Nutritional Considerations and Dental Management of Children and Adolescents with HIV/AIDS

Abstract

The HIV infected child has increased caloric needs, yet multiple factors interfere with adequate nutritional intake. Nutritional support is needed to maintain optimum nourishment during the symptomatic period, in order to prevent further deterioration of the nutritional status during acute episodes of infection, and to improve the nutritional status during the stable symptom free period. With the advent of better methods of detection and better therapies, we are beginning to see HIV infected children surviving longer, and thus coming under the care of a host of affiliated medical personnel, including dentists. Oral health care workers need to provide dental care for HIV-infected patients and recognize as well as understand the significance of oral manifestations associated with HIV infection. The present article reviews, on the basis of literature, nutritional status, nutrition assessment and counseling in HIV/ AIDS children and adolescents. Dental treatment considerations in these, as well as modifications in treatment if required, are also discussed.