Why Didn't I know??

I am now coming off of a full month worth of sick kids making me physically ill! The advent of school and how it's just a cest pool of germs is unreal! I don't know how or why it happened, but my normally very strong-immunity based children have had everything from a small cold bug to strep throat to stomach virus to flu. How can this be? They are at school to learn, but instead, bring little germs home that aren't on the teacher's lessons for the day? I keep hearing, "oh, it just happens this time of year. Don't worry, it will be over soon enough." The best/worst answer yet was, "as long as they are in school with other children, they are prone to sickness." If that's not a ringing endorsement for home-schooling, I don't know what is!

Now, why didn't I know that before we got on the public school track? Why didn't I know that these wonderful little people would bring home all sorts of nasty little viruses and germs that would not only effect them, but everyone else in the house? Why didn't I know or even think that all the medicine created now to battle the "super germs" would only scratch the surface of healing, but the body would have to do most of the work on its own?

For the past 2 weeks, we have been dealing with Ella's flu and ear infection (she is only 20 months old and not even in school yet). She was given amoxicillian to combat the flu and clear up her ear infection. On day 9 of her amoxicillian treatment, she developed a mild rash. On day 10, it spread over her body. Her doctor said some children experience either some sort of reaction, or get full blown allergic reactions to penicillian based products. However, after looking over her arms, he assessed that she did not appear to be allergic, only experiencing a mild adverse reaction! Twelve hours later, she was covered from head to toe in hives, itchy, and making sad moaning cries of "mommy, it hurts!" I wanted to cry my eyes out. Having experienced the intollerable head to toe hives on several occassions before, I not only am sympathetic, I am sadended. Why didn't I know that my child was allergic and why didn't I know what I should be aware of? I didn't know because I just took a cursory glace over the facts page and became complacent in my knowledge that the other children weren't allergic, so she shouldn't be either.

The most important lesson that has been reinforced within me is that each child is different and I cannot rest on my laurels, nor can I become complacent with vital health information. So, parents, I implore you to not only read any and all medical labels (whether you have 1 or 5 children), but also ask questions and make sure to be aware of subtle changes in your child so that you can be proactive, and not just reactive!

Part of enjoying our children is helping them and protecting them. Information alone is not as powerful as correct information coupled with appropriate application! So, enjoy your children today, and don't forget to laugh out loud!!

PS - make sure they use hand sanitizer daily....heck, get them a bottle for their back packs! LOL