Your teen may have been in contact with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), the virus that causes AIDS. Taking the prescribed medicines can lower their chances of getting infected with HIV. It is very important for them to take all the prescribed medicines exactly as your health care provider recommends. The medicines won't work as well if your teen starts the medicine late, misses a dose, or stops the medicines early.

Help your teen to:

• Follow your health care provider's instructions on where to get the medicines and how to take them.
• Use a pill case to help them remember which medicines to take.
• Go to all follow-up visits and get all blood tests as the health care provider recommends.
• Follow any other recommendations from the health care provider, such as using the birth control pill, shot, or implant to prevent pregnancy while taking the medicines.

You or your teen:

• have questions about the medicines or you can't remember how to give them
• aren't sure you can pay for the medicines. They absolutely are needed, and programs are available that can help you pay for them.

Your teen:

• can't or won't take the medicines 
• feels very tired or has a fever; headache; swollen glands in the neck, armpit, or groin; sore throat; mouth sores; rash; muscle aches; belly pain; nausea; vomiting; diarrhea; or weight loss

How do people get HIV? HIV can pass from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. People also get HIV from being stuck with an infected needle.

In teens, HIV spreads mainly through sex (especially anal and vaginal) and through sharing needles for injecting drugs or tattooing.

How can HIV be prevented? Most HIV is spread through having sex and sharing needles. To prevent the spread of HIV, people should:

• Never share any kind of needle.
• Use a latex condom every time and for every kind of sex (vaginal, oral, or anal).
• Not touch anyone's cuts or sores.
• Avoid any contact with another person's blood.
• Not share razors, toothbrushes, tweezers, or pierced jewelry (which may have blood on them).