Hepatitis C is a virus that can harm the liver. It is usually spread through blood-to-blood contact, such as from an infected mother to her baby during birth or from sharing needles. While hepatitis C may not cause symptoms in children, regular checkups are important to monitor liver health. There is no way for a mother to prevent passing hepatitis C to her baby. The virus can remain in the body for life, though medications exist as a cure once one is an adult.

2.  Hepatitis C is a virus that may harm your
liver. People get hepatitis C from the blood of
a person who already has the virus
What is hepatitis C?

3.  Hepatitis C does not
usually make children
feel sick, but it is
important to have regular
checkups to make sure
your liver stays healthy.
This is because
sometimes a person’s
liver can be sick without
making them feel sick.

4.  Hepatitis C is carried
in your blood. To get
hepatitis C, the blood
of someone who has
hepatitis C had to get
mixed into your
blood
How did I get
hepatitis C?

5.  Some children get hepatitis C
from their mom, but it
happens rarely. This can
happen if the mom already
has hepatitis C and some of
her blood gets mixed with
baby’s blood around the time
the baby is born. There is
nothing a mom can do to
prevent passing hepatitis C
to her baby.

6.  Other children may get
hepatitis C from coming into
contact with needles or other
equipment that have the
virus on them. This is why it
is important not to touch
needles or other sharp
objects that you may find in
a park or elsewhere.

7.  It´s important to take care of yourself and
your liver.

8.  This is not likely to happen, but it is still
important that you do not let anyone else
touch your blood or that you do not touch
anyone else’s blood either
Do I risk giving hepatitis
C to someone else?

9.  You should not share your toothbrush with
anyone. When you are older, if you use a
razor for shaving, you should not share it
with anyone either. You cannot give someone
else hepatitis C by playing with them, sitting
next to them at school, hugging them or
kissing them.

10.  For most people, hepatitis C does not go
away on its own. It might stay with you for
your whole life. There are medicines that can
cure hepatitis C; they will be available to you
once you become an adult. To stay healthy
when you have hepatitis C, it is important to
take care of yourself and your liver.
Will my hepatitis C ever
go away?

11.  Hepatitis C is a liver
disease caused by a
virus.
 Hepatitis C is a
difficult disease to
pass on, not like the
flu or a cold. You
cannot give Hepatitis
C to your friends
when you do your
regular activities such
as playing, sitting
next to your friends
in class or hugging
them.
Key points