A Trial Testing a Two-way SMS Platform to Recognize and Prevent Wasting Among HIV-infected and HIV-exposed Uninfected Children in Kenya

All caregivers randomized to the MAMMS-IYCF arm will be given two MUAC tapes after being trained by skilled study staff and their contact information will be entered into the online MAMMS-IYCF platform. The frequency of messages will be weekly. This will be a two-way SMS system, including health messages on age appropriate IYCF. These messages will also prompt caregivers to measure their child's MUAC, return the color outcome of the measurement to the clinic via the SMS system, and they will also be able to ask any health questions that they may have through the SMS. During follow-up, any caregiver who returns a MUAC measurement via SMS that suggests their child is wasted, will receive an SMS response asking them to come to the clinic with their child as soon as possible. At this visit, the wasting status of the child will be confirmed by a study staff, and if treatment is indicated they will be enrolled into nutritional care provided by MOH nutritionists.

To promote high fidelity to current guidelines, all families randomized to the SOC arm will be enrolled into a one-way SMS service that will send them automated reminders before necessary routine EID or HIV care visits and research clinic appointments on day 90 and 180. During these routine clinic visits, study staff will ensure that the MUAC of SOC children are measured, and that treating clinicians (MOH nutritionists) are made aware if wasting is identified. Staff will ensure that SOC children are enrolled into nutritional care if they are wasted. This additional support means it is likely that SOC children in this study will receive care that is more adherent to current recommendations than is typical for many children. This enhanced SOC is necessary to ensure we are comparing the MAMMS-IYCF to current guidelines. The SMS messaging service will be free of cost to the caregivers as they will not incur any charges to send or receive messages while enrolled in the trial.