There are many stages in our lives. Human beings are babies and children. They are also teenagers and adults. We are always learning, growing, exploring, and creating. However, in childhood we are usually more creative. In childhood we just begin to find ourselves. In addition, when we are teenagers we attempt to figure out who we are independent of our parents. In fact, even as very young children we attempt to find our own identity apart from our parents. This entire process can and often is very difficult to do. Childhood ought to be a time of discovery, exploration, and creation. Childhood is the time when we are socialized at school by getting to know other children. This is the time when we make many friends. Friends can and often do help each other through the fun times and the tough times of childhood. In fact, many childhood friends stay friends well into adulthood. Childhood can be a fun time and a hard time at the same time. Childhood can even be tougher if a child has a bad illness. This is because children can be cruel on a child that has a bad illness. A bad illness could be mononucleosis, cancer, or HIV. In fact an HIV child can be teased or even shut out of activities by others in their social group.

HIV came to the forefront of society in the 1980s. It was once believed that only homosexuals got HIV because homosexuals were believed to be sexually indiscriminate. In other words, it was believed that homosexuals didn’t have long term relationships and slept with everyone and anyone. Therefore, it used to be that if someone got HIV then, it was assumed that the person was homosexual. However, in modern times many heterosexuals have HIV. That being said, people who have HIV, even an HIV child are often made fun of and pushed aside by society as not being worthy of love and respect. But, all people that have HIV do deserve both love and respect because they are people who are much more than the HIV illness that they have. In fact, children don’t get HIV through sexual conduct; children probably get HIV from a blood transfusion or their mother through breast milk. It seems that many people are afraid of people with HIV because they hear that someone has HIV people usually assume that a person also has or will get AIDS. In addition, fear of HIV and AIDS come out of the belief that people can get HIV and AIDS through having casual contact with someone that has HIV. In order to remove the social stigma of having HIV and AIDS and of HIV and AIDS in general, it is essential that society educate itself about HIV and AIDS.

This education concerning HIV and AIDS needs to start at a very early age. The learning and teaching of these topics ought to be geared toward the group that it is meant for. In other words, elementary school students should be taught and learn about HIV and AIDS a little differently than junior high students and high school students. In addition, college students and other adults need to get the correct information about HIV and AIDS so that they don’t remain ignorant and scared about HIV and AIDS. This way they can love an HIV child and help an HIV child deal with their illness.