Mothers with HIV/AIDS should not pre-chew food for babies

Actually, anyone with HIV/AIDS should not pre-chew food for children. I did not know people still chew up food for kids, and I have seen this done by someone many, many years ago. Blood in the saliva from bleeding gums is the source of transmission. The blood cells may be microscopic and not visible to the human eye, and the concentration may be high enough to infect children, even though the bleed may not be seen.

It is frightening to know, as in the last case, the kid’s aunt was chewing his food before giving it to him to make it easier for him to chew, and his mother did not even know about this practice. Think: With good intent, someone could be chewing your child's food out of your presence and then feeding it to them.

Some case findings from a recent Boston scientific conference:

-- 9-month old girl, who is still alive and being treated with HIV drugs, was diagnosed with HIV infection in 2004. Her mother reported her child ate food she pre-chewed.

-- 3-year old boy who was diagnosed with HIV in 1995 and died of AIDS in 1996. The mother had AIDS and pre-chewed food for her child.

-- 15-month old boy was found with HIV in 1993 and is still alive and being treated with HIV drugs. He ate food pre-chewed by his aunt who late died of AIDS. His mother did not know the aunt was suffering AIDS until after her death.

HIV and Its Transmission from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Photo Credit: Image from ABC News