Here's a great way to introduce CVS to your childs new teacher.
Dear Teacher,
Congratulations! You have been blessed with having a child in your class this year who has a rare medical condition called Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome. These kids are amazingly strong and can accomplish many things! These students are hardworking, fun and a pleasure to have in class. However you might notice that they are out sick more than most. As any caring teacher, you might feel concerned about why they are out so much and what you can do to help. GOOD NEWS there is SOMETHING you can do to help!
Let me share with you a little about what CVS (as its commonly referred to as). This condition effect 2% of children. Chances are there are, you've had other students with it before and never known it. Thankfully more and more children are being correctly diagnosed each year. Many of them are just written off as having weak stomachs, or thought of as the kids who get the tummy bug over and over again. It's not uncommon for a CVS child to have other conditions such as Mitochondrial disease, Autism, and Anxiety disorders which frequently get thought of as the cause of the vomiting.
CVS does involve throwing up but is very different from viral illnesses. CVS is actually a MIGRAINE VARIANT, which means it is actually triggered in the brain and not in the stomach. During the vomiting the child is often very sensitive to light and sound, as well an intense retching long after the content of the stomach has been emptied. When these kids throw up it typically is more than 6x an hour for multiple hours, days or even weeks. They frequently require Emergency Room treatment or hospital admission several times a year (on average 3-4 times).
Many children begin an episode in the early morning hours, so you may never actually see one yourself. Other children do get sick during the day, so it's key that you are aware of the signs, triggers and what to do when you spot them. OPEN COMMUNICATION with us is key prevention. Please feel free to send an email, text or note home if you notice any of the triggers throughout the day. This will help the us give pretreatment medications that could spare the student another hospital admission.
The best TREATMENT for CVS is a team approach in managing trigger (commonly excitement is a big trigger for most). Since children spend approximately 30 hours a week at school, your role is very important. I promise you that we will do everything we can at home to support a healthy lifestyle and to encourage learning. My child is amazingly strong and is so much more than their medical condition. I look forward to a wonderful school year ahead! Together we can ensure that this will be the best school year yet!
Sincerely,
CVS Parents Everywhere.
For more information about CVS please go to: CVSAonline.org
Hope Starts Here
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