Your child has....

These are three words no parent wants to hear.
Your child has ..... before anything else is just frightening, shocking and at times even saddening. Yes, it could also be positive but most often it is used in situations that aren’t.

What my child has, is not life threatening, fortunately, and it is treatable. Our parental instincts are to protect our children and we want them to grow up and old and happy and be all they can be. It was difficult to hear “Your child has...” and not think of the worst case or think I could have done something to prevent this or what will I do now.

My first reaction was based on preconceived ideas, things I’d heard or seen on television. It has taken some time and encouragement from hospital staff and my husband to put what my child has into real perspective and allow my child to resume some of the ‘normal’ things he was doing before, without constantly asking him “are you ok?”, “can you breath?”,“should you be doing that?” . Hopefully with some more education and information seeking on my part, and talking about it with others, which has been very reassuring, over time this will become "my child only has..".
On a side note, I do find talking with others very encouraging and hearing how they have dealt with a similar experience is helpful - especially when I don't know what to expect or look for. It is by raising our own circumstance that we find others who have been there before us and alot of the time we are not the first to experience something.

My thoughts are with all parents whose children need some special care and attention. I’d love to hear how you deal with it?