Virus infections are common in young children, especially if they go to daycare or public places where they are in contact with other children. It is practically impossible to prevent a child from becoming infected, and if he is healthy in a few days the cold or flu will have passed, but What happens when we talk about immunosuppressed children?
Courtney Hayes, from Arizona, is the mother of an immunocompromised child and has shared a picture of her baby in a Facebook post 17 months ago when she was fighting for her life to plead with other parents that sick children stay home.
Your baby was born with a heart defect
His son Jude was born with a congenital heart disease called truncus arteriosus, as well as with the 22q.11 deletion syndrome, a chromosomal abnormality that causes heart defects and immunodeficiency, and in some cases facial dysmorphism and developmental delay.
Your baby has had to have an open heart surgery four days after birth (the photo we see above) and is likely to require more surgery in the future. Due to their medical conditions, Jude's immune system does not work properly, which means not only that you are more susceptible to getting sick, but when you get sick, even a mild infection such as a common cold could be fatal.
An immunocompromised child
The mother comments in her publication that her son is reaching milestones and is growing strong, but in his short life he has gone through very hard things.
"I have seen my son suffer through surgeries, tests and procedures, and I have felt helpless while fighting pain ... He has gone through more in his short life than any living being should endure."
Because of his weak immunity, the little one cannot lead a normal life like that of any other child. His mother tells that he receives antibody injections, he has to be isolated at home during the cold and flu season, wear masks when a family member is sick and do not wear shoes inside the house, in addition to other measures such as hand washing and changes in Frequent clothes, essential oils, vitamins and a million wipes per week.
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Credit: Courtney Hayes (Facebook) They make a great effort to protect it, but they also seek a balance so that they have a life as normal as possible, since it is good for their development to leave home and socialize with other children.
Before the cold and flu season begins, they decided take Jude to a children's museum. His mother tells him that a girl who seemed to be sick, with a thick cough, approached her and sneezed in her face. Although the mother admits that her son may have gotten sick from another source, two days later Jude developed the same cough.
The mother, frustrated, turned to her Facebook account to describe how a disease, which could hardly affect a child with a fully functional immune system, has seriously affected your child.
Jude has had to be treated urgently and he has been fighting the virus for six weeks which was infected that day.
"For the past seven nights, I've been hugging my baby while she complains, drowns, coughs and vomits mucus all night, and all I can think about is that girl and I wonder why her parents decided to take her out when she was clearly ill, "he wrote. "I'm sorry to sacrifice Jude's health for a few hours of fun, but don't you deserve fun? Don't all children deserve fun?
Courtney is aware of the need of many families who cannot afford to let their children not go to daycare or school if they are sick (although they should), but ask for more empathy when it comes to optional outings.
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Babies and more has talked to the mother and wants to make it clear that not intended to blame or embarrass anyone, who is not asking for children to be locked up by a simple cold, but does intend to raise awareness that a simple decision can greatly affect others. When it is a choice as a leisure outing, ask parents to think twice before putting a sick child in contact with other children.
"I understand that you can't stay inside forever with a sick child." It is possible that working parents still have to take their children to daycare, purchases must be made, medical appointments must be attended. But the optional activities? The ones that CAN be avoided? The pool, the museum, the park, the therapies, the aquarium, the restaurant ... I feel like they can be sacrificed for a few more days. It's not that you can never go again. Just wait a few more days and enjoy these things with a healthy child. "
"I am trying to raise awareness about my son and all the dear friends of my son (children with immunodeficiencies) struggling to live like him," Hayes wrote. "Wait a few more days. The museum is not going anywhere. I promise you, all of us (parents) with special fighters will be grateful for being so considerate. There is no way we can protect our children from everything, but Smaller decisions can make a difference in the world. You could really save a life".
