Caring for a child with Lyme is a unique and unenviable situation – even among parents caring for children with other illnesses. You have to advocate for your child to get an accurate diagnosis and the appropriate treatment from a medical community that, at best, views the disease as controversial. You have to explain to school officials why your child misses so many days of class, and negotiate a way to make sure he or she keeps up with the work and doesn’t fall behind.
And, in addition to all of that, you need to be there for your child, to help him or her cope with the isolation and quality of life issues that come with this debilitating disease. As hard as it is for an adult to struggle with Lyme, for children, the disease can feel like a life sentence. For some, it might feel like all that they’ve ever known in their lives – a state of constant, chronic illness.
Here at ILC, we are hyperaware of how this disease affects both the children who contract it and the parents who have to care for and fight for them. Our monthly support group meetings are always open to parents and other family members who wish to learn more about this disease that is so profoundly affecting their child or sibling.
Stay tuned to this page for book recommendations and other resources pertaining to parents and children dealing with Lyme Borreliosis.