The DEU at Boston Medical Center is designed to provide specialized HIV testing and evaluation for children and adolescents at risk for HIV infection. A team of highly trained individuals sensitive to the special issues surrounding the possible diagnosis provide psychological support and counseling, and assure strict confidentiality. When HIV testing is done on the inpatient ward, staff from this program are available to meet the patient, discuss the counseling issues and ensure follow up and return for results when they are available which may be after the individual has been discharged from the hospital. Prophylaxis and routine care for newborns whose mothers are HIV infected are provided within this program, and the babies are followed until they can be definitively diagnosed as being infected with HIV or not. This is done in conjunction with the primary care provider, ensuring good communication and optimal care for the child.
Early diagnosis is assured with state of the art testing.
In addition to consults regarding HIV prevention and diagnosis, the Diagnostic Evaluation Unit is available for consultations involving the general issues of infectious diseases. All patients referred will be seen by a physician trained in Pediatric Infectious Disease and all consultations will be discussed with the referring physician in a timely manner. Parent guidelines are available on this site.