The following was published as part of my “Teachable Moments” blog series for ProMedica HealthConnect.

We humans are naturally social creatures. We gather, embrace and share. Unfortunately, we often share our germs. Germs are everywhere, and as a result, the parents of medically fragile children often limit their children’s interactions and essentially self-quarantine.

We do it for good reasons; the next-door neighbor’s minor cough and sniffle can quickly turn to pneumonia and a prolonged hospitalization for a medically fragile child. Hospitalizations can lead to additional infections and life-threatening illnesses. It might seem like an exaggeration, but in our homes, it’s the reality. Isolation is necessary for our children, but it causes them to miss out on parts of the human experience.

Read more at ProMedicaHealthConnect.org.