Mum Shares Her Plan With Community

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, community members are uniting to share information and tools to best adjust to the current reality.
One of our cerebral palsy community members decided to share her family’s plan.

“This spunky kid has my whole heart. So when her school asked me for my plan in regards to Covid-19 and Ellas health while being a primary kiddo, I realised they have also given her their whole heart.”

She added that she’s seen a lot of parents question at what point they remove their medically compromised kids from schools.

“The plan for now. Things will evolve, things will be different for each child, but this gave me, as a Mum navigating this whole thing blindly, a starting point. Especially when the surreal becomes the real.

“So, in sharing our first plan for how to respond, I hope it might give someone a starting point to develop their own. This plan also relates to her brother, and, myself and Ella’s school have a pretty good plan in place themselves which involves clear and regular communication to us parents.”

Her plan includes:

-Adhere to and follow the current MOH & government guidelines and keep updated with them.

– Wash hands thoroughly and regularly (mealtimes, toileting, and after crawling etc)

– Record child’s temperature daily before attending school. A thermometer will be in her med bag at all times. Anything in excesss of 37.5 and her child will be kept home (this has been put in place at one of her child’s therapy centres with medically compromised children).

– At home I will administer extra Vit.C via her mic-key button.

– I will provide antibacterial wipes for equipment to be wiped down (e.g. walking frame, support handrails, trike).

– Mum/Dad will be available at all times to collect child from school if she shows any signs of being unwell.

– Wash hands thoroughly and regularly.

– Any cold symptoms presented, children will not attend school.

– I will limit child’s access in the community to familiar places (avoiding supermarkets, large gatherings, etc). I will limit further if required.

– St Johns membership is up to date.

The Ministry of Health also distributed guidelines for disabled people and people who need support in daily life, please go:

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus

If you have advice and guidance for other cerebral palsy community members, please let us know. Let’s all stay connected.