I'm a preschool teacher and I was horrified today when I spotted one of my students kneeling over something. I went to see what she was looking at and it was a blood soaked napkin or tissue paper! She didn't touched it, but was soooo close to it. She was about 1-2 feet away from it (looking down at it) I worry that wind or something could have blown the blood (if infected with HIV) into her eyes, nose or mouth. She may have stepped on it, but she was wearing boots at the time.

Would this be a risk I should inform her parents about? I don't want to alarm them unless it's necessary. Please help me. I'm terrified! I will send a donation through money order, but who shall I mail it out to? Thank you so much for your compassionate nature!

Love, Hopeless in Arizona.

Hello Hopeless in Arizona,

". . . Soooo close . . ." doesn't count when it comes to acquiring HIV! The chance "wind or something could have blown the blood into her eyes, nose, or mouth" is nonexistent.

Should you notify the child's parents? No, of course not. Rather, what you should do is become much better informed about HIV transmission! I would suggest you peruse the wealth of information on this site, in its archives and on the related links, paying particular attention to exactly how HIV is and is not transmitted. Check the archives of this forum. We have an entire chapter devoted to non-sexual HIV transmission.

Thank you for your interest in making a tax-deductible donation to The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation. Money orders can be made out to The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation and mailed to:

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation 1000 Fremont Ave., Suite 145 Los Altos, CA 94024

Be well.

Dr. Bob