How long can a child live with hiv?
On One Hand: HIV is very debilitatingIf left untreated a child with HIV infection does not have prospects for a long life. Approximately 55 percent of HIV-infected infants will not live to their second birthdays. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus is more harmful to children (especially infants) than adults because their immune system is not as developed.On the Other: Treatments have ImprovedIn the past three decades there has been great progress in the area of AIDS treatment. If treatment begins in time, antiretroviral therapy can extend an HIV-positive child’s life in most cases, helping them reach adulthood and delaying the onset of full-blown AIDS.Bottom LineIf left untreated, HIV-positive children have an average life span of three to five years, depending on their age at time of infection. If a patient is treated with antiretroviral medications and lives a healthy lifestyle, he can live in excess of 20 years before fatal complications of the virus arise.Source:”Park’s Social Medici
