HIV in children is a highly specialised branch of HIV care and the number of children in Australia with HIV is fortunately very low. HIV positive children may only come to the attention of mainstream HIV services around adolescence when it is time to transition to adult services.
Children’s HIV care is managed primarily through Paediatric HIV Specialist Services in each state and territory e.g. The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne or The Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, Randwick.
Early diagnosis of HIV remains critical, as early treatment will lead to better outcomes for children, with the preservation of good immune function. Without diagnosis and effective management with antiviral medication, about one-third of children with HIV infection will die before they reach 12 months of age.[1]