Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



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Lisbet
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Posted: Aug 10 2010 at 2:49pm | IP Logged Quote Lisbet

I have a daughter that is struggling with this, especially in the summer heat. We attend daily mass in a church that has no air conditioning and very little air movement. It is very hot and stuffy, I've felt faint myself a time or two. Mass begins at noon, and I give them all a snack at 10:45, just before we are to begin our fast. I have tried giving her a little extra, some protein, some juice, etc... I've also used a wet paper towel for her to wipe her face and such. She still gets faint, and I end up taking her outside, where it is not much cooler, but there is more air flow, and she perks up.

Anyone have any other ideas for this? I am beginning to think we may have to give up daily mass while it is so hot out, both for her and myself. Unless I figure out the trick to keeping her color, I think this is what we will have to do.


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Kath
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Posted: Aug 10 2010 at 2:53pm | IP Logged Quote Kath

Oh, I feel for her! I had the same problem when I was 11/12 years old. It happened to me in church a few times, often in the shower--always when I was too warm. I never found a solution, but did grow out of it. I hope you can find something that works!

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Fuzzy
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Posted: Aug 10 2010 at 3:29pm | IP Logged Quote Fuzzy

Maybe some water to keep her from getting so hot?

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mwittlans
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Posted: Aug 10 2010 at 4:00pm | IP Logged Quote mwittlans

I have a daughter who does the same thing still at 16. You may want to have her checked by a doctor to see if she is hypoglycemic. While the rest of us fast, I do have this child eat some protein 1/2 before leaving for Mass. Maybe even some juice in the car. You can ask your priest if you're concerned about the fast but I was told that it's okay for a medical need. Blessings, Maureen :)
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JodieLyn
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Posted: Aug 10 2010 at 4:19pm | IP Logged Quote JodieLyn

Low blood pressure can be another reason for this.. especially if she feels most faint when standing.. getting enough fluids might help.. you can check but I'm pretty sure that water, juice, etc aren't included in the fast.

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Angie Mc
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Posted: Aug 10 2010 at 4:58pm | IP Logged Quote Angie Mc

Make sure she isn't locking her knees while she stands. Bend them slightly. This increases circulation.

If she is showing signs of hypoglycemia, a piece of candy may help.

At that age, I know that she doesn't want to draw attention to herself, but be sure to encourage her to sit as a preventive measure, to hopefully help her feel better and avoid falling while standing.

Find the coolest or airiest space and sit there. When it is hot, we sit under a fan.

Lisa, I'm sorry for your worry and I'm very empathetic. I've struggled with this, as has my dd.

Love,

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JennGM
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Posted: Aug 10 2010 at 6:44pm | IP Logged Quote JennGM

Oh, my one sister had this happen so often. I guess she has outgrown it, but not before some "grand spectacles".

All the advice is just what we did. How about supplying her with a handheld fan (old fashioned hand powered kind ) that can be carried in her pocket. And have her recognize the signs, fan herself, sit down, put her head between her knees.

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Pilgrim
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Posted: Aug 12 2010 at 5:36pm | IP Logged Quote Pilgrim

Another idea, we bought these bandana things that help keep you cool, you wear them around your neck. Thay have polymers(like a disposable diaper) in them that keep the bandana wet, and they dry out over time and are reusable. It stays wet/cool longer than a wet cloth or paper towel. Wet and cool on the neck over the arteries, and over the wrists is supposed to help one cool down more quickly when over/heating.

Cooling Bandanas Here is a link on Amazon or there were others if you do a search for "neck cooling bandanas".

An idea I saw in a review was to stick it in the fridge after soaking and before wearing, you could even have it in a cooler until right before Mass.

We used these when I was pregnant on a trip Out West, with temps over 100 degrees F.

The suggestion to have her sit when she starts fading is good too, it really helped me when I started to overheat last Sunday. Also, for such a situation having some cool water in a discreat bottle for these hot months there to help her cool off might be a good idea. We never take water or snacks for our kids either, but for a medical reason I would do so, just for small sips to help make it through Mass.

Praying you can find something that works so you can continue Daily Mass. I wish we lived close enough to go to daily Mass(our church is an hour and a hlaf away ), but we are at least grateful for such a wonderful Mass on Sundays and Holy Days.

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Teachin'Mine2
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Posted: Aug 13 2010 at 11:10am | IP Logged Quote Teachin'Mine2

I love daily Mass, but you need to care for their physical needs as well as their spiritual.   Either find a church with a/c, or have prayer time at home instead.    God understands! It's not healthy for either of you to be so hot as to be about to faint.   This is a serious heat wave that we're in - stay healthy!!!   JMO

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CrunchyMom
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Posted: Aug 13 2010 at 12:32pm | IP Logged Quote CrunchyMom

If you think it is food related, as in, a snack just before mass starts might help, you could just have your daughter abstain from going forward to receive during these hot months.

However, it really sounds like its not the lack of food but the air circulation. You might try an old fashioned fan. People used these all the time in churches and theaters prior to air conditioning. Just being able to effectively keep the air circulating around her face might help.

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MrsM
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Posted: Aug 17 2010 at 9:37am | IP Logged Quote MrsM

My oldest struggles with this, too. One thing that has helped is to give her space in the pew. She sits on the end, and no one sits too close to her. Since she gets anxious about it happening (which I think contibutes to the faint feeling), we work on staying calm, not panicking if she starts to feel bad. She seems to be growing out of it, but it's always been worse in the hot summer months.    to you and your dd!

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Posted: Aug 17 2010 at 10:50am | IP Logged Quote Christine

My oldest fainted, during Mass, until the doctor found that she was anemic. The doctor told us to give her vitamins that contain a certain percentage of iron. It helped; she no longer faints.

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Posted: Aug 17 2010 at 4:38pm | IP Logged Quote Belle

My mother is a chronic fainter in crowded churches. (Especially during hot weather.) Both Christmas and Easter services are still during quite hot weather here in Australia.   When my mum was still living at home, during the very warm weather or during advent, the Parish priest actually came to my Nans home and gave a mass service for the family. (Of course that was 40 years ago and he was a very old fashioned kind of Priest who did make house calls on a regular basis to parish families.)

But maybe you could ask around and see if there is a Priest in your area willing to do something similar?

Now mum just avoids church during Christmas and Easter. The rest of the time she makes sure she sits near a door way or window. That way if necessary she can duck out for a bit of air without disturbing the congregation.
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