Children with HIV/AIDS need extra nutritional care
For children who are 6-24 months old:
- Promote foods and fluids that are rich in energy and nutrients.
- Give porridge enriched with any of the following: milk, oil, sugar, groundnut/simsim paste, bean
powder or soya bean flour. - Given semi-solid food enriched with any of the foods mentioned above, but also with fish powder.
- Add a small amount of oil/margarine to the child’s food.
- Give the baby mashed fruits and vegetables such as ripe bananas, pawpaws, avocadoes and
pumpkins as frequently as possible. - Continue giving animal milk.
Support the mother/caretaker to:
- Provide nutritious food according to the weight and age of the child, and increase the food portions
as the child grows older. - Feed the child frequently (five to six times per day) and provide nutritious snacks in between meals.
- Make sure that the child’s food is prepared appropriately.
- Review the child’s diet at every contact to ensure appropriate feeding.
- Help mothers to practice active and responsive feeding, including small but frequent meals, feeding
the child patiently, not forcing the child to eat, and feeding the child the food she/he likes. - Assess and promote good hygiene and proper food safety and handling.
- Encourage mothers to seek health support if the child is either not growing well, has eating
problems, has sores/ulcers in its mouth, or gets opportunistic and other infections, such as
malaria or fever, diarrhoea and respiratory infections. - Promote continued adequate dietary care and support during and after illness.
- Create awareness about psychological and socio-economic support that households with
HIV/AIDS infected children can access in their locality.
For children who are more than two years old:
- Encourage the mother to ensure that children consume adequate food to meet their increased
energy needs. Consult the previous section and the previous chapter for more information on
how to ensure meeting of increased energy needs. - Develop a plan in consultation with the mother for feeding the child that includes sources of
adequate protein and micro-nutrients.
Guide to Mobilising and Strengthening Community-Led Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Appendix 2, Further Infomation^355