Our November topic is HIV & AIDS.
Our 100 Health Messages for Children to Learn and Share are simple, reliable health education messages aimed at children aged 8-14, this includes young adolescents aged 10-14. We feel that it is especially useful and important to make sure that young adolescents are informed as this age group often cares for young children in their families. Also, it’s important to recognise and praise the work they are doing to help their families in this way.
The messages are arranged as 10 messages in 10 key health topics: Malaria, Diarrhoea, Nutrition, Coughs, Colds & Pneumonia, Intestinal Worms, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene, Immunisation, HIV & Aids, Accidents & Preventing Injuries and Caring for Babies & Young Children. The simple health messages are for parents and health educators to use with children at home and in schools, clubs and clinics.
Our messages on HIV and AIDS:
- Our body is amazing. We have an immune system, and this protects us from germs cause diseases.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- Children with HIV need strong support from their family, friends and teachers and encouragement to keep going with their medication to stay healthy.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
These health messages have been reviewed by expert health educators and medical experts and are available on the Health ORB website too.
What can children Make, Do & Ask to better understand this topic?
Here are some ideas for activities children can do to understand more about our November topic and share the messages with others.
- MAKE our own HIV and AIDS messages using our own words in our own language!
- MEMORISE the messages so we never forget them!
- SHARE the messages with other children and our families
- COLLECT leaflets and information about HIV and AIDS and share these with our community.
- INVITE a health worker to our school to answer our questions about HIV and AIDS.
- FIND ways to help any 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.
- CREATE and PLAY a True and False Game about the ways HIV can pass from person to person. Use the ASK questions at the end to help.
- LEARN life skills to help us talk about special friendships and our sexual feelings.
- PLAY the Fleet of Hope Game 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.
- 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 and AIDS.
- START a question box in our class for our questions on HIV and AIDS.
- MAKE a poster for our school about HIV and AIDS.
- MAKE a play about a girl called Meena or a boy called Rajeev 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 and AIDS Action club to raise awareness in our school and with our families.
- ASK 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? How does ART (anti-retroviral therapy) work and when should someone take it? When and how do our friendships become sexual relationships? How does a person use a condom correctly? (Male/female) What are the best ways to support our friends and family who are living with HIV stay healthy and well? Where is the closest clinic that helps people with HIV and AIDS
For more specific information on The Lifeline Game, the Fleet of Hope Game or an
example of a True or False Game please contact us or e-mail clare@childrenforhealth.org
To learn more about our December topic, see HIV & AIDS.
