A letter to parents everywhere...

After weeks of sickness in our home, & finding out it's not just me that has been dealing with these parenting struggles... I wrote a letter to parents at my daughters preschool. Unfortunately it was not approved to be dispersed among their class, so I am posting it as a letter now for parents EVERYWHERE. Whether you are a parent who may not fully grasp what it means to be "immune compromised," or you're the parent struggling because your child has been out sick for 2 weeks - please read this.

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Dear Parents,

Many of you have seen the notes in the weekly newsletter from school asking you to keep your sick child home. They have been sent home week after week, in case you missed it. I am almost certain you've glanced at the letter from our school nurse, reminding parents of what being sick means. You’ve heard the terms “immune compromised children” thrown around a time or two (or ten!). You may have even had the teacher ask that your child with a runny nose or a slight cough not attend school, even though you are already at school with your child & you have a very busy day ahead of you.

I am writing this letter to explain what this all means as a parent of one of those “immune compromised children.” When you don’t think much of your child’s grogginess & congestion, when you think a slight runny nose is ok, or a small cough that comes & goes… I am begging you to think twice! That 24 hour fever-free, vomit-free rule is there FOR A REASON! It is there to protect children like mine.

My child is “immune compromised.” For us this means, whatever germs she comes in contact with, she cannot easily fight off. Sure, she comes in contact with germs every single day, no matter what. But illness becomes very scary when she comes in contact with a common cold, the stomach flu, or just a basic runny nose. This can be prevented if you keep your child home when they are ill. No child wants to come to school sick anyways, they need rest.

In the fall, my child came into contact with another child with a virus. Within 24 hours her body could not fight the bug off. She became lethargic & passed out in my arms – this was one of the scariest moments as her mom. I rushed her to the hospital. She had begun to develop acid in her blood & urine (known as ketones) & ended up admitted to Diamond Children’s at UMC. She was at risk of a seizure, cardiac arrest, complications from blood sugar being too high, & potentially ending up in a coma. THIS is our real life EVERY TIME she gets sick.

Two weeks ago my daughter came in contact with a virus & became ill again. What did this mean this time? Her blood sugar spiked, causing her to feel faint, nauseas, cranky, & that acid in her urine & blood (ketones) returned. She was at risk of ending up back at UMC with diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition that can KILL my child within hours. She isn’t at risk because we can’t handle her conditions at home; she’s at risk because despite our best efforts, sometimes no matter how many sleepless nights for us as parents, sickness doesn’t play fair with an immune compromised child.

I do not write this letter to scare other parents. I am merely trying to explain that what may take a healthy child 1-2 days to get over, can take an immune compromised child 7-10 days, or have detrimental effects that can last a lifetime. I write this letter to please ask that if you are wondering if your child is well enough for school, perhaps they need that extra day to rest & get rid of their runny nose or cough. PLEASE listen to the AMAZING school staff who are trying to keep each & every child (& staff member) healthy!

If your child is sick, or has been sick in the last 24 hours, PLEASE KEEP THEM HOME! For an immune compromised child, this is very serious & life threatening.

Sincerely,

"Just another parent"