What are the symptoms of HIV/AIDS in babies?
HIV-infected babies do not show signs of HIV infection at birth, but about 15 percent develop serious symptoms or die in the first year of life. Nearly half die by age 10. However, new HIV-fighting drugs are improving the outlook for infected children; many are free of serious symptoms much of the time. Babies of HIV-positive women should be tested for the virus within 48 hours of birth. These early tests, which detect the virus itself, instead of antibodies, can detect about 40 percent of infected newborns. Testing is generally repeated, allowing identification of most infected babies by one month, and virtually all by six months. (The HIV screening test, which tests for antibodies to the virus, is not reliable for an infant born to an infected mother. This is because the mothers antibodies may be present in her babys blood for up to 18 months, even if the baby has not been infected.) It is recommended that all infants diagnosed with HIV be treated with a combination of HIV-fighting d
