17 Oct 2013

Parents are encouraged to take their children for HIV counseling and testing services to benefit from early interventions.

In an interview, Tebelopele Voluntary Counseling and Testing centre, marketing and communications manager, Ms Lame Ramokate said child counseling was a confidential dialogue between a child and service provider. She the dialogue aimed at enabling the client to cope with stress and make informed decisions related to HIV and AIDS services.

Ms Ramokate said it was worth noting that the counseling process in children depended on the special circumstances and developmental stage of the child, noting that the counseling should be adjusted according to the child’s age and level of physical and emotional maturity.

She also said that child HIV testing and counseling services were an important gateway to accessing other HIV related services by children and adolescents.Furthermore, Ms Ramokate said HIV testing and counseling should be offered to all children in public, private and nongovernmental organizations in order to shape their future.

Ms Ramokate pointed out that children have a more rapid progression of HIV diseases than adults, and that the signs and symptoms of HIV were often not specific in them. She further explained that child counseling would also help parents and children cope with the stress of finding out their positive status.

Ms Ramokate said that challenges they encountered as child counseling and testing services providers included the dilemma the parents face to consent for their children to get tested. She also said that lack of infrastructure tailored for children was another challenge to child counseling and testing services.

Ms Ramokate revealed that a total of 3 332 children aged 0-18 years were tested at their centres nationwide from January to December 2012, 1 572 of them being males and 1 760 being females. From January to August 2013, a total of 3 865 children were tested,  2 594 of them being males and 1 271 being females.

Ms Ramokate encouraged parents to give consent for their children to be counseled and tested in order to safeguard their future. Ends