In the broad scheme of things, we know VERY little about this Novel Coronavirus. Rumors are circulating regarding the virus's ability to evolve quickly, leaving parents and caretakers of people with epilepsy very nervous. The truth is the CDC and the W.H.O. know very little about this virus, and there hasn't been enough time for scientists and the medical community to research this outbreak.
What we know is based on what is happening in other world communities, and so far, the virus seems to be less severe in our younger populations. COVID-19 being less severe for children is welcome news for parents of school-aged children, especially those of us with illness triggers for their epilepsy.
What if my child catches COVID-19:
The CDC and W.H.O. tells us that epilepsy alone does not increase your chances of getting a more severe case of COVID-19. Other mitigating factors, such as immuno-suppressing medications, other underlying health conditions, or other neurological factors, can impact your health should you become ill with COVID-19.
For many people with epilepsy, fevers are a trigger for more frequent seizures. For my daughter, fevers and illnesses are one of her primary triggers for seizures. Febrile seizures are the primary reason she went undiagnosed for so many years.
High fevers are one of the symptoms of this new coronavirus that is spreading rapidly across the globe. So, while epilepsy alone doesn't increase your risk of severe disease, getting sick with COVID-19 can increase your chances of more frequent seizures.
Taking as many precautions as possible to avoid spreading COVID-19 and getting sick with COVID-19 will help you to prevent an increase in the frequency of seizures.
As this pandemic was starting to take hold in the United States, we filled our daughter's prescription for seizure medication. We also made sure we had Ibuprofen and Tylenol on hand should she get sick. My husband still has to work, but the kids and have stayed home for the last week, and we will continue to stay home.
We live in Illinois, and we are currently under a shelter-in-place order from our governor. I've had friends ask for play-dates, and people want to visit, but knowing I have a child with an underlying medical condition, I've had to say no to these requests.
What We're Doing to Stay Busy:
I work from home as a writer. Writing has become increasingly difficult with my kids home with me full time. While I am thankful I still have the means to earn money while home with my children, I did not account for the decrease in productivity. My husband is home on the weekends, so I find myself using the weekend time to get my writing projects done while my husband preoccupies the kids. During the week, I am responsible for meeting my deadlines, schooling with the children, and spending time with my children.
We've been:
- Baking (I am almost out of flour and stores are low on supplies)
- Crafting (This morning we made bird feeders with birdseed and honey)
- Snuggling and watching movies (I don't want to admit how many times we watched Frozen II this week)
- Schooling
- Playing outside and cleaning up the yard (We still have cold temperatures, so our outside time is somewhat limited)
- Reading books
- Video Chatting with friends
- Coloring (So much coloring)
This week, I think we will focus on tidying up our bedrooms, and my daughter is itching to get out the paints and do some painting. We are looking at the possibility of schools being closed for the remainder of the school year. My Amazon cart is ready with planting supplies to start some seeds indoors.
If you have any ideas, share with me what you're doing to keep your kids busy and engaged during this crazy time!
-Abby, Guest Blogger
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