University of Iowa Talking With Your Child About HIV HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is an important topic for parents and children to discuss.
Parents are often uncomfortable discussing sex and drug use with their kids.
But protecting children from life's hazards is part of a parent s job. Talking about HIV is an important task that parents today must take on. This is especially important for young children to know. They cannot get it from an insect bite or sharing food. Once a child reaches puberty, he or she needs to understand exactly what unprotected intercourse is.