AIDS

What is AIDS?

AIDS stand for Acquired Immune Defiance Syndrome.

Acquired: Meaning that it is contagious.
Immune Defiance: Weakness in the body system that fights diseases.
Syndrome: Group of health problems that cause diseases.









How do you get AIDS?


AIDS is caused by a virus called HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). If you get infected by HIV, your body will try to fight the infection by creating little body "warriors" which are called antibodies.

Blood tests could be made to check whether you have HIV. If you do, then your are a HIV-Positive.

Having HIV isn't the same as having AIDS. HIV is contagious and could develop into AIDS through time.



AIDS/HIV can transfer from one to another by:

• Having sex with an infected person.
• Sharing a needle (If while taking drugs, or rarely in the hospital).
• Being born by an infected mother or a HIV-positive mother.
• Drinking breast milk from an infected woman.

Till now, it isn't proven whether AIDS or HIV could be transmitted through tears or saliva, but from the safe side, it is always important to make sure not to kiss an infected person (Some say that it is possible to get the infection through a deep kiss with an infected person, especially if that person had open sores or bleeding gums).

Quick Facts:

• India accounts with 10% of the global HIV/AIDS prevalence with an estimated 5.1 million infected in the adult population!
• During intercourse, for infection to transmitted, only few seconds is required, if lucky!
• The latest estimate of AIDS holders (end of 2007) is and estimate of 33.2 million people!
• With an increase of 4 million in 6 years!

Solution:

• It is very important to check up on yourself every while and then, so that in case you turn out to be HIV-positive, you can take your precautions and fix the best you can (Your nearest hospital, in almost any country, could perform you a HIV test for free).
• Limiting sex with strangers, and using protection (For safer sex instructions please visit this link: www.thebody.com/content/art6098.html).
• Making sure in hospitals and at the barbers that the needle or razor is changed to a new one.

Child Abuse

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There are many people we meet that seem "weird" to us. What if this person had been abused as a kid? How many years did he need to recover, or what if what happened to him is unrecoverable and his unfortunate past has become a part of his desperate personality? This post is about the hidden bruises of children that are not aware that they have the right to live a healthy and normal life.

Quick Facts:

• Over 3 million (3,195,000) children were reported for child abuse in only the United States in 1997!
• Around 85% of prison inmates were abused as children!
• 1 in 3 girls and 1 in boys are sexually abused by an adult at some time during childhood!
• Most sexual abusers are someone from the family, or someone the kids know. Not some stranger waiting in the corner with a lollipop!
• More than 80% of child abusers are parents!
• Child abuse occurrence happens at the child's home on most cases!
• 1 out of 10 babies are born to an alcoholic or a drug addict mother!
• Mothers that drink or take drugs while pregnancy are considered to be abusing their baby!

Types of child abuse:

• Child Neglect: When kids are not given what they need and are not taken care of. Usually this type of child abuse is not realized by the child until they are older.
• Emotional Abuse: When kids get yelled at, threatened, frightened, or intimidated. Of course there is a fine line between disciplining and just being yelled at for no reason.
• Physical Abuse: Child abuse is the easiest to spot. kids could be spotted at school, or anywhere in public with bruises and marks that show that they are being physically abuse.
• Sexual Abuse: Is when the child is forced to interact in any sort of sexual act.

Signs and Symptoms:

These signs might not necessarily indicate that the child is being abused unless a number of these symptoms appear on the child then it is a very good possibility that the child is suffering abuse:

Sexual Abuse:

• Showing knowledge about sex in a way that is inappropriate for his age.
• Medical problems such as chronic itching, pain in the genitals, or venereal disease.
• Extreme reactions such as suicide attempts, extreme depression, or running away.
• Sudden loss of appetite.
• Sudden change in personality.
• Lack of trust, or fear from people.

Physical Abuse:

• Unexplained injuries or burns.
• Improbable excuses, or trying to hide the source of injury.
• Refusal to undress for gym.
• Fear of medical help or examination.
• Aggression towards others.

Emotional Abuse:

• Sudden speech disorder.
• Continual self-depreciation (I'm ugly, I'm stupid, I'm...)
• Overreactions to mistakes.
• Inappropriate respond to pain (I deserve this!)

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Neglect:

• Always hungry.
• Poor personal hygiene.
• Constant tiredness.
• Poor clothing.
• Untreated medical problems.
• No, or little social relationships.

It is possible to find a child having several of types of abuse.

Solution:

If anyone notice a combination of the signs above, please don't hesitate to report about it. If you don't and the child suffers from abuse long enough, you are part of the crime, therefor, you are also abusing that child by neglecting him/her!

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If a child turns over to you to tell you that he is being abused:

1. Go talk somewhere quiet.
2. Believe what the kid is saying.
3. Be calm.
4. Listen, but do not press for information.
5. Tell the child that you are glad that he/she told you.
6. Let the child feel secure, rather than fear because he/she told you.
7. If the child told someone else (teacher, principle), contact that person for the good of the child.
8. Acknowledge that the child has angry, sad or even guilty feelings for what happened.

Make the world a better place for our children...