Cognitive functioning in school-age children with human immunodeficiency virus

The number of pediatric AIDS cases continues to rise. This study focused on 27 HIV-positive children aged 6 through 17 and attending public schools. Cognitive functioning and the relation between this domain of functioning and stage of disease, drug therapy, mode of transmission, and caretaker were examined. IQs and visuomotor skills were all, generally, within or close to the normal range. Visuomotor skills emerged as the most sensitive cognitive area in relation to stage of disease, mode of transmission, and the children's living environment. Full scale IQ was highest in children infected from their mothers. No relationships were found between IQs and drug treatment or caretakers. The caretakers' effect on visuomotor skills highlights the influence of environmental factors on functioning. Implications for intervention are discussed with attention to early intervention and the need to address emotional functioning in this population.