Neurocognitive effects of HIV infection on young children: Implications for assessment

As the number of children infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to grow, it is important for early childhood practitioners to understand the potential effects of this disease on infants' and children's functioning. Infants and children with symptomatic HIV disease may exhibit a wide range of neurocognitive, social-emotional, and behavioral difficulties. Therefore, assessment professionals must be prepared to build a profile of the child's functioning that reflects current strengths and weaknesses and provides a baseline for comparison in future evaluations. Because the effects of this disease are direct (e.g., neurological impairment) as well as indirect (e.g., personal or parental anxiety from living with the disease), professionals may need a wide range of assessment tools to perform valid evaluations. This article provides a guide to help early interventionists to understand the basic pathology of this disease, to recognize the direct and indirect manifestations of the disease, and to choose assessment protocols appropriate for this population.