Pediatric Care and Support

All health facility-based care for HIV-exposed children and their families aimed at extending and optimizing quality of life for HIV-infected clients and their families throughout the continuum of illness through provision of clinical, psychological, spiritual, social and prevention services.

Clinical care should include early infant diagnosis, prevention and treatment of OIs (excluding TB) and other HIV/AIDS-related complications including malaria and diarrhea (providing access to commodities such as pharmaceuticals, insecticide-treated nets, safe water interventions and related laboratory services), pain and symptom relief, and nutritional assessment and support including food.

Other services psychological, social, spiritual and prevention services should be provided as appropriate.

Pediatric care and support services should be counted if they are provided at a facility; community services should be included within programs for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). It is important that funding for pediatric care activities is not double-counted in OVC.