-
CLDN was formed out of a concern over the number of children infected with Lyme Disease
The Children’s Lyme Disease Network (CLDN) was launched in May 2011 with the sole purpose of focusing attention on the impact and prevalence of Lyme Disease and other tick-borne infections in children. The all-volunteer organization was formed out of a concern over the growing number of children becoming infected with Lyme Disease and the challenges families face in getting a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Promote awareness and provide educational outreach
Our mission is to promote awareness and provide educational outreach to parents, caregivers, health care providers, and organizations that interact regularly with children, particularly those in the age group most at-risk of becoming infected.
We hope to serve as a centralized resource site that addresses the specific needs families face who have, or suspect they may have a child with Lyme Disease or another tick-borne infection.
-
-
Our Journey
Our team of volunteers includes parents, caregivers and family members who have had a child with Lyme Disease and have struggled in their journey to find a diagnosis and proper treatment. Our kids range in age from toddlers to college-aged.
For many of us, the symptoms were not apparent enough to suggest Lyme Disease. We never saw a rash or a tick. And as a result, our child wasn’t diagnosed properly. Treatment was delayed, making recovery longer and harder.
We spent countless hours trying to understand the sudden, unexplainable and odd symptoms our children began exhibiting. A child who was once active and outgoing became withdrawn and fatigued. A child once happy and easygoing became angry and impatient. In our quest for answers, we often took our children to numerous specialists, receiving different diagnoses and treatment options. We took to the Internet, gathering information from websites, articles and online forums. We often pieced together bits of information, trying to determine the best course of action.We know how stressful life can be for parents or caregivers juggling multiple responsibilities; and, even more so when your child is sick. We’ve been there. Educating yourself, trying to make sense out of a confusing myriad of symptoms, in the midst of the medical crisis, can be overwhelming.
We hope the Network will provide valuable information, support, and guidance.
-
Why Are We Doing This?
- Because watching our child, too sick to enjoy memorable events (like attending proms or playing in baseball games) as they struggled with an infection caused by a tiny tick, has been heartbreaking.
- Because every child should have the right to be a kid and enjoy the outdoors without the threat of an insect, the size of pinhead, making them extremely sick.
- Because our children shouldn’t have to travel endless hours or across the states to find a doctor who is adequately trained to treat them.
- Because a young child should never limp in discomfort from swollen knees or joint pain.
- Because a child should never be anchored to their bed, too exhausted by fatigue to enjoy their friends.
- Because every child should have the right to receive proper medical treatment without worrying whether insurance will pay for it.
- Because with an infectious disease that so greatly impacts children and is growing at alarming rates, there needs to be more funding.
- Because we want other parents to know that Lyme Disease is a very real threat.
- Because all parents should know what we never knew.
- Because, most importantly, we don’t want any more children knocked down by this disease when it could have been prevented.
Thank you to our sponsor: CauseRoar, a full-service web development and digital marketing agency, specializing in the healthcare and nonprofit sectors.
