Where can I find an au pair?

[J30_D]

HI there. my son Andrew who is 2 turning 3 has been diagnosed with generalised epilepsy and has started the ketogenic diet which is hectic but I am told well worth it so trying to keep focused and positive. Come 6 Jan my husband and I go back to our full time jobs and so I need to find an au pair to assist us. Can anyone point me in the right direction of where to start looking?

[besterliz]

Hey there, i am nearly 35 years old now, but were diagnosed with focal epilepsy since 4 years old, they also had me on the ketogenic diet when i were younger. The only advice i can give you as working parents is, just stay positive and believe that it will improve his epilepsy. Try to get somebody to stay with him as a babysitter, since he is still young, but by putting him in a creche, so young is not ideal but obviously if needs be that is the only option. Just explain to the teacher that this is the situation. My parents also put me in the creche, and i really enjoyed it to be around other people/children, it helps to develop ones social skills as well. I had one very close friend, which knew my situation, and that i had epilepsy, and she looked good after me and really took good care of me. Don't try to overprotect him, because in the long run it is not beneficial for the child, talking from my point of view, that still has epilepsy as a 35 year old lady. I had 2 major brain operations because my epilepsy were so bad when i turned 21, but in general pills and medicine is very good for one. I'm still on lots of pills which keeps me stabilized. There is hope in the end of the tunnel. I have been stabilised for 6 months now, and am very grateful for that. Good luck! Hope you do get a very good person to look after your precious son. Just the best. Regards Lizelle Bester

[J30_D in reply to besterliz]

Thanks Lizelle. Shew sounds like you have been through a lot. All that I pray for every day is that I don't lose the beautiful child he was before all these seizures started as I read parents stories where now their child is brain damaged because of all the seizures and there is no turning back the clock. I know I am anticpiating and fearing the worst, think it's because I have a mentally handicapped sister who was born handicapped, but don't want to have to go through what my parents have and are going through with her now. The meds he's on is also making him droopy eyed and drowsy which I hate, but I have no choice, that is why I am doing the keto diet with him and praying after 2 years we can get him off his meds and he will be seizure free, but it's not a guarantee. I've got him down at a playschool for next year and hoping they will be accepting of him and assisting with managing the diet, if not I don't know what we will do...