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AIDS INFORMATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE |
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You may have heard about a disease called AIDS. A lot of people have been talking
about it lately. Many people have gotten AIDS in the past few years. A lot of them
have died.
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AIDS is a condition that weakens the body's power to fight off sickness. It's a
very serious medical problem. That's why people are talking about it. But sometimes
people talk without knowing the facts.
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AIDS is caused by a tiny germ. Doctors call a germ like this a virus. The virus
that causes AIDS is called the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
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The key thing for you to understand about AIDS is that it is not easy to get through
the things you do every day. You cannot "catch" AIDS like you can a cold or the
chickenpox. You cannot get AIDS from doing things like going to school, using a
bathroom, or riding in a school bus.
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It is important to know the facts about AIDS. You can be a leader by knowing the
truth.
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All of the following statements about AIDS are true. Read them. Remember them. When
you hear something about AIDS that isn't true, speak up. Say that you know the facts.
Tell people the truth.
- You cannot get AIDS from the things you do every day, such as going to school, using
a toilet, or drinking from a glass.
- You cannot get AIDS from sitting next to someone in school who has AIDS.
- You cannot get AIDS from living in the same house with someone who has AIDS.
- You cannot get AIDS from a kiss on the cheek, or from touching or hugging someone
who is infected.
- You cannot get AIDS from a mosquito or any other kind of insect. The virus that
causes AIDS dies inside of bugs, so there is no way they can give it to you.
- You can become infected with HIV either by having sexual intercourse with an infected
person or by sharing drug needles or syringes with an infected person. Also women
infected with HIV can pass the virus to their babies during pregnancy or during
birth.
- A person who is infected can infect others during sexual intercourse, even if no
symptoms are present. you cannot tell by looking at someone whether he or she is
infected with HIV. An infected person can appear completely healthy.
- You can play with someone who has AIDS just as you can with any of your other friends.
This will not make you sick.
- Many different types of people have AIDS- male and female, rich and poor, white,
Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American.
- As of 1989, more than 18,000 people aged 20-29 have been diagnosed with AIDS. Because
a person can be infected with the virus that causes AIDS for as long as 10 or more
years before the signs of AIDS appear, scientists believe that a significant number
of these young people would have been infected when they were teenagers.
- Being sick isn't fun. Treat people with AIDS the way you want to be treated when
you are sick.
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See How Much You Know About HIV Infection and AIDS:
- What is the name of the disease that weakens the body's power to fight off illness?
- What is the name of the virus that causes AIDS?
- AIDS is easy to get. (TRUE or FALSE?)
- Which of the following things can you not get HIV from?
- a toilet
- a kiss on the cheek
- a drinking glass
- a mosquito
- going to school with someone who is infected with HIV
- helping someone who is infected with HIV or who has AIDS
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