From school closings to parents suddenly working from home, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has drastically changed Illinois families’ way of life over the last two months.
To help children express themselves and record their experiences during the Stay at Home Order, we’ve created our own COVID-19 Memory Book that families can print out and complete.
The book includes an “About Me” section for children and youth to fill out as well as their favorite ways to stay busy, what they are thankful for, how they’ve stayed connected with others and a list of celebrations that happened during social distancing. There’s also a page for children to fill out if they celebrated a birthday during the pandemic.
The back page includes information about how to access our COVID-19 Resource Directory, where you can find more at-home learning opportunities and activity resources.
Click on the COVID-19 Memory Book link to print the PDF.
The book is also available in Spanish.
Mandy Nicolaides thought her son may never speak.
At 3 years old, he could say less than five intelligible words, she recalled.
Eldon knew what he wanted to say. The message from his brain wasn’t connecting with his mouth muscles to make the right sounds.
Eldon was diagnosed with childhood apraxia of speech. It’s a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult for a child to plan the right mouth movements for speech.
With the right speech therapy, Eldon has flourished and is now able to speak full sentences at 4 years old.
Apraxia is one of the most severe childhood speech and communication disorders. Yet, it is often misunderstood or unfamiliar to the general public. Mandy is now working to raise awareness and share Eldon’s story.
Mandy petitioned the city councils in Bloomington and Normal to declare May 14 Apraxia Awareness Day in their communities. McLean County will also make a proclamation for Apraxia Awareness Month in May. May is also Better Hearing and Speech Month.
Read more about Eldon's journey with apraxia and Mandy's advocacy on our website.
DSCC Family Spreads Easter Joy to Hospitalized Children
Andrea Stambaugh vividly recalls the disappointment she felt when her son, Axel Johnson, was in the pediatric intensive care unit on Easter weekend 2018.
There would be no coloring eggs, Easter egg hunts, or other favorite family celebrations.
“I was feeling like a failure because I didn’t have an Easter basket beautifully wrapped and thoughtfully hidden here for Axel to see on Easter morning,” Andrea wrote on her Facebook page, Axel’s Journey With CMV. “Then, as the lights turned down in the hallway and it grew quiet, I heard a family in the hallway praying. Praying not for Easter baskets and a chance to color eggs, but for life.”
The moment immediately changed her perspective. Andrea vowed to offer love and support to such families who can’t be home making memories with their children.
For the last two years, the Johnsons have collected donations to fill Easter baskets for hospitalized children. Despite unexpected challenges from the coronavirus outbreak, the family surpassed this year’s goal and delivered 160 Easter baskets to Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield.
Read more about the Johnson family's impressive donation on our website.
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