Finding out that your child has HIV can be challenging news to receive. You might feel overwhelmed and havena lot of emotions and questions. That’s completely normal.
The good news is that people living with HIV today can get effective medical care and treatment, including HIV medications called antiretroviral therapy (ART). With the right care, people living with HIV can live long, healthy lives with relationships, friendships, families, and goals, just like anyone else.
Knowing your child has HIV may raise questions about your and their rights and responsibilities when it comes to HIV, including who to tell, when to tell them, and how to do it. This guide will provide you with information about some of the legal rights and responsibilities that apply in the context of a child (i.e. a person under 18 years old) living with HIV.
This guide provides legal information, not legal advice. Legal information explains laws, rights, and legal processes in a general way. Legal advice means getting guidance from a lawyer about your specific situation. If you need legal advice, you should retain a lawyer. (See page 9 for information about how to find a lawyer.) The law can change over time. This guide was written in January 2026, so you may want to check with a lawyer or legal clinic to get the most up-to-date information.