Improving the quality of life for youngsters with HIV - Baltimore City Head Start program

Children Today, May-June, 1990 by Linda S. Crites, Clare Siegel

One mother who has been deeply involved with the project is 32-year-old Michelle (names have been changed to protect confidentiality). Michelle, who had been abused as a child, became a drug user early in her teens. When she became pregnant three years ago, Michelle was determined to "get clean" for the sake of her baby. Sadly, Michelle was soon after identified as HIV positive. Although she had remained symptom-free until just recently, her only child, Sarah, was infected with the HIV virus perinatally. Sarah's illness has progressed to the point where she is now, at age two, being treated with AZT, a principal drug used in the care of AIDS patients.

As a result of the home-based services she has received twice a week from the project teacher, Sarah has exhibited some developmental progress, particularly in motor areas. It has been an ongoing concern of the project social worker that because Michelle is so focused on Sarah's well-being, she frequently does not pay enough attention to her own needs. Nonetheless, Michelle has received such supportive services as help in obtaining emergency food and child care supplies, as well as emotional support from both the social worker and teacher. Because of her great desire to help others in similar predicaments, Michelle has participated in a number of support groups and has addressed community groups on topics related to AIDS.

Denise is another mother who has worked diligently to maintain care of her 3-year-old daughter, Sharna. Raised in a family environment characterized by alcohol abuse and violence, Denise fell into a lifestyle of early substance abuse. Although she stopped using drugs two years before her daughter was born, both Denise and her daughter have tested positive for the virus, although neither has become symptomatic.

Denise is conscientious about keeping Sharna's medical appointments, but these days she worries about things other than HIV. She is concerned about her daughter's developmental delays in the areas of motor functioning, language and social learning, although these worries have been allayed somewhat since Sharna began receiving home-based services recently and her speech started to improve. Moreover, Denise and Sharna have received virtually no support from their family, and as knowledge of their HIV status emerged, they experienced a series of rejections and subsequent changes of residence. However, Denise is determined to take care of her child, and with strong support and assistance from the project, she is continuing to do so.

For the Future

As we continue into the project's second year, the need for additional services becomes more apparent. There are still too few support groups for families affected by pediatric HIV infection, particularly for non-infected siblings whose trauma is often overlooked in the focus on the ill child. The opening of the Head Start Support Center will allow us to expand our support services to families and initiate an intermediate educational program. Our hope is to augment outreach activities to identify and serve families whose dire circumstances have precluded previous participation in the project, and to furnish transportation to the center so that families can fully utilize the variety of services offered.