As readers of this blog know, I have plenty of experience in this area, since my own two sons got ME/CFS at ages 10 and 6. They are now 22 and 19, so we've dealt with chronically ill kids for well over a decade. Our youngest is now fully recovered after 10 years with mild ME/CFS that was well-controlled by treating Orthostatic Intolerance. Our older son has had a tougher time, also taking on Lyme disease and two other tick infections (bartonella and babesia) when he was about 12 (though they went undiagnosed for over three years). He is now in college, living mostly on his own. He still struggles with ME/CFS and the three infections, though with treatment he is able to take three classes a semester, work part-time, and enjoy an active social life.
In addition to all that personal experience, I crowd-sourced this article with input from the parents in our Parents of Kids & Teens with ME/CFS and Related Illnesses group on Facebook. The parents there had some wonderful ideas on not only how to support your kids but also on how to take care of yourself, as the role of constant caretaker is a tough one (and many of the parents are sick themselves, like me).
If YOU have children, teens, or young adults who are chronically ill, check out the excellent advice from our group in the article. You are also welcome to join our Facebook group for parents (keeping in mind that is is ONLY for parents or other adult caretakers of sick kids, teens, and young adults). There are parents in the group whose kids have ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, Lyme and other tick infections, EDS, POTS, and other related conditions. Just click the Join button at that link. Then watch your Facebook messages because that's how we confirm membership for the group.
Do you have advice for other parents of sick kids?
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