So, how did Simón catch AIDS? - El orfanato (2008) Discussion

[–] theCurlyone 13 years ago

it wasn't aids, it was ghosts

yes, trolling

Beneath the Cherry Tree, where the Ripe fall

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[–] bts1984 13 years ago

He could see ghosts, but he also had HIV-positive, which means he had AIDS.

«I was on the fire escape! I saw ya!»

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[–] theCurlyone 13 years ago

HIV doesn't mean AIDS
AIDS is far worse

Bad AIDS is even worse than that

Beneath the Cherry Tree, where the Ripe fall

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[–] bts1984 13 years ago

For some reason, I always associate HIV with AIDS.

HIV is the "passport" to catch AIDS, right?

«I was on the fire escape! I saw ya!»

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[–] theCurlyone 13 years ago

correct

Beneath the Cherry Tree, where the Ripe fall

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[–] tallard 13 years ago

HIV causes AIDS. One can be HIV positive for 15-20 years and never develop AIDS, if one is very lucky. It's why many people call the condition HIV-AIDS, though it's a bit of a pleonasm, since no other virus is known to cause AIDS. He was not a sick child per se, he was a potentially sick child. He was a high maintenance child. Some people with HIV with proper treatment can live out full lives, if the medication is successful.

***So I've seen 4 movies/wk in theatre for a 1/4 century, call me crazy?**

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[–] tkip19 13 years ago

Look at Magic Johnson for how some people with HIV never develope AIDS..

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[–] dukeofauge 13 years ago

Maybe it's worth looking at the symbolic implications: Simon is born with a life-threatening disease, but aside from that he is a handsome and loving child, who gets adopted by loving parents.

Compare this to Tomas, born with a disfigured face. He has to remain hidden in a cellar and is denied the love of parents. He could have lived on indefinitely if the other children hadn't accidentally killed him.

Simon and Tomas become friends and even share and trade in certain characteristics: the mask, early death, living in the cellar, etc.

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[–] bts1984 13 years ago

Yes, Tomás, because of his deformed face, would have never been accepted by society. That's the way society look at deformed beings. If the children hadn't accidentally killed him, he would either be rejected or bullied by others and his chances of being adopted would have been less than good just because he was a "monster".

«I was on the fire escape! I saw ya!»

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[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] parissweetheart 13 years ago

His mother likely was HIV positive so he was born with HIV.

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[–] SkullmonkeyZ7 13 years ago

Yes, this or a blood transfusion seem the most probable.

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[–] chilone 12 years ago

I think Simon was sharing needles and having unprotected sex.

I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!

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[–] eru0527 11 years ago

AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is the SYNDROME (set/sub-set of symptoms) that you get with advanced HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection.

Often these days it's called HIV/AIDS as in "Human immunodeficiency virus (infection) = AIDS"

And it's hereditary so him getting it from his Prostitute/needle junkie mother seems mosst likely since he's a white kid from a first world country but still his given up for adoption.

I think it makes perfect sense him having the HIV.

http://www.imdb.com/user/ur9529952/ratings

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[–] lebellue 11 years ago

It's not inherited it is potentially contagious to the fetus as well as other humans, BUT some infants still do NOT get HIV/AIDS even if their mother has HIV/AIDS...

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[–] dianaintherain 13 years ago

I thought they said or implied that he got it from his mother when he was born. He was also adopted, so that would further support the above statement since his mother could've been a prostitute and/or a drug user. Additionally, these days it is rare to get HIV from a blood transfusion since all donated blood is tested for the virus.

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[–] dawgsdoc 13 years ago

I saw this post, and I thought I would just clarify a few things about HIV/AIDS. HIV is the virus that people can contract from contact with bodily fluids. These fluids include blood, semen, vaginal fluid, and breast milk. So, it can also be passed from mother to child during pregnancy. Once infected, the virus slowly replicates and depletes the host's CD4 cells. These are white blood cells, which are part of a person's immune system that acts as a defense against infections. As these cells die off, one's immune system weakens making him/her more susceptible to certain infections. When the CD4 count reaches a certain level, that is when it becomes AIDS.
So, one can be HIV positive and not yet have AIDS.
I hope this helps!

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[–] bts1984 13 years ago

Thank you, those are very useful informations.

«I was on the fire escape! I saw ya!»

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[–] king_of_bob 13 years ago

He didn't have AIDS, he had HIV. And it seems most likely that he was born with it based on the conversation between Carlos and Laura where they discuss how small he was when they adopted him. In other words, his mother was HIV positive when she gave birth.

Prof. Farnsworth: Oh. A lesson in not changing history from Mr. I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!

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[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] s40983903 12 years ago

Are you sure?

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[–] s40983903 12 years ago

I'm HIV positive!!!!

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