Dear Parent considering adopting a kiddo with HIV,

I wanted to write a letter to you and share some thoughts. I am so excited that you are considering adopting a kiddo with this medical need. This is a need that is fairly easy medically, but can be challenging socially. In China, the social aspects of living with HIV are worse when compared to living in the US. This is a need where these kiddos need loving families.

The main advice I like to give parents considering this need is to find a friend who has a HIV positive kiddo. A good friend who will answer any and all of your questions. One who can get you into the HIV adoptive community if you decide to move forward. If you can’t seem to find someone- I will happily be that person.

The main thing to consider when adopting a HIV positive kiddo is disclosure. Who do you plan to tell? Legally you don’t have to tell anyone. This is not a decision to make lightly.

I would like you to know that kiddos living with HIV are normal kiddos. If you adopt a positive kiddo HIV will not run your life. It is not something we dwell on everyday. I have been asked to write “A Day in the Life of HIV” but this is hard because except for taking meds twice a day (which takes not even 30 seconds) our day looks like anyone else’s.

The last thing I would like to tell you is that if you decide that parenting a HIV positive is not for you- please help educate and advocate. HIV is not a scary diagnosis, but so much misinformation is out there. You can help change that.

Sincerely,

The Mom of an Awesome Normal Healthy Kiddo who happens to have HIV

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Shared with permission from the author. If you would like to contact the author to ask her more questions please email: Advocate HIV

This article was graciously shared to RainbowKids with permission by The Lily Project, a grassroots organization in China who want to see the lives of HIV+ children transformed through education, advocacy, foster care, and adoption.

View waiting children who are HIV+ by clicking on the photolink below: