As parents of sickle cell disease children, it’s really hard trying to keep your kids safe and crisis-free, you worry about everything from the weather to their diet to germs and how all these things can trigger a sickle cell crisis.
With the onset of the coronavirus threat, I’m sure your worry meter has escalated to death con five.
so what do you do? I’m glad you asked.
Here are some Coronavirus strategies for parents with sickle cell disease children from the perspective of two nurses with preteen children that have SS sickle cell disease.
Let’s start with the “basic’s”
Here are some guidelines that will help to keep you and your children safe.
Basic
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1
1: hydrated! hydrated! hydrated!
Keeping your child hydrated is crucial to the prevention of a sickle cell crisis. proper hydration helps to prevent the clumping of red blood cells flowing through the body.
It also helps to flush out any toxins in your child’s system.
2: Get some Rest: Rest for a sickle cell child is essential because their bodies are already working overtime. And a lack of rest can trigger a pain crisis and weaken the immune system.
3:Maintain a regular schedule; maintaining a regular schedule prevents your child from becoming over-exhausted.
Irregular schedules can also cause them to have irregular sleep patterns, which can throw them into a crisis.
Coronavirus strategies
1. Limit sweets; The consumption of sweets suppresses (limits)the immune system (the body’s natural defense ). and if the body’s defense system is not working like it’s supposed to it makes it easier for them to become infected and harder for them to fight it off.
3. Practice proper handwashing: When washing your hands you should wash them vigorously for 20 sec making sure you scrub your nails on your palms and wash between your fingers front and back.
4. Monitor your child’s temperature; Because children with sickle cells are susceptibility to getting infections monitoring their temperature is essential. A fever is an indication of a life-threatening infection.
What to do if you have to go out with your child?
5: Wear a face mask or facial covering: Wearing a face mask is a difference between life and death. According to the CDC, the coronavirus is spread “through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks”.
The entry points for this virus are through your eyes, nose, and mouth
- The same way you spray air freshener and can see the vapors expand and travel in the air that is the same way the virus spreads when a person coughs, talk, or sneezes, and like an air freshener although you can not see the virus it still has residual particulates that linger in the air long after the person has left that area.
- This means it can enter your body through your eyes, nose, airway, Lungs, and mouth and can travel on other surfaces such as your hair, clothing, and inanimate(none living ) object long after the person has left the area.
- If you don’t have a face mask using a Silk or polyester blend scarf as opposed to cotton as a face mask is more beneficial, due to the fact that silk and polyester have the ability to repel moisture, whereas Cotton fabrics, on the other hand, will trap and absorb moisture. Make sure both you and your child have a face mask and it covers both your mouth and your nose.
6: Protect your eyes: If you or your child wear glasses you should wear them when going out. If you do not wear glasses you and your child should wear sunglasses or goggles,
- Due to the fact that you are able to contract the virus through your eyes, nose, and mouth, these will serve as a barrier of protection.
7: Have hand sanitizer with you; Because this virus is spread through droplets the rule of thumb is to prevent any from entering into your body through your nose, mouth, eyes, or any open areas such as wounds and cracked dry skin.
- Remember the virus can also land on surfaces waiting for you to give it a ride to your nose mouth or eyes.
- if you don’t have any you can use 3 quarters of pure alcohol or rubbing alcohol as a substitute to one-quarter lotion.
- Because Hand sanitizer can leave your hands dry and cracked make sure you wash your hands after every fifth use of hand sanitizer and apply lotion.
8:Disinfect! Disinfect! Disinfect!: Anything you use while outside is considered contaminated including but not limited to your clothes, shoes, hair, gloves, and especially your face mask and it needs to be contained in a plastic bag before you enter your home.
- If you bring anything back home you need to have a trash bag at the door where you can store it until you are able to clean it with bleach wipes.
- If you don’t have bleach wipes you can make your own solution
- In a spray bottle put one-quarter bleach, three or four drops dish soap, and fill it up with warm water.
- Have a designated washcloth or rage to use with that solution nearby.
- After making the mixture shake it up spray it on the washcloth or rage and use it to wipe off any plastic bags, containers, or food items that are going to enter your home before you bring it in your home.
- Make sure to take the fruits and vegetables out of the plastic bags and place them in a separate bowl and wash them before using them. Make sure to let them air dry.
- Any grocery bags that are brought home from the store are considered contaminated so if you are not going to reuse them put them all in one and discard them in a separate section or place them outside for a few days If you can. if you are going to reuse them clean them with bleach solution.
- All boxes are considered contaminated. If you have no choice but to bring it in your home make sure to clean the exterior as you would the plastic bags cleaning all of the sides making sure not to miss any area.
- If you are able to let it sit outside let it sit out for a few days at least a minimum of three hours before bringing it into your home.
- You and Your child’s clothes and shoes are also contaminated so they should go into a separate bag contamination bag and washed ASAP. If you are unable to wash it right away keep the bag tied tightly.
- You and your child should take a shower immediately after disinfecting all your belongings making sure to wash your hair in the process.
Immune system booster
Due to the fact that children with sickle cells have compromised immune systems here are some immune system boosters to implement on a regular basis. you don’t have to wait for them to get sick to do it.
Smoothies
1.Ginger
kale/spinach
Garlic
Cucumber
apples( or mixed barries )
Celery
Honey
2.Pineapple
Ginger
Oats
Flaxseed
Cucumber
Banana
Honey
orange
As a soup
Boil Ginger, garlic, onions, and drink it with honey. This mixture also helps during the cold season to shorten the duration and severity of colds and cold-related symptoms.
Antibacterial and antifungal immune boosters
Echenasia
Elderberry
Zinc
Lemon tea is good for cleansing the liver it also helps to detox the body of toxins that are often associated with poor cell regeneration.
Last but not least. The most effective protective measure for you and your child is to stay home. if you do not have to go out don’t go out.
In the words of Louis L. Armstrong.
“Knowledge is like money: to be of value it must circulate, and in circulating it can increase in quantity and, hopefully, in value”.
Make sure to share this post to keep others informed and also let me know how you have been coping with this pandemic and what strategies you have been using to keep your sickle cell babies safe?
Till next time stay safe.
