Title: Nutritional Support for Children Living with HIV
Author: PADMAVATHY.K 1, 2, ANITA SHET 1, 2 CHITR DINAKAR 1, 2 KARTHIKA
KUMAR 1 PREETHY. H 2 , SAJAL CLARENCE SINGH 2
1. St. Johns Research Institute, St. Johns National Academy of Health Sciences, St. Johns Medical College
and hospital, Bangalore, India
2. Snehacare Home Children , Camillian Care Centre for PLWHIV ,Bangalore , India
Introduction
HIV/AIDS and under nutrition affect immune function, with lack of essential micronutrients leading to
nutritionally acquired immune-dysfunction syndrome and this influences immune defences increase
susceptibility to various opportunistic infection and diseases, etc. ART alone may not be sufficient to
revive an already compromised nutritional status and they need a well balanced food to maintain or
improve the nutritional status along with ART. Despite current global efforts to increase ART coverage,
HIV-infected children remain nutritionally challenged due to socio-economic, disease, and other specific
health-related factors(1) In developing countries like India, Malnutrition are known to be associated with
low socio economic factors (orphan hood, food insecurity, poor dietary patterns, low maternal education,
etc.,) of children
Objectives
To assess the nutritional status of HIV – Infected children
To study about the importance of balanced diet in HIV Infected children
Methods
In Snehacare home, we are having 100 children living with HIV Infected, all children were enjoying
good health, excellent medical care, Nutritionally balanced diet, Psycho social support, good education,
etc