School & Getting sick

[laciandgabesmumma]

My daughter started Kindergarten this year. She's 5 years old, has Cystic Fibrosis. Since she's been in school she is getting sick WAY more frequently than she ever has. 2 weeks ago she was put on antibiotics for a cough and it was back before her medication was even done. Like a brand new cold from what she was put on medication for.
At this point, i'm wondering if I should start considering home-schooling her. Laci used to get sick like 2 times a year. Now it's pretty much non-stop.. I took her outside today for a little bit to play in the snow, thinking fresh air and running around might be good for her and on the way back inside, she had to stop like 4 times to cough up spit and mucus. (it was clear...)
I just don't know what to do. She's been extremely healthy for the most part, for a little cfer but since she's started school like i said, she's just sick ALL THE TIME.

Advice..? PLEASE!

 

[laciandgabesmumma]

My daughter started Kindergarten this year. She's 5 years old, has Cystic Fibrosis. Since she's been in school she is getting sick WAY more frequently than she ever has. 2 weeks ago she was put on antibiotics for a cough and it was back before her medication was even done. Like a brand new cold from what she was put on medication for.
At this point, i'm wondering if I should start considering home-schooling her. Laci used to get sick like 2 times a year. Now it's pretty much non-stop.. I took her outside today for a little bit to play in the snow, thinking fresh air and running around might be good for her and on the way back inside, she had to stop like 4 times to cough up spit and mucus. (it was clear...)
I just don't know what to do. She's been extremely healthy for the most part, for a little cfer but since she's started school like i said, she's just sick ALL THE TIME.

Advice..? PLEASE!

 

[laciandgabesmumma]

My daughter started Kindergarten this year. She's 5 years old, has Cystic Fibrosis. Since she's been in school she is getting sick WAY more frequently than she ever has. 2 weeks ago she was put on antibiotics for a cough and it was back before her medication was even done. Like a brand new cold from what she was put on medication for.
<br />At this point, i'm wondering if I should start considering home-schooling her. Laci used to get sick like 2 times a year. Now it's pretty much non-stop.. I took her outside today for a little bit to play in the snow, thinking fresh air and running around might be good for her and on the way back inside, she had to stop like 4 times to cough up spit and mucus. (it was clear...)
<br />I just don't know what to do. She's been extremely healthy for the most part, for a little cfer but since she's started school like i said, she's just sick ALL THE TIME.
<br />
<br />Advice..? PLEASE!

 

[hmw]

It's hard to know for sure what to say. Keep in mind that even children without a disease like CF typically get sick with a LOT of bugs in the first couple years of school, especially if it's their first time being exposed to large groups of kids. I'm so sorry your daughter is going through this- it's very hard to see them sick and very difficult to know how to handle it.

Have you had a health plan meeting with your child's teacher, nurse and anyone else involved in your child's education and discussed ways to help keep her healthy and avoid exposure to sickness? i.e. teaching handwashing & use of Purell & appropriate ways to cough, etc to the whole class, keeping kids that are obviously sick away from your dd (in a tactful way of course), frequent wiping down of surfaces, having your daughter keep her own tissues & Purell to use, letting you know when certain illnesses are going around, etc. I'd also find out, if your daughter has to go to the nurse to take enzymes, how it's set up- does she have to go through the area of the room where all the resting sick kids are? If so, I'd see if the nurse can meet her at the door with a paper cup and her enzymes so she doesn't have to go through the area of the office filled with all the sick kids.

Of course, this will be your decision to make and every family must decide what's right for them. There are some very successful home-schooling families here and others who send their kids to school and take whatever steps they can to minimize exposure to illness. I wish the best and for her to get healthier soon! <img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">

 

[hmw]

It's hard to know for sure what to say. Keep in mind that even children without a disease like CF typically get sick with a LOT of bugs in the first couple years of school, especially if it's their first time being exposed to large groups of kids. I'm so sorry your daughter is going through this- it's very hard to see them sick and very difficult to know how to handle it.

Have you had a health plan meeting with your child's teacher, nurse and anyone else involved in your child's education and discussed ways to help keep her healthy and avoid exposure to sickness? i.e. teaching handwashing & use of Purell & appropriate ways to cough, etc to the whole class, keeping kids that are obviously sick away from your dd (in a tactful way of course), frequent wiping down of surfaces, having your daughter keep her own tissues & Purell to use, letting you know when certain illnesses are going around, etc. I'd also find out, if your daughter has to go to the nurse to take enzymes, how it's set up- does she have to go through the area of the room where all the resting sick kids are? If so, I'd see if the nurse can meet her at the door with a paper cup and her enzymes so she doesn't have to go through the area of the office filled with all the sick kids.

Of course, this will be your decision to make and every family must decide what's right for them. There are some very successful home-schooling families here and others who send their kids to school and take whatever steps they can to minimize exposure to illness. I wish the best and for her to get healthier soon! <img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">

 

[hmw]

It's hard to know for sure what to say. Keep in mind that even children without a disease like CF typically get sick with a LOT of bugs in the first couple years of school, especially if it's their first time being exposed to large groups of kids. I'm so sorry your daughter is going through this- it's very hard to see them sick and very difficult to know how to handle it.
<br />
<br />Have you had a health plan meeting with your child's teacher, nurse and anyone else involved in your child's education and discussed ways to help keep her healthy and avoid exposure to sickness? i.e. teaching handwashing & use of Purell & appropriate ways to cough, etc to the whole class, keeping kids that are obviously sick away from your dd (in a tactful way of course), frequent wiping down of surfaces, having your daughter keep her own tissues & Purell to use, letting you know when certain illnesses are going around, etc. I'd also find out, if your daughter has to go to the nurse to take enzymes, how it's set up- does she have to go through the area of the room where all the resting sick kids are? If so, I'd see if the nurse can meet her at the door with a paper cup and her enzymes so she doesn't have to go through the area of the office filled with all the sick kids.
<br />
<br />Of course, this will be your decision to make and every family must decide what's right for them. There are some very successful home-schooling families here and others who send their kids to school and take whatever steps they can to minimize exposure to illness. I wish the best and for her to get healthier soon! <img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">

 

[crickit715]

i too worry about my daughter having to go to school...i always hoped to homeschool her, but as a single parent financially that will be impossible. good luck with your decision! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[crickit715]

i too worry about my daughter having to go to school...i always hoped to homeschool her, but as a single parent financially that will be impossible. good luck with your decision! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[crickit715]

i too worry about my daughter having to go to school...i always hoped to homeschool her, but as a single parent financially that will be impossible. good luck with your decision! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[CountryGirl]

Hi, Im sure there are plenty of people who might disagree with me or have other opinions but here's mine, growing up with CF.

I don't know if we hade IEPs and all those other specialized learning programs to help with all my absences when I was going to school but even if my 3 elementary schools, one middle school and three high schools did have them, I nor my sister had one. And YES I did have years where I was absent more than I was in school and I had no problem making up my work. My parents or friends would get my work that I had missed or was going to miss from my teachers and brought it to me in the hospital. Usually I procrastinated, hey, I wasn't feeling good afterall; but my teachers also allowed me extra time to finish my missed work and offered to help me if I needed it. I NEVER had a problem getting help if I asked for it. My teachers did know about my CF before I started school and my parents left it up to ME to tell my fellow students and friends.
I definitely think that it is important to leave it up to your daughter to tell who she wants about her CF. My friends knew I left class early to go to the nurse to take my meds before lunch and my teacher would let someone go with me.

I definitely think you should allow your daughter to go to school rather than be home schooled. There's no way to keep her away from all virus' and germs forever, you can't and shouldnt try to keep her in a bubble. I would have hated if I grew up like that, but instead I had a normal childhood which I think is important. Whats life worth if you cant truly live it?

 

[CountryGirl]

Hi, Im sure there are plenty of people who might disagree with me or have other opinions but here's mine, growing up with CF.

I don't know if we hade IEPs and all those other specialized learning programs to help with all my absences when I was going to school but even if my 3 elementary schools, one middle school and three high schools did have them, I nor my sister had one. And YES I did have years where I was absent more than I was in school and I had no problem making up my work. My parents or friends would get my work that I had missed or was going to miss from my teachers and brought it to me in the hospital. Usually I procrastinated, hey, I wasn't feeling good afterall; but my teachers also allowed me extra time to finish my missed work and offered to help me if I needed it. I NEVER had a problem getting help if I asked for it. My teachers did know about my CF before I started school and my parents left it up to ME to tell my fellow students and friends.
I definitely think that it is important to leave it up to your daughter to tell who she wants about her CF. My friends knew I left class early to go to the nurse to take my meds before lunch and my teacher would let someone go with me.

I definitely think you should allow your daughter to go to school rather than be home schooled. There's no way to keep her away from all virus' and germs forever, you can't and shouldnt try to keep her in a bubble. I would have hated if I grew up like that, but instead I had a normal childhood which I think is important. Whats life worth if you cant truly live it?

 

[CountryGirl]

Hi, Im sure there are plenty of people who might disagree with me or have other opinions but here's mine, growing up with CF.
<br />
<br />I don't know if we hade IEPs and all those other specialized learning programs to help with all my absences when I was going to school but even if my 3 elementary schools, one middle school and three high schools did have them, I nor my sister had one. And YES I did have years where I was absent more than I was in school and I had no problem making up my work. My parents or friends would get my work that I had missed or was going to miss from my teachers and brought it to me in the hospital. Usually I procrastinated, hey, I wasn't feeling good afterall; but my teachers also allowed me extra time to finish my missed work and offered to help me if I needed it. I NEVER had a problem getting help if I asked for it. My teachers did know about my CF before I started school and my parents left it up to ME to tell my fellow students and friends.
<br />I definitely think that it is important to leave it up to your daughter to tell who she wants about her CF. My friends knew I left class early to go to the nurse to take my meds before lunch and my teacher would let someone go with me.
<br />
<br />I definitely think you should allow your daughter to go to school rather than be home schooled. There's no way to keep her away from all virus' and germs forever, you can't and shouldnt try to keep her in a bubble. I would have hated if I grew up like that, but instead I had a normal childhood which I think is important. Whats life worth if you cant truly live it?

 

[mag6125]

I feel the same way Anna does, growing up I got sick like every other kid sometimes worse but my parents let me grow up as a normal kid. Up until high school we would go in early and tell my teachers about my cf so they knew what was going on. Personally I never missed. Lot of school (I think 25 days was the most ever) and I didn't have trouble keeping up with work. Also like Anna if I was out sick or in the hospital my teachers sent my work home. I know you just want to protect your daughter and take care of her but from the perspective of an older patient and I know other who would agree with me, letting me grow up like a normal kid was the best thing my parents could do for me.

 

[mag6125]

I feel the same way Anna does, growing up I got sick like every other kid sometimes worse but my parents let me grow up as a normal kid. Up until high school we would go in early and tell my teachers about my cf so they knew what was going on. Personally I never missed. Lot of school (I think 25 days was the most ever) and I didn't have trouble keeping up with work. Also like Anna if I was out sick or in the hospital my teachers sent my work home. I know you just want to protect your daughter and take care of her but from the perspective of an older patient and I know other who would agree with me, letting me grow up like a normal kid was the best thing my parents could do for me.

 

[mag6125]

I feel the same way Anna does, growing up I got sick like every other kid sometimes worse but my parents let me grow up as a normal kid. Up until high school we would go in early and tell my teachers about my cf so they knew what was going on. Personally I never missed. Lot of school (I think 25 days was the most ever) and I didn't have trouble keeping up with work. Also like Anna if I was out sick or in the hospital my teachers sent my work home. I know you just want to protect your daughter and take care of her but from the perspective of an older patient and I know other who would agree with me, letting me grow up like a normal kid was the best thing my parents could do for me.

 

[hmw]

Anna and Mag6125~ thank you SO much for your input here. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> Emily has missed an enormous amount of school due to illness over the last few years and it's a struggle for her to keep up (she's a special ed student, which is not typical for those with CF in any way~ just the luck of the draw for her.) However, despite all that, we are trying very hard to make things work at school and at this point working to institute homebound instruction when she's having exacerbations to help her keep up. Emily does not live a normal life compared to her little friends, but I'm trying to give her as much of one as possible, if that makes any sense.

During actual times of sickness we have to take extra steps to protect them which may include necessary limitations, but overall I strongly believe in what so many of the adults tell us parents... we can't raise the kids in a bubble. I also don't think parents for the most part have any intention of raising their kids that way but it gradually turns into that over time, and the child can end up picking up on that and grow up limited by it as well.

I know my boys came home with bug after bug after bug their first years of school and they don't have CF. It was frustrating then to see it happening and to see them miss school over and over due to fevers and tummy bugs and nasty colds without even yet knowing we had a cf kid in the house, but it's such a typical thing unfortunately.

 

[hmw]

Anna and Mag6125~ thank you SO much for your input here. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> Emily has missed an enormous amount of school due to illness over the last few years and it's a struggle for her to keep up (she's a special ed student, which is not typical for those with CF in any way~ just the luck of the draw for her.) However, despite all that, we are trying very hard to make things work at school and at this point working to institute homebound instruction when she's having exacerbations to help her keep up. Emily does not live a normal life compared to her little friends, but I'm trying to give her as much of one as possible, if that makes any sense.

During actual times of sickness we have to take extra steps to protect them which may include necessary limitations, but overall I strongly believe in what so many of the adults tell us parents... we can't raise the kids in a bubble. I also don't think parents for the most part have any intention of raising their kids that way but it gradually turns into that over time, and the child can end up picking up on that and grow up limited by it as well.

I know my boys came home with bug after bug after bug their first years of school and they don't have CF. It was frustrating then to see it happening and to see them miss school over and over due to fevers and tummy bugs and nasty colds without even yet knowing we had a cf kid in the house, but it's such a typical thing unfortunately.

 

[hmw]

Anna and Mag6125~ thank you SO much for your input here. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> Emily has missed an enormous amount of school due to illness over the last few years and it's a struggle for her to keep up (she's a special ed student, which is not typical for those with CF in any way~ just the luck of the draw for her.) However, despite all that, we are trying very hard to make things work at school and at this point working to institute homebound instruction when she's having exacerbations to help her keep up. Emily does not live a normal life compared to her little friends, but I'm trying to give her as much of one as possible, if that makes any sense.
<br />
<br />During actual times of sickness we have to take extra steps to protect them which may include necessary limitations, but overall I strongly believe in what so many of the adults tell us parents... we can't raise the kids in a bubble. I also don't think parents for the most part have any intention of raising their kids that way but it gradually turns into that over time, and the child can end up picking up on that and grow up limited by it as well.
<br />
<br />I know my boys came home with bug after bug after bug their first years of school and they don't have CF. It was frustrating then to see it happening and to see them miss school over and over due to fevers and tummy bugs and nasty colds without even yet knowing we had a cf kid in the house, but it's such a typical thing unfortunately.