Infecting the Public

As you know Baby DIVA is at the tail end of Hand, Foot and Mouth disease. A very contagious yet not too severe illness that children are prone to catching. It can be quite painful, but does pass within a week to 10 days usually leaving without any residual damage. I personally would rather that Baby DIVA not have to experience this childhood illness at all. I wish I could wipe it away with a swift pass of a boogie wipe and we could be on our way. But, I also am aware that kids are kids and love to play with one another and at such a young age do not understand the ramifications of eating each other’s boogers, but they WILL be taught.

I am unsure as to where exactly we may have been exposed to the germs that brought about this illness. And honestly, the Who’s the What’s and the Where’s are irrelevant to me. What is relevant is the fact that more and more parents are taking their children out into the public population, to day care, to play dates, for strolls in the park, to all places in the community, while they are festering and brewing and actively ill. More and More parents are turning a blind eye to the coughing, sneezing, warm to the touch child of theirs and are self diagnosing their kids as having “allergies”. Pediatricians are not being visited as frequently and simple childhood illnesses are turning into small epidemics within many social circles.

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Why are parents doing this? The reasons are numerous. Many parents cannot afford to miss a day of work, just because their child is sick. (in my mind a sick child IS justification to not only miss work, but to hold the sick child in your arms for as long as needed, but that is just me.) These parents not only cannot afford to miss work, they cannot afford the cost of the doctor visit, the medicine that may be needed or the cost to get to other clinic itself. Horrifying if you ask me and I could go on and on and on about this matter alone, but that is not the point I am intending today.

Many parents are unaware that their sniffling, sneezing hot to the touch child is actually sick because they are so consumed by their own lives that that little thing that tags along with them daily is merely another piece of their outfit. Or these parents simply have labeled this sneeze and cough as another allergy and send the child on about their way. Either way parents are turning a blind eye to the situation.

The reason that parents willingly bring their children out into the mass population that just infuriates me to no return is the parents that just do not give a crap. The parents understand their child is sick. The parents have taken their child to the doctor and yet they still go on about their day. These parents have errands to run. Parties to attend. Gossip to be had. None of which they feel can be missed just because a child is sick and contagious and could possibly infect anyone he or she comes in to contact with. And so it goes that this parent takes their kid on to the birthday party and infects all the children at the event, including those who just happen to be in the same facility that day. Those poor unsuspecting parents of the newly infected children will wake up in a few days with a sick child and not know where they illness sprang from. And then the cycle starts all over again.

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I have personally seen and experienced this type of parental behavior in regards to a sick child. These people choosing to attend an event with a child whom they knew was ill and super contagious, but they did not want to change their plans, or find a sitter for the ill child. This type of behavior is probably the reason behind Baby DIVA’s breakout of Hand, foot, Mouth disease. Some parent who willingly took their child out and POOF passed on the illness to everyone they came in to contact with, which this time included us. This angers me to a degree that is surpasses any words. I despise this kind of behavior. I will go out of my way to keep Baby DIVA home whenever she is ill, mainly so she has a safe environment for her own body to heal in, but also to prevent the spread of illness to ANYONE else. I feel as a parent that is my job, not only to my own daughter, but to other children. But I guess that is just me.

Please share with me your thoughts. I am interested in hearing all points of view on this issue. I would like some input from moms, dads, grandma’s whoever, about their personal thoughts in regards to this issue.