HIV Program

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About HIV infection

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the body's immune system, making it difficult to fight off infections and cancers. Without treatment, the immune system begins to fail, putting the body at risk of infection.

HIV is primarily transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse. Fluids which can transmit HIV include semen, vaginal fluids, blood, and breast milk.

Most children acquire HIV from perinatal transmission, or transmission from mother to baby during pregnancy, labor, delivery or breastfeeding. All pregnant individuals should be tested for HIV during pregnancy. Pregnant people living with HIV can take medications to prevent the transmission of HIV to their baby.

Adolescents can also acquire HIV from sex or injection drug use. All adolescents should be screened for HIV at least once between 15 and 18 years of age, and yearly once they are sexually active.

With no treatment, HIV infection can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome), a condition that occurs when the immune system is weakened and can no longer fight infections and diseases. It is important to know that today, with treatment options easily available, patients living with HIV can expect to live an almost normal life span.

The Children’s Wisconsin HIV Program provides the following services:

• Medical care for children and adolescents up to 18 years old living with HIV.
• Intensive case management for pregnant people, women, and youth ages 18-25 years old living with HIV across the State of Wisconsin (in collaboration with the Medical College of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin in Madison, Marshfield Clinic, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, through the Wisconsin HIV Primary Care Support Network).
• Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for children and adolescents after a sexual assault or a high-risk sexual exposure.
• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for adolescents at risk of HIV from sex or injection drug use.

For children and adolescents up to 18 years old living with HIV

The nurses and social workers from the Children’s Wisconsin HIV Program have been caring for children and adolescents living with HIV and their families for the past 30+ years.

Program social workers and nurses work closely with each patient’s primary care provider to ensure that as much care as possible is provided close to home with a familiar provider. We know that care is easier when it is close to home.

Our nurses, social workers and medical providers make home visits and visits to other medical providers to help patients receive coordinated care.

Intensive adherence support

Program nurses, social workers and physicians work closely with patients to help them learn how to take their medications. We help patients pick a time to take their medicines and a safe place to store them. We help patients fit taking medications into their daily routines.

Regularly talking to patients after they start taking medications helps us guide them through any problems. When side effects occur, we are there to assist patients and their families so that medication plans are not interrupted. We make understanding and learning about medications easy by giving patients cards with pictures and names of their drugs.

Transition to adult care services

We work closely with adult care providers to transition youth with HIV to adult care providers at a time that works best for them and their family.

We usually transition in stages. We may start by first transitioning from a pediatric to an adult primary care provider. Once comfortable in the new adult primary care setting, we move their HIV-specific care from a pediatric to an adult HIV specialist.

Our nurses and social workers work with the youth after this transition. We continue to work with the youth until our assistance is no longer needed. This timeframe is different for every young adult making this transition.

For pregnant people living with HIV

If you are a pregnant and have HIV infection, Children’s nurses and social workers will work with your obstetrician and HIV physician to help you receive the best treatment.

These clinical team members go to your OB and HIV appointments to coordinate care across all settings. We teach the staff of the hospital as well as the mother and baby’s medical care providers about the care needs of you and your baby. Our goal is to have pregnant women walk into a delivery room with well-educated staff, facilitating the best delivery experience possible.

Advancing care and treatment options for everyone

Nurses and social workers at Children’s teach the community about HIV infection and its treatment. We teach staff from OB/GYN offices, hospitals that care for pregnant women, primary and specialty care providers, and community-based organizations such as day care facilities and schools. We help everyone become comfortable and skilled in caring for children or mothers with HIV.

HIV prevention for adolescents

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is medicine (pills or a shot) that can reduce someone’s chances of getting HIV from sex or injection drug use. When taken as prescribed, PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV. Children’s HIV providers, in collaboration with our Adolescent Medicine specialists, provide PrEP for adolescents who may benefit from it. We also provide support and consultation services to primary care practitioners who handle PrEP care for their patients.

Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is medicine (pills) taken to prevent HIV after a possible exposure has occurred. PEP should be used only in emergency situations and must be started within 72 hours after a possible exposure to HIV. The Children’s Wisconsin HIV Program, in collaboration with the Emergency Department and Children’s Advocacy Center, provides guidance and works with all providers involved in the care of the child or adolescent, to provide adherence support and ensure appropriate follow-up testing is completed in all children and adolescents who are started on PEP.

The best HIV care, 24/7

Staff from the Children’s Wisconsin HIV Program are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.