Mar 2, 2026
What happens when Lyme disease steals a child’s health and a family’s sense of normal?
In this powerful episode of the Love, Hope, Lyme Podcast, Fred Diamond speaks with Dr. Somer Delsignore, CEO and Founder of Hudson Valley Integrative Health and a member of International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), about the hidden realities of pediatric Lyme disease.
Dr. Somer specializes in neuro-immune conditions in children and adolescents, uncovering root causes behind complex autoimmune and psychiatric symptoms related to tick-borne illness. Together, Fred and Dr. Somer explore what no one tells parents at diagnosis — including:
Why the Lyme journey is rarely linear
The guilt many parents carry — and why it’s misplaced
Gaslighting, medical trauma, and rebuilding trust
The emotional toll of identity loss and grief in chronic illness
How schools can better support children with fluctuating symptoms
Navigating family dynamics when others “don’t see” the illness
Realistic hope vs. toxic positivity
Dr. Somer also shares insights on congenital Lyme, teenage independence during chronic illness, caregiver burnout, and how small wins become powerful milestones in long-term healing.
This episode is especially important for parents of children and teens with Lyme disease — but it will resonate with any caregiver navigating chronic illness.
As Dr. Somer reminds us, “Hope isn’t toxic positivity. Stability is success.”
If you or someone you love is walking this road, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and grounded hope.
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Order "Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know" on Amazon. The PDF is always free. Contact Fred Diamond on Facebook or LinkedIn.