Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2025
A Rat Model of EcoHIV Brain Infection
Published on: January 21, 2021
Attention and neurodevelopment in young children who are HIV-exposed uninfected
Julia M Young1,2, Vanessa Chen2, Ari Bitnun3,4
1Department of Psychology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
Insights
Children HIV-exposed, uninfected (CHEU) showed no increased attention difficulties at 5.5 years old compared to unexposed children. However, CHEU demonstrated lower cognitive and academic skills, influenced by maternal employment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurodevelopment
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Children HIV-exposed, uninfected (CHEU) may face developmental challenges.
- Attention is crucial for development but less studied in CHEU compared to HIV-unexposed, uninfected (CHUU) children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate attention difficulties in 5.5-year-old CHEU children compared to CHUU children.
- To explore associations between neurodevelopmental outcomes, attention, and sociodemographic factors in CHEU and CHUU.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 55 CHEU and 51 CHUU children at 5.5 years.
- Assessed inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity using ADHD-Rating-Scale-IV.
- Measured intelligence, visuomotor skills, academics, and adaptive functioning.
Main Results:
- No significant group differences in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms were found.
- CHEU children scored lower on intelligence, visuomotor skills, academics, and adaptive functioning than CHUU children.
- Maternal employment status correlated with hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms in both groups.
Conclusions:
- CHEU children do not exhibit increased attention difficulties at 5.5 years.
- Sociodemographic factors, like maternal employment, significantly impact child behavior and neurodevelopment.
- CHEU children may require targeted support for cognitive and adaptive skills despite typical attention.
Abstract:
ABSTRACTChildren HIV-exposed, uninfected (CHEU) are at risk for compromised developmental outcomes. Attention is important for behavioural, cognitive and academic skills, yet has not been thoroughly investigated compared to children HIV-unexposed uninfected (CHUU). Fifty-five CHEU and 51 CHUU children were recruited at 5.5 years of age. Measures of inattention (IA), hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI) and total scores were collected using the parent-reported ADHD-Rating-Scale-IV. Measures of intelligence, visuomotor skills, academics and adaptive functioning were obtained. Analyses of between-group differences were performed as were correlational and multiple regression models, accounting for maternal education, employment and delivery type. Few children met clinical cut-offs for probable ADHD (3.6% CHEU, 2.0% CHUU), and no group differences in measures of IA, HI and combined scores were found. CHEU scored significantly lower than CHUU on intelligence, visuomotor function, academic skills and aspects of adaptive behaviour, though within age expectations. Lower Full-Scale IQ and Processing Speed were associated with higher IA in CHEU and lower adaptive functioning with higher IA in CHUU. Across both groups, children of unemployed mothers had more HI symptoms. CHEU were not at increased risk for attention difficulties at 5.5 years of age. Maternal employment status highlights the contribution of sociodemographic factors in shaping behaviour and neurodevelopment.
