In many countries children are deeply affected by the problems caused by HIV and AIDS both directly and indirectly. They are affected by the loss or illness of family members, teachers and health workers. They can be affected by stigma.
Older children can learn and share basic facts about reproductive and sexual health before puberty. Children can discuss and develop skills linked to delaying sex, sexual faithfulness and using condoms. They need a chance to voice their fears and raise questions and for these to be listened to and treated seriously.
Use the message tabs on the left to read our Top Ten messages on HIV & AIDS for children to learn and share. Scroll down to see ideas on what children can do to understand, find out more, take action and reflect on this topic.
Download our 100 Messages PDF to have a copy of all our messages for printing and sharing. View our HIV & AIDS messages in Many More Languages and download some FREE Resources associated with this topic.
Our body is amazing. We have an immune system, and this protects us from germs cause diseases.
When something new comes into our body, like a germ or a virus, our body quickly gets to work to protect us and makes the invading germ or virus leave our body quickly. This is how the immune system stops germs and viruses making us ill.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that weakens our immune system and stops our bodies protecting us well from everyday germs. IF HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome).
When a virus gets into our body it tricks our body into doing what the virus wants it to do. The HIV virus stops our immune system working properly so it can’t protect us from other germs and viruses. By stopping our immune system working properly the HIV virus can make our bodies weak and eventually we may develop AIDS.
HIV lives in the blood and other bodily fluids and is invisible to the eye. It can be passed on (1) through sex (2) from HIV positive mothers to their babies during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding (3) in needles or syringes, and (4) through a blood transfusion.
HIV lives in blood and liquids made by the body during sex – these are semen and vaginal fluid. We can pass HIV from person to person when we come into contact with their body’s fluids during sex or with their blood. Mothers can pass HIV to their babies before they are born because the mother’s blood helps the baby to grow. After a baby is born HIV can also pass from a mother to the baby when she breastfeeds her baby.
Medicines called AntiRetroVirals (ARVs) keep HIV levels low so a person can live a long time. ARVs prevent the spread of the virus to others.
ARVs are medicines that are taken together to stop the HIV virus being active in the body of someone with HIV. It makes the virus slow down and reduces the amount of HIV in the body. When someone knows they have HIV, they can take ARV before they become ill with AIDS. Taking ARV early can help stop HIV spreading from person to person. It is important to find out if you have HIV so that you can take ARV before you get ill with AIDS.
Children with HIV need strong support from their family, friends and teachers and encouragement to keep going with their medication to stay healthy.
Many families include people who have HIV or AIDS because many young people have HIV and AIDS. We should do our best to learn about HIV and AIDS so we can ensure we treat them with kindness. We can learn to listen when someone with HIV or AIDS wants to talk about their feelings. We can help our school and our community become more supportive places for people with HIV and AIDS.
People with HIV can play, share food and drink, hold hands, kiss and hug other people. People do not pass on the virus this way.
People with HIV and AIDS need care and kindness. We can show we care for people with HIV by interacting with them just like we do with all our other friends. We can learn why we can’t catch HIV from everyday activities. We can learn how HIV is passed from person to person, so we know that it is safe to play with someone who has HIV or AIDS.
A medicine called PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) helps protect people who are at risk of getting HIV.
People protect themselves from getting HIV from sex by (1) having sex using condoms (protected sex). (2) being in a sexual relationship where both partners are HIV negative and do not have sex with others. (3) taking Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).
We can’t see HIV and so we can’t see who has HIV and who does not. We can protect ourselves from HIV by
All of these options are good options and we should do whatever is safest for us and our relationship. We protect ourselves from HIV by practising these behaviours to keep us safe during sex.
To help themselves and others, adults who think they may have HIV can do a simple test at a clinic or with a self-test at home.
It’s important to get tested for HIV if someone thinks they may have HIV or AIDS. Getting tested allows people with HIV to get the medicines they need. Taking anti retro-viral therapy medicines can help people with HIV reduce their chance of passing it on to someone else. The hospital or clinic will give the person counselling about HIV and the test, what it means and what will happen next if they have HIV.
People who have HIV should disclose this with their sexual partner so they can talk to a health worker about PrEP.
Pregnant women should be tested for HIV at the antenatal clinic. If positive, they should get treatment to keep them healthy and stop HIV passing to their baby during pregnancy delivery and breastfeeding.
Babies use their mothers’ blood to help them grow inside the womb, and when they are born they can come into contact with their mother’s blood. When a mother takes ARVs she can reduce the chance that her baby will get HIV. The ARV medicine reduces the amount of HIV in the body. Mothers who are breastfeeding their babies and taking ARV are less likely to pass HIV to their babies.
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MAKE our own HIV & AIDS Messages using our own words in our own language!
LEARN these messages so we never forget them!
ADD these messages to our collection!
SHARE these messages with other children and our families!
COLLECT leaflets and information about HIV & AIDS and share it with our community.
INVITE a health worker to our school to answer our questions about HIV & AIDS.
FIND ways to help children in our community who are affected by AIDS.
PLAY the lifeline game and find out about risky behaviours that could put us in contact with HIV.
PLAY true and false about ways to catch HIV.
LEARN life skills to help us talk about special friendships and our sexual feelings.
PLAY the fleet of hope and find out which safe behaviours we would choose to protect us from HIV in our special friendships.
THINK of all the difficulties someone with HIV or AIDS has to face and what we can do to help.
ROLE play having HIV and find what it might be like to be someone with HIV.
PLAY the true and false game about all the ways HIV can pass from person to person.
ASK someone who has HIV to come and talk to us about their experiences.
LISTEN to and discuss stories about people who are living with HIV and the problems they face.
MAKE a quiz to find out what we know about HIV & AIDS.
START a question box in our class for our questions on HIV & AIDS.
MAKE a poster for our school about HIV & AIDS.
MAKE a play about Meena and her mum who has HIV and how Meena persuades her mum to go to the clinic to get ART (anti-retroviral therapy) medicine.
START an HIV & AIDS Action club to raise awareness in our school and with our families.
HOW does our immune system work?
WHAT foods help our immune system stay strong and ready for action?
WHAT is HIV and what is AIDS? What do the letters stand for?
WHAT happens when someone finds out they have HIV?
WHAT happens when someone develops AIDS?
HOW is HIV passed from person to person? How is it not? How can we protect ourselves against it?
HOW are people tested and treated for HIV?
HOW can medicines help reduce the risk of mothers passing HIV to their babies?
WHAT other viruses can make us ill?
HOW does ART (anti-retroviral therapy) work and when should someone take it?
WHEN and how our friendships become sexual relationships?
HOW to use a condom correctly?
HOW can we support our friends and family who are living with HIV stay healthy and well?
WHERE is our clinic and what kind of counselling is available for young people?
WHERE is the health centre where someone can get ART?
When teaching children these messages, it can be hard to hold their interest in the topic and keep energy up. For ideas on keeping children engaged and excited, look at Closing Games & Activities.