Final Report of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Secretary's Work Group on Pediatric Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Disease: Content and Implications.

ABSTRACT. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease is increasing rapidly in the ranks of the leading causes of death among children. It is already the ninth leading cause of death among children 1 to 4 years of age and the seventh in young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years. If current trends continue, AIDS can be expected to move into the top five leading causes of death in the pediatric and adolescent age group in the next 3 or 4 years. To address this problem and also to provide focus for the US Department of Health and Human Services activities dealing with pediatric AIDS, an intra-departmental work group was established as a central health and human services component. This was done to ensure the best possible use of federal resources on behalf of children and adolescents with AIDS. Its recommendations are the basic of this report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]