The first cases of an immunodeficiency disorder in children were reported in 1981. Most children with HIV infection are born to women from high-risk groups, usually intravenous drug users. The diagnosis of AIDS in infants can be complicated by the presence of maternal antibodies, so revised case definitions in 1985 and 1987 have added clinical criteria for diagnosis in children. Unlike adults, children often develop recognizable signs and symptoms, including failure to thrive, recurrent bacterial infections, and persistent thrush. However, children infected by means of blood transfusions often have the longer incubation periods seen in adults. Children with HIV disease often experience secondary bacterial infections and abnormalities in their neurological development. No specific, effective treatment was available for children with HIV infections as of July 1987. Thus, general supportive measures are the only recommended approaches to care. Glossary and 43 references.