Needing Oral Input Can Be Dangerous

This week has been a scary week for our family. On Mother’s Day Night, my son started having projectile vomit. Throughout the night, he threw up 16 times. The next morning we ended up in the ER. He had to have an IV due to dehydration. The doctor then gave him zofran to stop the vomit. The vomit stopped, but then he had explosive diarrhea. After having 12 episodes of diarrhea in 8 hours with no urine, he had to have another IV. After three days, it still wasn’t slowing down. He was x-rayed, given a CT scan, had 5 blood tests, a urine sample, and two stool cultures. The doctors finally concluded that it was the rotavirus. Because it is a virus, my son has to let it run its course with no antibiotic. The doctors have been actively monitoring his blood count, hydration levels, and kidney function now for six days. It has been very scary.

So how did he get it, and how can you prevent your child from getting it?

The virus lives in the infected person’s stool. It is spread by people not washing their hands properly, and then touching things that you might touch or eat. The virus actually lives on a surface for ten days. If you touch the virus or if an object touches the virus, and it is placed in your mouth, within 48 hours you will start showing symptoms.

You can prevent it from spreading by:

·        Keeping the infected person at home until they have normal stools for 48 hours.

·        Practice good hygiene with hand washing before preparing food, eating meals and after using the restroom.

·        Spray your toilet with Lysol after someone has diarrhea.

·        Do not let your child eat food that has fallen off the floor. People walk in the bathroom and then walk all over the floor spreading germs.

·        If your child needs oral input, have things your child can safely chew on, and store them properly.

·        Keep your child’s hands out of their mouth.

For a child that needs oral input, I am shocked that we haven’t got it sooner. My son loves to mouth tables, chairs, and playground equipment. From now on, I am going to be more cautious and remind him to chew on his chewy only. I just wanted to inform other parents about this in case you also have a child that seeks oral input on objects out in public.

After seven days of this horrible virus, I can say that my son is feeling better. Even though we are not in the 48 hour period yet, he is finally having less stomach issues in a day.

If you have a baby, I also learned that there is a vaccine to help decrease the effects of this virus. IT IS WORTH LOOKING INTO.

Every Child Matters

Recently, I made a choice to tutor a group of special needs children in reading. When I came to this choice, a friend asked me, “Why are you going to do this?”

She asked a great question. I can also think of several reasons why not to do this. I mean, I have never taught beginner readers how to read, let alone special needs children. Even though I am a reading specialist, I am used to helping children that already have the basics down. It will take a lot of research and time working with younger children to find good resources. But, these kids are worth it, and I believe I can make a difference. Even if it is only three kids, I will do it one child at a time because everyone of them matters. I plan to just meet them where they are, and send them soaring as far as they can go.

The only way I can truly describe my decision is found in the story of the starfish:

Once upon a time, there was an old man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach every morning before he began his work. Early one morning, he was walking along the shore after a big storm had passed and found the vast beach littered with starfish as far as the eye could see, stretching in both directions. 

Off in the distance, the old man noticed a small boy approaching.  As the boy walked, he paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man could see that he was occasionally bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea.  The boy came closer still and the man called out, “Good morning!  May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young boy paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied. “When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water.”

The old man replied, “But there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much of a difference.”

The boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one!”

adapted from The Star Thrower, by Loren Eiseley (1907 – 1977)

You Are Making a Difference

Today I want to honor all "Therapy Moms".

They are moms that do without, so their child can make progress in their development.  

They stand by their child through all of their struggles.

They search for answers.

They never give up.

They do their best to motivate their child.

They hurt for their child when things are rough and other people don’t understand.

They sometimes feel alone in their child’s struggles, but never give up the fight.

They give tirelessly to their child offering support and love.

They are some of the strongest moms I know!

Happy Mother's Day, Therapy Moms!

You are appreciated and loved.

You are making a difference in your child’s life.