How to Talk to Your Child About HIV/AIDS

Every year, 3 million teens contract a sexually transmitted disease; 25 percent of new HIV infections in the United States occur in young people under the age of 22. Parents can curb these alarming numbers and make a difference simply by talking to their kids about HIV and AIDS. These guidelines follow the recommendations of the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California at San Francisco.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Think about the information you would like to convey to your child, taking into consideration such things as your child's age, prior knowledge and influences, as well as your own religious and cultural values.
2. Gather information about HIV and AIDS from doctors, friends and news articles before talking to your child so that you can relay the correct information.
3. Look for cues to begin a discussion - a news broadcast, a school assignment, a community event.
4. Be honest. Admit if you are uncomfortable talking about HIV and AIDS. Honesty can help break the tension in discussing a very difficult subject.
5. Have a positive attitude. A critical tone may put your child on the defensive.
6. Try to understand your child's point of view so that your discussion will be relevant and effective.
7. Discuss peer pressure, and encourage your child to use his or her own judgment when making critical decisions.
8. Listen to your child and treat the discussion as an exchange, not a lecture.
9. Offer additional sources of information. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has an AIDS hotline at (800) 342-AIDS.

Tips & Warnings

• If you think your kids might be too young for a frank discussion on AIDS or HIV, set the stage for having such a discussion in the future. You can teach young ones about naming body parts, saying no and being healthy in general.