my main concern, I am much more concerned about Hepatitis as it survives longer and is therefore easier to contract, especially the fecal-oral types when people don't wash their hands.

HIV is hard to contract, especially when it is being managed. The lower the viral count, the less likely it is that anyone is at risk. The viral count takes time to build. If you were to prick your finger and hold your arm out at shoulder height, the time it takes for a drop of blood to fall from your finger to the floor is how long HIV can survive outside of the body in most cases. People just need to educate themselves and take universal precautions. Sure I think people should be informed, but it's pretty moronic for these educators to be acting this way.

[Matt Wilson]

I don’t have HIV but I do know a few whom are HIV +, I’ve never had any fear of HIV because I’ve educated my self on this issue. However, remembering being at school I wouldn’t have told them, no matter how enlightened the teachers and heads may seem, there is always room for bigotry. I know living a lie must be an untenable situation for you and your daughter, but it would seem the lesser of two evils in this case. Society is gradually becoming more accepting (more or less) so hopefully soon the stigma that exists around HIV will be diminished to non existence... hopefully

[Jen]

I have to agree with the people stating the professionals should know. Not only for Anne's sake, but for the other children. It should be their position however, to make sure this child gets a good education, right along with the other children. If someone has the chicken pox, measels or mumps other children are cared for and parents are notified. The likely hood of this child being poorly educated about her condition is slim to none, and I doubt she would purposly share the cup, become blood sisters with someone, or what have you. The rest of those involved should take the time to educate themselves on this situation, the same as the child has. Isn't there enough misunderstanding and prejudice going around? Do we have to include a child wanting to be part of the "real" world in this prejudice? Then again....If I was the girl's mom...would I turn the table of thought and wonder if these people are worth teaching my kid?

[sam]

I cannot beleive in this day and age that there is still such ignorance about this disease and that such predujice still exsists, never mind towards an innocent child. Honestly, what on earth is wrong with people ? This kind of attitude makes me so cross, Before anyone says anything, they should imagine how they would feel if it were thier child in that posiition ? I hope that the little girl and her mother are treated with more respect and thought in future, and that all goes well for them,

[Athens]

What are you going to do when/If she gets old enough to date? She can't sleep with anyone without telling them and at the 15-16 age the first boy who finds out will label her a slut and tell everyone else. It's better to tell them now vs letting letting her pretend she normal. Why did you have a child to start with if you have HIV? That's a horrible thing to do.

[Karl Shivero]

I'm pretty disgusted with some of the negative comments on this page about HIV. People selfishly want to protect themselves against an almost improbable risk of contracting the HIV from another HIV+ carrier when it can only be spread through bodily fluids or infected blood seeping into the wound of an unaffected person.

Anne (9th December 2008) rightly said she had a duty of care as a teacher. However, I doubt Anne would have touched the open wound of a pupil who cut themselves. It would not matter if that pupil was HIV+, basic hygiene steps would preside to prevent the spread of any blood-borne viruses or other diseases as stated by Luke73118 (20 Apr 2009).

We must however, take a common-sense approach. Laura’s daughter, also named Anne, has a universal right to education. Her condition poses no threat to pupils or teachers because she is in a school, which is a safe environment where health and safety measures are paramount for all pupils and teachers alike and a school would not allow a situation to arise where a pupil could be injured and expose their blood to other pupils or teachers. I believe Sue (16 Jan 2009) explained how this could work extremely well.

[H]

Yes, I think they should be told.

I work in a school and I would want to know if a child in my class has a blood bourne disease. Nosebleeds are common place with small children, one minute they're fine the next minute there's blood everywhere which someone is urgently trying to clear up - the person doing it may be well protected but you don't know what the child may have been doing (e.g. close contact PE activity etc...) where contact may have been completelly unavoidable. Staff should know for the protection of all those who attend the schoool.

[Devlin]

HIV has become SO PC. I wonder if all these people would say it was ok not to inform the authorities if she had a less PC communicable disease, like Leprosy perhaps.

[Former Teacher]

I remember my second year of teaching. Jenny bounced up to me and announced, "I am epileptic. If I have a seizure, please don't try to help me. Send someone to the office to call my home. I will be tired afterward." I gulped and swallowed. I admired her for sharing and trusting me.

Years later, my son was born with multiple birth defects including epilepsy. I found myself writing his teachers," He is a very special person and comes with a unique health history."

I appreciated Jenny for her honesty. I appreciated my son's teachers for making me comfortable as we worked together for his good.

Anna's mom has a tough call to make and so much is at risk. Perhaps, setting the stage first with the sharing of literature, doctor's notes, etc., will help.

[Luke73118]

When an emergency room doctor cares for a bleeding patient, they wear gloves as a precaution. They don't ask "Do you have HIV/AIDS?" They always assume there is a risk of contagion and take precautions.

The school need not be notified. It doesn't matter if 0 or 100 students have a disease; you take the same precautions regardless. In an emergency you avoid contact with body fluids, and use barriers to prevent disease transmission. Very simple... I'm surprised by the ignorance of other comments.

The only reason to notify professional educators of something like this is if she needs special accomodations, like certain disabilities require.

[Doctor of truth]

This is such an ignorant attitude, why do we fear things that we don't understand? We should try to understand them first before deciding whether we should be afraid or not.

I can't believe people with such closes minded mentalities are responsible for educating the future of America.

[John]

Years ago we were told that we were getting an unidentified pupil with hepatitus-c in our new intake. We were also told that in our size of school, we probably had 20 other pupils and 1 or 2 staff that also had it.
I also taught woodwork to a lad with haemaphilia.
Sensible precautions for all, at all times.

[Ashlee]

I was appaled by the school's response to this little girl's illness. To deny a child an education on the basis of testing positive for HIV/AIDS is wrong. It is not their fault, why should they be confined to a life of home-schooling, away from their peers? Obviously precautions would need to be taken to ensure none of the children play 'vampires' with each other or end up rubbing their bloody cuts together to be 'blood brothers'...Honestly, I didn't realize such discrimiation still existed. That is such an 80's attitude!

[IP]

Teachers MUST know much more about HIV and treat ALL kids 'as if' to prevent discrimination against any who have the virus. The mother is not correct in saying no-one is in danger except Anna: all are at risk and the normally small risk in this situation is aggravated by ignorance of all around, and (sadly,) including Anna.

[Marco]

As long as all staff at the school are instructed to treat all children as if they may have HIV, then all should be ok and it would then not be necessary to know if any children do or do not have HIV. That said, the headteacher should know in case any medical attention is required.

[Helen L]

To JCG. This is one of the worst, most ignorant, entries I have read. You lack kindness, and you lack knowledge of all aspects of HIV. People don't only get this virus from one nighters or shooting up, and in a great many cases they got the disease accidently. I think I can give an informed opinion after nursing people with this condition for ten years. I hope nobody ever wishes a disease on you because you made one bad choice in life!

[Steve]

1. yes the child deserves to live stigma free and become educated.

2. yes the staff needs to know if a child has no immune system, hepatitis, or HIV/AIDS.

NOT telling staff what they may come in contact with is negligent all in course to save a child's feelings.

if something happens like there is a fight, or is otherwise injured and bleeding, there is a possibility of transmission. however remote the possibility is, the teacher MUST know in order to protect themselves and other children.

[Fiona]

Hooray for Anne!

First, the safety of the child. If the teacher does not know the full health status of the child (HIV, coeliac, a cold, WHATEVER), then they cannot guarentee the child's safety, beyond doing their ordinary everyday best(which does not always protect the child or the teacher). Shame on the parents for not telling the professionals legally responsible for the safety of children in their classrooms - it's a group environment, wise up! Tell the truth! Or home school! Only telling the truth solves the problem borne of ignorance!

Secondly, shame on Joe Public (DT and all like them) for being so condescending towards a professional's comments (did you turn your logic off when you started typing???). If you don't trust teachers' professional judgement, and you think you can do better than an education professional, then either YOU become more involved in the education of your children in schools, or start home-schooling. Stop trotting out the intellectually-lazy stereotypes about teachers. It says more about you. Put Up Or Belt Up.

[Sue]

I am a teacher. We are trained to treat all children the same. Precaustions have to be taken to protect all children and staff from infectious diseases, particularly Hepatitis such as wearing gloves to clean up cuts or vomit. Not letting children share cups etc.

The policy at my school is to treat all children in the same way not just the children with hepatitis. For one thing there may be undiagnosed children or even members of staff so these precautions are needed.

This kind of thing also makes good sense in terms of hygeine anyway. All schools should be doing this and those systems would also be sufficient in the case of a child with HIV.

[Anna]

It is probably best that all schools treated all children as if they could have HIV so singling out a particular child should not be needed. It is just common sense in today's world. There is more than just HIV out there.

[jcg]

I am sick and tired of HIV+ people moaning about their "status". They got it through their own stupidity or gave to their chuldren because they are idiots. Everytime I get a begging letter from some HIV / AIDS charity I chuck in the bin. How dare they. Anyone who sluts around having one nighters or shooting up deserves what they get. The only ones I feel sorry for are the kids (because they have such dumb parents) and the haemophiliacs who became HIV+ before blood testing.

[John, UK]

Interesting dilemma. If I was told as a parent, I might give my child instructions on dealing with any exposed wounds or blood from the pupil concern but I would not withdraw my child (despite being extremely careful about their wellbeing) from the school nor expect my child to treat the pupil any differently. With staff, there would be extra work with health and safety risk assessments. On reflection, I think it would best if everybody were open about this. But in light of the school's unfortunate response, it seems the author is left with little choice. There is also an issue of protecting the childs privacy and safety. Staff should already assume that any pupil, parent or staff member might already have HIV (perhaps without knowing it) and take appropriate care. Your child might not be the only HIV person at the school anyway.

[Anne]

"I expected teachers to be educated and professional – they were not."

It's not only with respect to being HIV+ - anything or any medical condition out of the ordinary causes "concern". I have been stuned by the bigoted ignorance shown by some teachers.

The writer has my full sympathy. I hope the school does not turn against the family when they eventually find out, which is much more likely now because of inter-agency working. The school nurse and doctor will find out soon enough, and when that happens, there's a good chance the headteacher will find out too.

Best of luck to the family.

[R]

If I was a headteacher and a parent came to me with this then I would (of course!) offer the child a place. I would inform whoever was responsible for first aid/emergencies (teacher's rarely put plaster on in class, they tend to send the child to the office where supplies are held). I would then tell all the staff that a child had HIV and advise them on proper proceedures. This way the child would be fully supported and procted whilst enusring the wellbeing of the whole school (staff and pupils).

[Anna]

They should stop playing burn the witch at witch trials in Europe time and do what we do in the US. Have UNIVERSAL precautions, safe for public, and you don't scar the poor child who is already undergoing a trauma. Selfish for any of you that think badly of her she is a child.

[freethinkerguy]

MARCO POLO: Peter Duesberg still won't inject himself with the HIV virus. Why not if it doesn't really cause AIDS? What is he afraid of?

He claims AZT causes AIDS? How did people develop AIDS before AZT was invented?

His main point? HIV is a retrovirus and his "experience" that retroviruses don't kill the host. This doesn't logically follow. There is nothing inherent in the definition of a retrovirus (virus that uses RNA and reverse transcriptase/integrase) that prevents it from eventually being lethal to the host. All the virus needs to be able to do is to propagate from host to host as HIV does.

Duesberg might have had a good career. But even sometimes good scientists go off the deep end ... the Nobel prize winning chemist Linus Pauling was involved with alternative medicine (although there was no measurable benefit) and even Isaac Newton dabbled in alchemy. Although a scientist might have a great career, they still can become misguided.

Gallo's mistakes aside, there are thousands of scientists since the 1980s who have published peer-reviewed articles about HIV and have done significant research.

You can believe what you want about conspiracies. But to deny treatment to people when it could prolong their lives is wrong. HAART and proper drug regimens for managing HIV have extended the lives of HIV+ people to 20 years or so.

[Anne]

To DT
I'll answer your questions if that is ok.
How many languages do I speak? Three, Welsh is my first, Spanish my second and English my third. I suppose this is in a fashion, writing you a letter, only new age. Titration is gradually adjusting the dose of a medicine, or substance until the desired effect has been achieved.
Sadly I'm not a smart person as I am a teacher so I only have a first class degree in Biology and Geography combined Honours, two masters degree's, a teaching degree and one lonely PhD. Oh how I long to be clever.

[DT]

And to Anne, when has 'it' happened before?

That's right, it hasn't. Liar.

[DT]

And people wonder why smart people don't become teachers (or work in schools).

Test it out, ask a teacher how many languages they speak or even just listen to their native tongue in use. Ask them to write you a letter, or ask one what titration is?

[Rox]

am stunned with the ignorance and prejudice as others. Disagree with Anne, as ignorant as a teacher can be, HIV is just another hidden virus like Hepititus. I doubt that you'd be treating a healthy person who's bleeding while u have an open wound urself? I don't think so... you'd treat yourself and students with care AND gloves. Do hope that teachers are being educated before stimagtized the ones with the illness.

[Anne]

I'm a teacher my duty of care is to my pupils, if your daughter injured herself and I treated her, if I then unknowingly contracted HIV and passed it onto another student, I would be sent to prison and banned from ever teaching again. It has happened before, it will happen again. Unless you are willing to keep other people safe, you shouldn't be sending your daughter to school.
Teaching your daughter and other people that HIV should be hidden only makes things worse, openess breaks the mould. You preach about speaking out, yet you make your daughter live in silence.

[Vanessa]

WOW! I'm amazed that this is even an issue. In the States, no child can EVER be denied an education..no matter WHAT! We(teachers) all take universal precautions with every child because you don't necessarily know(and honestly there are other diseases that are more easily caught then HIV). We also don't allow any child near another who is bleeding. That's it! No big drama!

Where it gets a little tricky is in middle & high school(12+) because of the sex issue.

[Carly]

I am stunned at some of the responses on this topic. If we are expecting this child to disclose her HIV status are we then expecting every teacher and parent to disclose their STI's just in case ?
How anyone gets HIV is not the issue, how we support them to live with a long term chronic disease is important. I suspect that the mother was just writing about her daughters issues, not making it about herself and her HIV!

If everyone who deals with other people just uses universal precautions then we would have nothing to worry about. No risk of any BBV's. The comment if its wet sticky and not yours put gloves on is a great one :~)

HIV is transmitted through unprotected sex, sharing needles and breast milk. So.. we will have none of that at school just incase there is anyone who is positive!

World Aids Day is about education. I can see we are still falling short in that department

[Benjamin]

This entire situation is tragic. There are only two factors here that need consideration:

1. To make sure the other children in school are not in any way at risk of infection

2. To make sure that Anna isn't stigmatised because of her condition.

In my opinion, the best way to do this would be to send an anonymous note to the headteacher & govenors, stating that a (nameless) child has this disease.

The school would be forced to educate its staff and pupils about the - admittedly tiny, but possibly serious - risks that come with this situation.

Ergo, the school is protected and Anna is never considered to be any different at all.

[Matt McPherson]

As a biochemist in training, HIV transmission and binding is one of the major topics we study and they're right. HIV is very hard to catch, short of actually bathing open wounds in infected blood, having (repeated) sex with someone who has no management regimen, sharing needles or breastfeeding. Parents with children doing these kind of things should probably have a rethink of their priorities.
I understand the natural reaction of people to avoid an infected person with any illness, it's genetically hardwired. But that response also relies on there being symptoms and visible evidence of malaise. If they were never told, they wouldn't even think twice about stemming a nosebleed with a tissue or putting some disinfectant and a plaster on a cut because caring for children is even more basic and overrides almost all other drives. And for these people to take their ignorance and hold it up as survival instinct is cowardly.

[eric skelton]

One thing is for sure : Even if a teacher is not informed they will still be found legally liable if the child cuts themselves and infects another child!

[Eddy]

The vast majority of responses to this article are frightening! So many British people are obviously so ignorant and so bigoted! Some readers have already begun theorising as to how the little girl acquired HIV! It's irrelevant. But that evil meanness which sets off such enquiry, will be continued at the school, amongst the teachers, amongst the pupils, amongst their parents: and the child's life will become a misery. Akin in medieval times to a child being labelled "the child of whore!"

What better way to educate all children and their stupid adult teachers and parents than to simply assume that we are ALL HIV+ and so should exercise caution at all times.

A large number of people in the United Kingdom are HIV+ and do not know it. They will not discover it perhaps for many years to come. When they DO discover it, some will have no idea exactly which person gave it to them!

[Kate]

The other parents need to know! They need to warn their children Anna is not a child they should be sharing needles with or having unprotected sex with. I will only let my children shoot up with other kids I am 100% confident do not have HIV.

[Sarah]

Whether either of the child's parent is HIV positive and/or how the child caught the virus is totally irrelevant.

I ask myself, as the mother of an 8 year old boy, how I'd feel if one of his good friends or classmates had the condition and the honest answer is: I'd rather know. I don't think I'd have a knee-jerk reaction but the fact is that the child is at greater risk from infections/illness and if they hurt themselves in my home I'd like the "heads up" to put on a pair of gloves before I clean them up, put on a plaster and give a brief hug.

[j]

It seems to me that the children should learn about a world in which people have bloodborne disease such as HIV and hepatitis as they grow old enough. Knowing that Fred in their class is HIV+ and treating the poor kid like a leper wont protect them from Ethel on the bus anyway.

In the immortal words of the man who trained me first aid: "if it's wet, sticky and not yours, use gloves".

The child has a right to privacy. Only the school nurse and the head teacher should know. The other staff should observe normal first aid protocols at all times.

[Kitta]

As posted earlier the most common way to contract HIV at the moment is through heterosexual sex, and there are quite a few asymptomatic people out there, so how do you know that there isn’t already a HIV+ child in your child’s class?
They may not know. .

The only way to be completely certain is to have two tests at least 3 months apart with no ‘risky’ behaviour in-between.

Routine antenatal testing has only been recommended as official policy since 1992, and many areas don’t offer and wait for it to be requested.

So really the only sensible thing to do is use universal precautions when handling body fluids. If the whole idea of mouth 2 mouth is really an issue for you go to the British red cross web site and buy a mouth guard/ face mask for under £3, that is so small it clips to your key ring.

[Stephen]

I would advise you not to tell the school as there is still so much unnecessary prejudice out there……people always fear what they don’t understand. I used to have similar prejudices until a good friend of mine revealed he was positive. After reading up on it I feel liberated but you can’t count on everyone to do the same.
Best wishes to you and your family.

[Gem]

I'm sorry, and this will be unpopular, but I would scared if there was a HIV+ child in my child's class at school. I'd probably even move my child to another school.

[Sho]

I agree that it's an appalling situation. I'Ve been sitting here thinking how I'd react if this child was a friend of my daughter's and we were in ignorance of her HIV status, then suddenly discovered it.

And, hand on heart, I think I'd be more upset that the mum hadn't trusted us enough to tell us than any other worries.

But then - I'm a trained firstaider and I agree with the other poster(s) who mentioned that we should all take universal precautions since we never know what we'Re coming into contact with.

How many times has a kid with a nosebleed ever bled onto another kid's cut? Seriously?

Actually now I'm all fired up to ask the school my daughter goes to what their policy on HIV is.
(but then, knowing what the law about headlice is, I'm not hopeful that it is enlightened)

[Simon]

Because all medical advise says the child is not a risk to the other children, I think informing the staff is not absolutely necessary. If you want to ensure no prejudices are made against Anna then this is the thing to do.

Schools should be obliged to provide education for a child whether HIV positive or negative. Attitudes in schools need to be updated to reflect actual medical evidence.

[Simon L]

This is a horrendous situation for this little girl - my heart goes out to her. However this mother seems to be ignoring th efact that very little risk still means risk. If this girl has a bad accident, or indeed just a bad nosebleed, there is definite risk to someone treating her, and other kids are much less squeamish than us about getting blood on them.

I for one would want my child to know that if XXX has a nosebleed, then he should be careful about getting any cuts of his own exposed to it.

[ANON]

I feel the little girl ha a right to a fair childhood, however, the teachers for the sake of the other children deserve to know. It is grossly unfair for the mother to take that decision on behalf of other children.

[anita]

I wonder what their view on Hepatitis would have been...

[Chris]

No. Humans have conquered all diseases and it's just time before Aids is sorted too. Look at Colloidal Silver, and the other people who have recovered but the Drugs Monopoly keep very quiet about. Maximising profit and keeping their cartels is more important to them than ethics.

[Em]

As a teacher I am there to provide the best education and care I can for 'ANY' child at the school. As for O.N's comments why does it make a difference? would you let the child lay there and die without giving mouth to mouth if you new they had H.I.V I certainly couldn't!!! and you should always use a guard anyway... A child of that age should be treated as what they are a young person with a future.

[Helen]

HIV is a medical condition and as such a school would have no right to refuse to admit a child based on this fact, in the same way that they have no right to refuse to admit a child because they have ADD or ADHD. It doesn't mean that the school and their staff have no right to make decisions of their own. Every child is entitled to an education, and therefore if the school is state run, they have no right to refuse the place purely on the grounds that the child has HIV, particularly since it is unlikely to pose a serious risk to anyone else.

[Marco Polo]

"Hi Marco Polo. Thanks so much for posting that link to a very informative and enlightening video. It's changed my views and best of all, I got to watch it while some Martians abducted me and I sat in their spacecraft between Elvis and Bigfoot." Glad you had such a great experience, Gatsby. Please tell me which video you saw, cos it obviously wasn't the one I posted!

[Sec]

It is a shame that in this day and age people are having to hid about their status because of a very few people who are refusing to learn the facts about HIV. I think it is high time HIV is put on SEN may be then there will be training in schools for teachers and all other staff as with other SEN problems..

[Silvia]

Children living with HIV are not a threat to anybody. HIV is a very difficult virus to transmit. When people are efficiently treated with ARV drugs they risk of being infectious is negligible and this is acknowledged by WHO and UNAIDS. It is appaling that so many people see an HIV positive child as a threat for others, there is not scientific evidence for this. It is the HIV positive child that needs to be protected, not only from potential infections coming from other children, but from the prejudices which are still held by so many in our communities.

[Fliss]

Has no-one considered that it's more likely that the girl is adopted or fostered, rather than being a pre-pubescent drug addict?

[Jo]

If you are giving the kiss of life you should be using barrier protection any way, both gloves and between the mouths. If you were a trained firstaider then you would have the appropriate equipment. I think it is sad she felt she couldn’t tell the school and I agree that the more people coming forward with it should help educate and reduce the stigma.

We don’t know that the mother doesn’t have the disease and she may have been given a transfusion in a country where they don’t check the blood properly. Speculation on why the child has the disease isn’t really the point of the discussion.

[O.N]

On first reading it sounded as if the mother's desire to tell people about her daughter's condition was not for the benefit and well being of others, but simply because it's "the truth", and they live in an environment where lying is a very bad thing. After reading it again, I think that the mother is not considering the potential risks associated with the illness with as much gravitas as perhaps she should. If I was a teacher teaching her child and she for some reason or other she needed the kiss of life or to stem blood flow of some kind, this is information that would come in quite useful.

[LC]

I suspect people are more concerned about how a child came to have the disease, rather than that she has it. I must admit- seeing as it's no longer possible to have caught it from a blood transfusion- I'm wondering that myself.

Either she caught it from the mother, or it was through some sort of drug or sexual abuse. Seeing as the mother doesn't talk as if she herself has HIV, then that leaves only those options, which probably makes people feel very uncomfortable indeed.

[HIV doctor]

It is good to see some sense on this page. There is no risk to teachers or other children from an HIV infected child at school. Even cuts, grazes and blood spills would not be a source of transmission in this environment. The child is however at risk of bearing the brunt of the quite appalling ignorance and prejudice of the school, and the inability of the schools in many circumstances to manage to keep that child's information confidential. There are however some schools who have managed to deal with this issue sensibly by making sure they are informed of both the science and the rights of the child. If a schools is in this situation then ask to speak to the local HIV medical team.

[Robin]

The school should be told. It is the children that are at risk and it would be wrong not to have precausions and procedures in place for dealing with risks of exposure.

If correct procedures are implace and enforced and all people involved are educated in the matter then there is no problem at all.

Inform the school and guide them in the correct action.

[Hol]

Comparing HIV to the Bubonic plague as though the transmission methods of the two are even remotely comparable? Oh dear Lord... it really worries me that so many adults are remain so ignorant on the subject. Unless you're sharing a sexual relationship or needles, then the risks are negligible so long as you employ a bit of common sense. You'd think that wouldn't be too much to ask of a teaching staff.

I also have to ask if the school she was applying to was completely devoid of any science trained teachers who ought to have been able to immediately dispel these ridiculous myths?

[gatsby]

Hi Marco Polo. Thanks so much for posting that link to a very informative and enlightening video. It's changed my views and best of all, I got to watch it while some Martians abducted me and I sat in their spacecraft between Elvis and Bigfoot.Don't you find it amazing that so many people seem to unaware of THE TRUTH? Thanks for letting me into this select group. No more protected sex for me!!

[American Jan]

As a healthcare worker we treat every patient as though they have a blood borne illness, it's known as universal precautions. In this way it's irrelevant if a person is HIV positive or negative. We don't even discuss it.
Those working with the public should be taught to do the same.
If we treat everyone equally, with safe care methods then we all benefit.
:)

[Splodge (foster carer and adopter)]

I have to say I am stunned at the ignorance and predjudice of many of the comments - before any of them comment have they taken any time to learn anything about HIV before asserting their views? Or are they basing their knowledge on the adverts of the 1980's?

HIV is stigmatising because people like these are ignorant of it, and are working on old assumptions and out-dated prejudices. Most HIV is now transmitted between HETEROSEXUAL adults via unprotected sex, not by druggies needle sharing or homosexuals.

Its because of people like these that families with children who have HIV have to keep it to themselves - Bubonic plague? what are you on? That was spread by flea bites - and was fatal within a week to many of its infected - how on earth does that compare with HIV?? Such stunning ignorance - how sad, I pity you...

[Splodge (foster carer and adopter)]

HIV is a very unstable virus, and doesn't survive easily outside the body. Staff would need to have a very worrying level of contact with this child to risk catching HIV (like sharing needles or having sexual intercourse).

All school workers should be taught to use gloves and a disposable pinny, and wash hands thoroughly afterwards when dealing with ANY bodily fluid/matter accidents. This protects everyone and means no one person is stigmatised. This is good hygiene practice and if followed means that risk of infection with ANYTHING is reduced to virtually nil.

If I had been that mum I'd have contacted the blood borne virus specialist for that area and asked that they went in to the school to do a teacher training day on blood borne viruses.

[Marc Sheffner]

"Of course your daughter should not be treated any differently because of something that she has no control over."
So if I have bubonic plague, I should be treated by my school no differently than anyone else, BECAUSE it's something I have no control over.

" ... schools have absolutely no right to refuse a place to your child based on the fact that she has HIV."
Is that a fact? If true, that means that schools have no right to make their own choices based on the judgements of the teachers and staff, even if those choices are correct. I'm ignorant of the law, and ask out of genuine curiosity.

[Marco Polo]

I'm in favour of teachers being told if a child has HIV, on condition that they also be told about the unreliability of HIV tests, and about the questions many scientists have as to the connection between HIV and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. (The curious could start with this video: http://www.knowledgedrivenrevolution.com/Articles/200608/20060811_HIV_AIDS_Video.htm )

[Jay]

I work in a primary school as a teaching assistant strongly disagree with the mother, though I can understand her reasons. I understand that every child has the right to go to school, however, I do think that the consequences (of the allbeit low risks) are too severe to lie around.

[Helen]

Of course your daughter should not be treated any differently because of something that she has no control over. However, by keeping this from the school, you could be inadvertently putting the teachers and other children at risk. HIV is transmitted through blood and other bodily fluids, and if your daughter gets hurt at school and a teacher helps her and neglects to follow health and safety protocols exactly, which, lets be honest, when you're in charge of a class of 30+ children, can occur, there is the change that the teacher could be infected. I realise that the chances of this occurring are negligable, but if something does occur and you have kept this from the school, the situation will be so much worse. If you tell people, then it could help, and quite frankly, schools have absolutely no right to refuse a place to your child based on the fact that she has HIV.

[Matt]

I agree with Expat Mum - and it appears from the outside that people are reacting not to the fact she has HIV, but rather on WHY she might have it.

Personally, your child should be treated no differently from another child, especially since the condition has no effect on any other child. Other conditions such as ADHD which DO affect others, are catered for, and your child should not be discriminated against.

[Expat Mum]

You could make the argument that if more people (including children) came forward about having HIV, then less people would be panicked about it. This secrecy probably isn't helping.