This makes her very susceptible to getting severely sick. She is a regular at Inova Fairfax Children's Hospital, where she has an excellent medical team.
Alyssa is in the highest risk group for the coronavirus because of her extremely compromised immune system. Her temperature is checked three times a day, and her doctors call in at least a couple of times a week. As much as Alyssa's mother tries to arm her daughter with encouragement, Jennings says"most kids think she's making it up or being 'a little extra,' as they say."
"It's important for kids to 'walk it out' as I say, for them to feel they have a voice. Sometimes we are so busy adulting we don't have time to hear what they're saying. And the news is constantly talking about the struggles of adults, the frustration around homeschooling, not what the kids are going through," Jennings says.
Another girl has become fascinated with her parents' record player and album set she recently discovered. "The fact that this is virtual has given Alyssa more courage to speak up about her own experience," Jennings says."She wants to inspire hope."