Prevalence of developmental delay in infants who are HIV positive

J. L. Potterton,C. J. Eales

doi:10.4102/sajp.v57i3.507

J. L. Potterton, C. J. Eales

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4102/sajp.v57i3.507

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Abstract

The presence of developmental delay in children who are HIV positive has been well described. International studies have identified 25 - 40% of HIV infected infants to have developmental delay. This study aimed to establish the prevalence of developmental delay in HIV positive infants in South Africa.The study was conducted at Coronation Hospital, Gauteng, South Africa. Infants under 12 months of age attending an out-patient follow-up clinic were assessed for developmental delay using the Neurodevelopment Assessment Score. Informed written consent was obtained from the caregivers prior to assessment. The results from 30 HIV positive and 30 HIV negative infants were analysed. Descriptive analyses were used to analyse most of the data. Data were summarised using means for continuous variables and frequencies and proportions for categorical variables. The two groups were well matched for age, weight and socio-economic status. Forty percent of the HIV positive sample presented with developmental delay compared to 13% of the HIV negative sample. The caregivers of the HIV infected children expressed a need for support groups and education on HIV and how to care for their infants. The results of this study support the findings of international studies on developmental delay in HIV infected infants.Furthermore, this study identifies the need for cost effective, innovative programmes to address the long term needs of HIV infected infants and their caregivers.

Highlights

At present there are approximately one million children in Sub-Saharan Africa infected with HIV (LINAIDS Report, 2000)
This study identifies the need for cost effective, innovative programmes to address the long term needs of HIV infected infants and their caregivers
The Neurodevelopmental Assess ment Score (NDS) classifi cation of the study sample is presented in Table 2: Table 1: Summary of Demographic Data of the Experimental and Control Groups

Summary

Introduction

At present there are approximately one million children in Sub-Saharan Africa infected with HIV (LINAIDS Report, 2000). In South Africa young women between 20 and 30 have the highest prevalence rates of HIV infection in the country (HIV/AIDS/STD Strategic Plan for South Africa 2000 - 2005, 2000). As more young women of child bearing age become infected with HIV, so the number of infants born with vertically transmitted HIV will continue to rise. Despite the fact that the number of HIV infected infants in South Africa continues to grow, no research on the prevalence of neurological complica tions in HIV infected children in South Africa could be found. Unless an effort is made to identify the magnitude of this particular aspect of paediatric HIV in South Africa we are not going to be able to plan appropriate and affordable intervention programmes for the patients in our care

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