Can a baby survive AIDS?

my eighth grade teacher said something about a baby who survived AIDS. is this possible? if so, how? is there a record of it anywhere?

I am not quite sure that I completely understand your questions, so let me try and guess what you mean. But first, I would like to differentiate between HIV (Human Imunodeficiancy Virus) and AIDS (Acquired Imune Deficiancy Syndrome). HIV is the cause of AIDS. Only once HIV has attacked the body to a sufficient degree, will the victim beconsidered to have AIDS.

If a baby is born with or acquires HIV from his or her mother (or elsewhere) and the HIV attacks the baby’s body to a sufficient degree that the baby has AIDS, it might be possible for the baby to survive and get the virul load down so that the baby no longer has AIDS (merely HIV). Some believe (although I don’t have a cite) that the baby’s natural immune system may be able to stave off an infection during the first six months of life. In addition, the baby could be given drugs to bring its virul load down. However, I know of no case where a diagnosed baby was declared disease free.

It should be noted that just because the mom has HIV or AIDS, does not mean that the baby will automatically carry the disease. There are special drugs that an HIV-infected mother can take to help avoid transmission to her unborn baby. In addition, the child of an infected mother should not be breast-fed by the birth-mom because breast milk can transfer the virus.

I think that a baby will test positive for HIV the first few months since the mother’s antibodies are still circulating in his/her body, and this is what laboratories test to confirm infection. After a while the mother’s antibodies disappear and it may appear the baby has miraculously fought off the virus. Perhaps this is what your teacher was referring to?