Regina mom has school worries over immunocompromised son

You could almost hear the cheers ring out from parents across the province on Tuesday when the provincial government announced schools would resume in-person classes in the fall.

However, some parents are looking at that announcement with some trepidation.

Laura Laird said a little of everything went through her head when she heard schools would open back up.

“From relief to full panic,” she said.

Laird’s nine-year-old son, Deacan, has an autoimmune disorder called VKH, so with some of the medication he has to take, his immune system is compromised. That leaves Laird worried about him going back to school when COVID-19 is still around.

“He is in a school that essentially was designed for 300 with 600 children in it and only two washrooms per gender,” Laird said. “So that does bring to mind, you know, how are they going to keep all the kids safe, especially children with compromised immunity as (her son) is by far not the only one in that school in addition to teachers as well.”

Education Minister Gord Wyant made the announcement this week, but couldn’t give many details about what guidelines and procedures will be in schools, saying it will depend on what virus transmission is like at the time. That leaves Laird with a lot of questions.

“When they go outside and do recess, it brings to mind how are they going to manage with all the kids washing hands? Will parents send kids to school that are ill, just due to the fact that child care is hard to come by at the best of times, never mind if you have an ill child?” she said.

Laird has some ideas of what she’d like to see in the school: A handwashing station in each classroom so when kids come inside they can wash up right away.

She’d also like to see a policy where kids who are sick are sent home right away. She said the teachers were pretty good about that already.

On Tuesday, Wyant said continuing with some sort of online learning could be an option for parents who are worried about their kids going back to school. But Laird said something like that could be difficult.

Deacan is in French immersion classes and Laird doesn’t speak French herself, so helping and teaching him at home over the last three months has been difficult. She also pointed out that she’s going to have to go back to work at some point.

“Obviously it has crossed our mind, maybe, to pull him out and put him in English but it’s also an opportunity I don’t want taken away from him simply because of compromised immunity,” said Laird.

Laird does have a foot in the “excited” camp for school. She has another child, a four-year-old, and he loves school and is excited to be able to go back in September. But even that creates some worries for her household.

“What is he going to bring home as well? What is he going to be exposed to? He’s four years old (and) not as diligent about the handwashing yet as my other child,” Laird said.

Deacan said it’s a little scary going back to school in the fall. He said it’s a little easier doing his work at home, not having to sit in a desk all day. But he also misses his friends.

Laird said she had called the education minister’s office to ask some questions and relay her concerns but, as of Thursday morning, hadn’t heard back yet.