Homeschool or let her go back?

[Tracie]

Im just not sure..

My dd has been PANDAS free for about 18 months

little flairs her and there but nothing we couldnt control

with abxs..

So with that said she wants to go back to school and not homeschool

for second grade...

She did so good last year sick only 1 or 2 times.. not everyother week like reg school

I know that we cant keep her in a bubble anymore but If she gets sick all the time again then

I think we will be back for IVIG # 3 with Dr.k..

but then she might be fine even if she does get sick alot..

so confused...

[dcmom]

Hi Tracie-

 

So glad things are going well, and have been for a chunk of time.

 

For us, it is really important for the kids to live normal lives, and not view themselves as "sick" or "different". We have kept them in school for the most part during our 3.5 year journey with pandas.

 

Does your daughter have an immuno deficiency? Mine do not, and although they do get sick like any other kid, is doesn't seem to me more frequent than expected. Some years, due to dumb luck, seem to be better than others.

 

Last year in school, both had probably 2 colds, 1 stomach virus, and then strep. This year MAYBE both had two colds, and that's it- so it was a great year for us.

 

We have developed a protocol that (so far) is working. My kids DO flare up with illness- but if we address it fast and aggressively, they are fine.

 

We do not take any special precautions (handwashing, etc), and they are not on antibiotics (unless a flare up).

 

For us (and it is a highly personal decision), I would rather risk a mild episode every other year, than try to keep them in a bubble- that has consequences as well.

 

Our kids are smart- if your daughter wants to go back to school, I would let her, and just have a plan in place for if she gets sick and/or has a flare up of pandas.

 

Good luck!

[Hopeny]

It's a very tough decision but I agree with DCMOM, do your best to manage/plan for whatever comes up. My 3 yr old (not PANDAS/Lyme child) does have an immune issue but I decided to send her to pre-k anyway in September. It is scary because she is totally vulnerable, I considered the options but in the end we will have to tough it out and hope/pray for the best. Have to do what is best for the kid medically, socially, psychologically etc - just like you have to treat all of these aspects to get them well. Good luck.

[Mary M]

We were homeschoolers by choice...long before PANDAS reared its nasty little head. After suffering with PANDAS our dd wanted to go to school to be "normal". We sen ther to school. She ended up at Dr K's for another IVIg. Would that have happened anyway? Who knows. So when she was fairly stable after IVIg #2 she returned to public school and when the level of illness increased in the schoo in October, she asked to return to homeschooling becuase she could feel her PANDAS symptoms again. So we homeschooled her and the symptoms diminished without another IVIg. We have always been very active in the homeschool community so she was always exposed to things (infections and education!) but at least as a homeschooler her infectious exposure was a bit lower in the homeschool scene than in the PS scene.

 

It is a difficult decision, to know what is right for each child at each point in their life. The good thing is...you can try something and if it doesn't work you can try something else.

Mary

from Michigan

[Missmom]

I have found that as each year passes the exposure seems to be less and less at school. Day cares are breeding grounds for germs. Kindergarten was really bad as well, but then each year seems a little better after that. I volunteered quite a lot at school when my children were younger and was totally disgusted mostly in the cafeteria. The children are usually seated really close to each other and often times would sneeze and cough on everything. At that age they have no concept of covering their mouths or anything. By second grade though I saw major improvements. The children have more awareness of cleanliness and are more aware of spacial issues. If that makes any sense, they kind of know more about their own personal space and feel a little more aware of people crossing into their personal space. Also, most second grade classes where I am from use individual desks rather than tables to do their work. Kindergarten and first grade have tables. This would also decrease the spreading of germs. I would go tour the school and see how the second grade classrooms are set up and see how comfortable you feel with the situation. Also, if you do decide to send her into school, you could make sure she wipes her desk down with a wipe every day, and maybe ask her teacher if she could keep her own bottle of sanitizer at her desk. If she wants to go back to school and she feels comfortable with the classroom environment then I know you will have a very difficult decision on your hands. But if you are not comfortable with it then there is always third grade. Good luck.