KV Healthcare

Covid-19

Tony Nelson (COVID-19)

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Reliable friend. Life of the party. Hardworking. People person.

That’s how Anthony Nelson’s friends and family have always described him. With a quick wit, sharp intellect and enviable social skills, Tony, 49, enjoyed a thriving dual career as a mortgage broker and realtor in Upper Kittitas County for the past 17 years. “I was helping people make the biggest purchase of their lives,” he says.

Then COVID struck.

Tony spent several days in a fever and mental fog. Concerned, his girlfriend took him to KVH Urgent Care in Cle Elum for a COVID test. While waiting at home for test results, Tony’s condition worsened. He stopped answering his phone. Tony’s mom sent an urgent text to her best friend, Marta Whalen, a nurse at KVH Hospital.

“She asked me to check in on Tony,” says Marta, who was on a trip to Colorado at the time. “She was worried that he sounded ‘not great’ on the phone.” The next day, Marta got a voicemail: Tony had COVID. Good thing Marta hadn’t been able to visit and be exposed to it.

“I’m thinking just the opposite,” says Marta, as what she jokingly calls her “nursing brain” went into high gear. “Yeah, I do probably want to go there if he has COVID and doesn’t sound good.” She returned to Washington the next day and made a beeline from the airport to Tony’s place.

Marta entered the house in mask and gloves. “I was vaccinated, but I hadn’t come face-to-face yet with a ‘full-blown’ COVID patient,” she admits. It was dark as she sat on the far corner of Tony’s bed and asked if she could turn the lights on. He agreed.

“Every breath in and out was wheezing, with difficulty,” recalls Marta, who knew she had to act quickly. She gave Tony the choice: call 9-1-1 or head to the urgent care clinic.

Tony opted for Urgent Care. It took mere minutes to assess him, and soon Tony was loaded into an ambulance. Before the rig departed, Marta made sure he had his wallet, phone and charger. “I knew Tony wasn’t coming home any time soon.”

Saving a Life

Tony has no memory of the ambulance ride or his time at KVH Hospital. He was shocked months later when scrolling through photos on his cell phone and discovering a video he’d made from his hospital bed. “I really thought I was dead,” he says, “so I made a video message for my family. ‘Mom, Dad, I love you. I wish I could have been a better son,’ – you know, just sad, very sad.”

Tony’s condition quickly deteriorated. He was airlifted to Harborview, where he spent 59 days on a ventilator, got a tracheostomy, was placed in a medically induced coma and then on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation – a process that uses a special machine to replace the functions of the heart and lungs by externally processing and circulating a patient’s blood supply).

The gravity of Tony’s condition was clear to everyone. Without hesitation, his parents signed off on experimental treatments for their son, in hopes of saving his life.

Weeks later, Tony emerged from the induced coma. He’d been strapped to his hospital bed. “The first thing I heard was the noise of machines,” he recalls. “I heard the ventilator breathing for me and the ECMO transferring blood to and from my body. I had multiple tubes stuck in my neck and thighs. All I could do was observe. I was too shaky and weak to even write. I had a tracheotomy tube in my throat and couldn’t speak. I was just plain terrified, and couldn’t comprehend where I was or how I got there.”

For the next several weeks, Tony joined his medical team in the battle for his recovery. “We all fought like hell every day to make me live.”

A ‘New Normal’

After two months at Harborview – “Where I believe the very best doctors and nurses in the world work” – Tony was finally released. “It was time for me to see and be with the people I love.” His sister-in-law Janell drove him to his home in Cle Elum, where family was waiting. They helped him out of her car, into a wheelchair, and into his house. “I’ve been here ever since,” laughs Tony, who can count on one hand the number of times he’s been out in the past six months.

“Tony doesn’t go to the grocery store. He doesn’t go out for entertainment, shopping, or visiting friends,” says his primary care provider, Dr. Andrew Thomas. (Doctor visits are also on the list of things Tony’s been unable to do as often as he should.)

When asked to compare Tony to his pre-COVID self, Thomas replies with compassion and great respect for his patient, “Tony is the shell of the man I once knew.”

On rare ventures out, Tony returns to KVH Hospital where he works with Jim Allen, Director of Cardiopulmonary Services, to test his now-damaged lungs. It’s an important part of what Allen calls Tony’s “very long road to recovery.”

“Tony’s situation is a vivid reminder of what COVID can do,” says Allen. “It also reminds me why healthcare providers do what we do.” During a visit in early September, Tony’s lung function measured at half of what it had been in January, pre-COVID.

The Aftermath

“Nobody’s taking COVID seriously until they get it. And then it’s just too late, man.”

Tony has a message for those who have witnessed his epic struggles and yet aren’t concerned about the virus. “First of all, you could die,” he says. “And second of all, if you do happen to make it through, you get to deal with the aftermath.”

For Tony, the aftermath means being unable to work, walk, and even talk for longer periods of time. It means body pains, tremors, headaches. Loss of concentration, memory and balance. It means using aids and adaptive equipment to do the most basic activities – breathing, walking, showering, going to the bathroom. And all while dealing with overburdened government and insurance systems to get basic assistance.

“I cannot operate or function without help from others,” Tony explains. “I now have oxygen machines, in-home physical and occupational therapy. My wonderful family bought equipment for my home. All these things cost money.”

Even so, Tony counts his blessings. He worries about others in similar situations who don’t have the resources and relationships that make all the difference when the bottom falls out of life. When a Facebook page was created to keep family and friends informed, some offered financial help. That was tough for Tony to take. “Everybody’s going through a hard time right now. There are people out there worse off than me.”

Caring about others is also the reason why Tony insists on sharing his story. “If I can help one person by sharing this, it’s worth it,” he says. “People need to know. It’s not just about getting sick, it’s about how sick you get. And then if you do happen to get incredibly sick, knocking on heaven or hell – if you survive, it’s a long deal.”

Final thoughts

A few weeks ago, Tony was able to get the COVID-19 vaccine, a fact he proudly announced during one of our phone conversations. He continues to adapt to his new life of daily struggle in the pursuit of healing and wholeness.

“Getting COVID is one thing,” says Tony. “Getting severe COVID is an entirely different subset of the disease. If people don’t act with common sense and get vaccinated, they can get COVID, severe COVID, and possibly die.” He adds, “None of these things need to happen. Those without a medical history of adverse allergic reactions need to get vaccinated. People need to think not only about themselves but society in general.”

“Tony lost his self-confidence, and for a while he lost his sense of humor,” notes Dr. Thomas. “He is rebuilding his emotional strength, but his physical strength has not yet returned. And at this point, he doesn’t have confidence that it ever will.”

“It must be really, really difficult to realize that you might never have the capacity or potential that you did before,” agrees Marta. Having lost two unvaccinated friends to COVID in the past year, she pleads for others to reconsider their own decisions not to vaccinate. “Please, think of the community, and the families that you live with and love.”

Perhaps because Tony beat the odds when others in his situation didn’t survive, his closest friends and caregivers can’t help but be optimistic. That includes Marta, who Tony will forever credit with saving his life by making him get out of bed and get help.

“Tony’s got a long recovery ahead,” says Marta, a smile coming through in her voice, “but I’m confident that he can get there because he’s so stubborn and strong.”

“This has pushed my mind and body harder than anything I have ever been through,” says Tony. “It’s made the good old days of two-a-day practices when I played college football seem like an ice cream eating contest.”

While each day brings a new set of challenges, Tony’s brush with death has given him a renewed outlook on life.

“I am grateful and happy to be here in the present.”


With all the support he’s received, Tony’s list of people to thank is a mile long. Here are just a few of the people he’s very grateful for:
Tony’s parents, Ronda & Ray Thompson and Mike and Phyllis Nelson
Marta Whalen
Stacy Houle
The team of doctors at KVH Hospital, including Jim Allen
The many teams of doctors & nurses at Harborview Medical Center
Dr. Andrew Thomas
Karlee Rahm
Gina Bjorklund
Drew & Jeanell Nelson
Justine Viviano
All the friends and family members that visited Tony in the hospital and supported him virtually on the group Facebook page
Special call-out to these friends that have gone above and beyond: Chanda and Matt Daly, Tim Stime, Jamie Steele, Justin Trost, Mark Krier, Mario Aguedelo, Rob Zutter & Meke Hansen, Wendy Retacco Hatteberg – owner of Retacco Law Offices – for donating pro bono legal services

COVID-19 and Children- Infection and Vaccines

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Contributor: Dr. Elise Herman, KVH Pediatrics

Parents know too well what “pandemic fatigue” is. They are tired of it all- the masking, the distancing, the quarantining, the disruption of life, and the loss of a “normal childhood” for their kids. But this is a critical time in the COVID-19 pandemic as the Omicron variant surges; Omicron is certainly targeting the unvaccinated, and many of those are children.

The number of daily cases of COVID-19 in the US is over 900,000 as of January 7, 2022. 17% of these are children and most concerning is the huge jump in pediatric hospitalizations. There recently has been a 50% increase in COVID hospitalizations for kids under age 5, the biggest increase since the pandemic started. Over 82,000 kids have been hospitalized with COVID thus far, and there is now a new record for hospitalizations of kids under age 18 years- almost 800 daily. Some of these are as young as 2 months old.

Pediatric hospitals are feeling the strain, including Seattle Children’s Hospital, according to staff pediatric infectious disease specialist Dr. Danielle Zerr. Dr. Zerr noted in a recent New York Times article that the number of young children in Seattle Children’s Hospital with COVID is much higher than with previous Delta surges. Some of these very sick children have risk factors such as asthma or obesity, but many were previously healthy children without underlying problems.

Omicron seems to cause milder disease overall but can cause severe illness and is much more transmissible than the Delta variant. With so many more people getting infected, even if a smaller percentage get very sick, the total number of those who get severely ill will be very large. The unvaccinated are most at risk, and of course this includes kids under 5 years since they are not eligible for the vaccine yet. A parent’s best strategy to protect their child is straightforward: vaccinate if eligible, avoid crowded spaces (especially inside), continue masking and social distancing. Additionally, make sure all the older kids and adults in their family are vaccinated.

Those who are vaccinated can still get COVID, especially with the Omicron variant, but they are less likely to get a severe illness, and less likely to be hospitalized. If kids are fully vaccinated and exposed at school, they do not need to quarantine. Those who are vaccinated are less likely to transmit the virus, helping to keep their family healthy and their school open.

As of December 5, 2021, almost 4.8 million US kids ages 5-11 had received at least one COVID vaccine dose. There have been no cases of heart inflammation (myocarditis) in this age group which was noted to be a very rare side effect of the vaccine in young adult and adolescent males previously. It is important to remember that COVID infection itself is much more likely to cause heart problems in this age group than would the vaccine. We have had enough experience now to know the vaccine is safe and effective.

Can we imagine a time when there is ‘background’ COVID, like influenza, but not huge surges that overwhelm our healthcare systems, shutter schools and businesses, and disrupt our lives? That is the “learning to live with the virus” scenario that may be our future. To get there we need to have many more people vaccinated (including our children) to minimize the rise of new variants. Increased access to testing and better therapies to fight COVID infection will also be important. We all really do have the opportunity to help move us along towards that goal, and towards a better future for our children.

more about the contributor

Dr. Elise Herman

Blog Posts
Provider Profile

Dr. Herman is passionate about community health outreach, school programs, and child/family health and wellness. She has more than 31 years of experience as a pediatrician in Ellensburg, Washington, the last 3 with KVH Pediatrics. In 2022 Dr. Herman retired from practice and continues to contribute blog posts and remain a visible advocate for kids in the community.

MIS-C Awareness Week

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A rare and severe condition associated with Covid-19 is MIS-C (Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children). This condition can cause “different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. We do not yet know what causes MIS-C. However, we know that many children with MIS-C had the virus that causes COVID-19, or had been around someone with COVID-19. MIS-C can be serious, even deadly, but most children who were diagnosed with this condition have gotten better with medical care.”

– CDC (Español)

For more information about this syndrome and to help bring awareness please follow the FB event and share!

What to do if you think your child is sick with MIS-C

Contact your child’s doctor, nurse, or clinic right away if your child is showing symptoms of MIS-C:

Ongoing fever PLUS more than one of the following:

  • Stomach pain
  • Bloodshot eyes
  • Diarrhea
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness (signs of low blood pressure)
  • Skin rash
  • Vomiting

Be aware that not all children will have all the same symptoms.

How to Recognize: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)
MISC_symptomsDownload
Qué hacer si cree que su hijo tiene MIS-C

Contacte al médico, enfermero o clínica de su hijo de inmediato si su hijo presenta síntomas de MIS-C:

Fiebre en curso y MÁS de uno de los siguientes síntomas:

  • Dolor estomacal
  • Ojos inyectados de sangre
  • Diarrea
  • Mareos o sensación de desmayo (signos de presión arterial baja)
  • Sarpullido
  • Vómitos

Tenga en cuenta que no todos los niños tendrán los mismos síntomas.

Cómo reconocer: el síndrome infamatorio multisistémico en niños (MIS-C)
MISC_symptoms_spanishDownload

CDC Data

Find More Here: CDC Covid Data Tracker

  • MIS-C Patients By Age Group
  • MIS-C Patients by Race & Ethnicity
  • MIS-C Patients By Sex
  • Reported MIS-C Case Ranges by Jurisdiction, on or before Nov 30, 2021

References & Resources

MIS-C Awareness Week

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December 13, 2021 – December 19, 2021

A rare and severe condition associated with Covid-19 is MIS-C (Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children). This condition can cause “different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. We do not yet know what causes MIS-C. However, we know that many children with MIS-C had the virus that causes COVID-19, or had been around someone with COVID-19. MIS-C can be serious, even deadly, but most children who were diagnosed with this condition have gotten better with medical care.” – CDC (Español)

follow this event

Get more information about this syndrome and help us bring awareness by sharing!

Facebook

References & Resources

Covid-19: Pediatric Insights

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medical providers that the family and the child trust can be an invaluable source of information and a big part of the decision making – Dr. Elise Herman

The AHA, American Academy of Pediatrics and Children’s Hospital Association host this panel discussion on how pediatricians and hospitals can work with parents to build trust in the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine for children.

American Hospital Association

Insights from pediatric health care leaders on COVID-19 vaccines for children

Earlier this week Dr. Elise Herman, KVH Pediatrics, joined other pediatric health care leaders for a panel discussion hosted by the American Hospital Association (AHA), American Academy of Pediatrics and Children’s Hospital Association.

To learn more visit www.aha.org/vaccineconfidence

Resources mentioned by Dr. Elise Herman:
Speakers:
  • Yvonne (Bonnie) Maldonado, M.D., Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Stanford University School of Medicine
  • Lee A. Savio Beers, M.D., FAAP, Professor of Pediatrics and the Medical Director for Community Health and Advocacy at Children’s National Hospital, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics
  • Elise J. Herman, M.D., Pediatrician, Kittitas Valley Healthcare-Ellensburg, Washington
  • Andrew Pavia, M.D., Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Primary Children’s Hospital
  • Moderator: Roxie Cannon Wells, M.D., President, Cape Fear Valley Hoke Healthcare, and AHA Trustee

COVID-19 Vaccine for Children 5-11 Years Old

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Contributor: Dr. Elise Herman, KVH Pediatrics

Another milestone was reached November 3rd when the Pfizer COIVD-19 vaccine was approved for children 5- 11 years old, and many medical providers and families breathed a sigh of relief at the news. But parents also have important questions about vaccinating their children.

Why should kids be vaccinated if they usually don’t seem to get that sick?

Children do get sick with COVID; about 25% of all COVID cases currently are in kids. Over 8,300 children aged 5-11 years have been hospitalized due to the virus. There have been 172 deaths in this age group, and almost 800 in those 18 and under. We also know kids can get “Long Haul COVID” like adults, with problems such as foggy thinking, fatigue, and dizziness lasting for months after the illness. A dangerous inflammatory disorder called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) can affect the heart, kidneys and brain and typically occurs about a month after a mild case of COVID.

Though kids with common issues such as asthma or obesity are at increased risk of getting more severe illness, about 30% of kids hospitalized have no underlying health problems. Children can transmit the virus even if they don’t feel sick, infecting friends, family members, teachers, etc. Vaccinating as many people as possible also decreases the risk for other variants to emerge. We absolutely want to avoid another Delta-like surge.

 This vaccine dose is smaller than that for kids 12 years and above and adults. Why?

Dosing is a big part of the vaccine research. It was found that the 10-mcg dose (one third of the 30 mcg dose for those 12 and over) gave robust protection with fewer side effects. And don’t wait if your child is close to 12 years to get the bigger dose- getting vaccinated ASAP is very important, especially as we approach the holidays. 

 Was the research to approve this vaccine rushed?  How safe and effective is it?

The COVID vaccine research went through the same Phase 1,2, and 3 trials as every other vaccine and thousands of kids were studied.  No steps were left out to make sure the vaccine was safe and effective. It was the time in between these trials (usually months to years) that was shortened due to the urgency of the pandemic. The vaccine is 90.7% effective in preventing COVID disease in children.

 What are the possible side effects? Are there any long-term side issues?

The possible side effects in kids are the same as for anyone receiving the vaccine- soreness at the injection site, fever, muscle aches, and headache which usually resolve within 2 days. Long-term side effects for any vaccine are uncommon and typically happen within 6 weeks. The COVID vaccines have been studied for many months with no long-term problems found. 

Myocarditis (heart muscle inflammation) has occurred very rarely in teen and young adult males following the second dose of COIVD vaccine and may be related to puberty hormones. There were no cases of myocarditis in kids 5-11 years who were in the vaccine trials. COIVD itself causes myocarditis, and the risk of myocarditis is more common with the infection itself than the vaccine. 

There has been misinformation about the vaccine and fertility. It does not affect fertility; scientifically there is no way for it to do that and there has been no evidence to support this concern. 

Can COIVD vaccine be given with other immunizations? Yes, it can be combined with any other vaccine including influenza vaccine which is also very important right now.

 How can I prepare my child for the vaccine?

Firstly, don’t call it a ‘shot’ or ‘poke’ which obviously sounds frightening. Refer to it as a ‘vaccine’ and express confidence to your child that it will help to keep them safe. Kids are used to getting vaccines—don’t make this one seem any different.  And don’t tell them that it won’t hurt. Be honest, tell them it will briefly hurt but that they can handle it.

Point out other family members who are vaccinated. In some clinics, parents can get vaccinated along with their kids—a great way to be an example to your child! Ask your child what they have been missing due to the pandemic and explain that vaccination will help them get back to a more ‘normal life’, as well as keeping schools open and protecting others like grandparents. Getting to choose which arm to be vaccinated in gives kids some control. Of course, being in your lap or holding your hand helps, too.

 Will kids still have to wear masks once they are vaccinated?

For all of us, needing to wear masks even once vaccinated has to do with how active the virus is in our communities. So for now we all have to adhere to the mask mandate.  The more people of all ages are vaccinated, the less community transmission there will be and therefore the safer and more ‘normal’ life will be- for all of us.

Don’t wait to have your child vaccinated- even though the COVID numbers overall are slowly decreasing, most of the US is still struggling with a large amount of cases. Colder weather and the upcoming holidays are likely to make these numbers go up again. Your child will be considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after the second injection, so if they get their first dose soon, the winter holiday season will look a lot brighter!

Elise Herman MD, Kittitas Valley Healthcare Pediatrics, November 2021

COVID-19 and Children

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Contributor: Dr. Elise Herman, KVH Pediatrics

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a relief to see that children were much less likely to get sick, be hospitalized, or die from the virus. Eighteen months later, many things have changed including the risk to kids, especially with the much more transmissible Delta variant. There have been over 5.7 million pediatric cases since the start of the pandemic, and recent reporting showed over 430,000 US child cases in just 2 weeks, from 9/9/21 to 9/23/21. More than a quarter of new cases are in children, and 55,000 kids total have been hospitalized since August 2020, most without prior health issues. Deaths continue to be rare in this age group but there have been 523 deaths in kids 17 years and younger including 168 in those under 4 years.

Kids can have similar symptoms to adults- fever, productive cough, sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, and loss of taste or smell. Also common are intestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. Some children may just have mild cold symptoms or even no symptoms though they can still infect others.

One of the most concerning problems is MIS-C, “multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children” which causes inflammation throughout the body including the brain, heart, and kidneys. This severe illness typically occurs about a month after what seems to be a mild case of COVID-19. There have been over 4,000 cases so far of MIS-C according to the CDC (Center for Control for Disease Control and Prevention).

It is now known that “Long COVID” (prolonged symptoms after initial infection has improved) can happen in children as well as adults. Symptoms include cough and shortness of breath, heart inflammation, severe fatigue, and “brain fog” that last for weeks to months.

There are some clear steps we can take to protect our children. Everyone who is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine should get it; currently that includes kids 12 years and up (and of course adults). As an example of the vaccine’s effectiveness, teens who are unvaccinated are ten times more likely to be hospitalized than those who have received the vaccine. The more people who are vaccinated, the less chance the virus has to mutate into a new and potentially worse strain. Pfizer has just submitted favorable data regarding vaccine trials in kids aged 5-11 years. A smaller dose than in adults was given in a two-vaccine series with strong antibody response and good safety outcomes. It is hoped that the COVID vaccine will be approved for this age range by the end of October.

Masks are essential in the fight against COVID-19, especially with the Delta variant. Masks have been shown to decrease the spread of the virus in schools this year. Outbreaks are much more likely in places where masking in schools is not required or was instituted after the start of the school year. The Washington state indoor mask requirement is for everyone’s protection, and we parents need to model consistent mask wearing to our children. Lower COVID numbers means fewer people needing medical care which also protects our health care workers, a scarce commodity these days.

In World War II, there was a sense of personal responsibility for everyone to pull together and do their part to help the war effort. This is a war, too, though of a different type. We all need to be part of the solution and be good examples to our children.

KVH Childbirth & Family Education offers free webinar series

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Julie Harwell, RN, BSN is hosting a free webinar series through our Childbirth & Family Education Program at Kittitas Valley Healthcare. The most recent webinar titled “Creating Meaningful Learning Communities: How Covid has helped us to Reimagine Possibilities in Education” details how one local school adapted to the COVID-19 restrictions and found opportunities for resilience and growth in the classroom and our community.

“The Covid-19 Pandemic brought about many changes in the way we as a society approach school. In addition to the challenges, the past year brought many opportunities for us to reflect on education and how we can best support engagement in learning for children. We found great value in more outdoor education, multi-age groups, parent partnerships in learning, and extending the walls of the classroom to include more community places and partners. This year illustrated the great potential we have to provide meaningful learning experiences for our children when families, children, schools and community members work together.”

Webinar presenter Natalia Parker, a founder of and the current Director at Discovery Lab of Ellensburg, has worked with children and families in varying capacities for the past 20 years. After graduating with degrees in Psychology and Infant Mental Health, Natalia worked in various roles educating and supporting caregivers, children and students in grades Kindergarten through Post-Secondary. Currently, in her role at Discovery Lab she works to support meaningful and engaging teaching and learning practices that best support healthy child development. When she isn’t at work she loves to be outside exploring the beautiful area we live in.

Check out our website to learn more about the KVH Childbirth & Family Education Program.

Helping Your Young Child Transition to School in the Pandemic

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Contributor: Dr. Elise Herman, KVH Pediatrics

The start of school this year may be a bigger transition than usual for young students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For many young kids, education last year was largely done remotely, and for some this school year may be their first time doing in-person learning.

That ‘in-person learning’ will look different due to the pandemic. Desks will be spread out and masks will be worn. Given how important reading facial expressions is, kids may feel a bit uncertain about masked interactions with teachers and friends especially if they have not had to do this much before.

Parents may have worries about their child’s health and have other pandemic stressors related to jobs, financial issues, and the well-being of family members. Some families may have lost loved ones due to COVID-19, and for all of us these past 18 months have been difficult and isolating. Children may pick up on their parents’ worries and feel more stressed themselves.

Many kids have been home with their parents and few others during this time, so may experience separation anxiety when faced with going to school in September. This is in addition to the significant increase in childhood anxiety and depression already noted due to the pandemic.

Parents can help their child by doing the following:

  • Be calm and positive about going to school. Let them know you trust the teachers and school staff to take good care of them. Masking and distancing (as well as vaccinating when age-appropriate) are things we can all do to keep others healthy as well.
  • Get to know your child’s school a bit now. Go to the playground, check out the equipment, walk around the school grounds, and snap some photos. Look up the school on-line. Seeing a photo of your child’s teacher and the school will make things easier. According to Lincoln Elementary principal JoAnne Duncan, local students will receive a “welcome letter” in August with important school information. Parents are encouraged to call the school office if they have any further questions.
  • Summer learning, art classes, playdates, and camp programs help your child feel more comfortable interacting with others and being away from you. As we all know, social skills were lost by people of all ages during the pandemic, and we need a little practice to regain those skills.
  • Get back into the public library again, read daily with your child, show your enthusiasm for learning. Making it a habit to go once a week to the library speaks volumes to a child.
  • Start working now towards that early morning wake-up time. Kids should get 9-12 hours of sleep a night; less than that can impact learning and behavior.
  • Establish good routines for eating and exercise. Many children ate unhealthfully and gained extra weight during the pandemic. Getting back to good eating habits and family meals helps kids (and adults) feel better. Regular exercise (especially outside) helps fitness, mood, sleep, and learning—good for the whole family!

Knowing that there are things you can do to help your child with the transition to school especially in view of the pandemic should make this milestone feel less overwhelming and more positive.