re: chronically sick toddler

Quoting Bubba Monster's Mommy:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Ellie.:</b>" My SIL's kids are always sick too. Turns out their ... [snip!] ... a possibility?"</blockquote> We rent an apartment so that is definitely a possibility. Can I get the to test for it?"

I'm sorry. i don't know off the top of my head but I'll ask

It's unlikely you'd get probiotics from the doctor especially since it's his treatment in the past that can cause these problems to recur. They generally like to treat illness rather than promote good health (which is what probiotics also do). The type you're looking for will be found in the fridge section of health food stores or the medical bit in wholefoods or similar places, and they should have 100 million plus bacteria. There are a few books on alternatives to antibiotics that are good, i'll add the names next time i'm on as my minds drawing a blank just now. Another good place to look would be the mothering.com forums.

Quoting Bubba Monster's Mommy:" Ok ladies, I need some advice. Before my son turned two he had ear infections every 4-6 weeks. We had ... [snip!] ... stop rushing and give me a real damn answer and run some tests? What could this be if you've had some experiences like this?"

Is he in daycare?

<blockquote><b>Quoting TheNuge:</b>" Is he in daycare?"</blockquote>




Nope. I'm a SAHM.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Mama*AtoZ:</b>" It's unlikely you'd get probiotics from the doctor especially since it's his treatment in the past that ... [snip!] ... the names next time i'm on as my minds drawing a blank just now. Another good place to look would be the mothering.com forums."</blockquote>




Ok. My mom said something about acididophilus (sp?) milk. Would that help?

Quoting Bubba Monster's Mommy:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Mama*AtoZ:</b>" It's unlikely you'd get probiotics from the ... [snip!] ... be the mothering.com forums."</blockquote> Ok. My mom said something about acididophilus (sp?) milk. Would that help?"

She might mean the little probiotic drinks? I would avoid them, they're high in sugar and i believe most of those probiotics are destroyed before they even reach the gut.

The ones we've used are biocare. You spinkle a little powder in water or food. There are foods that help the gut too (which is where a lot of the immune system is and what helps to stop these infections). I'll see if i can link you some threads that might be helpful

<blockquote><b>Quoting Mama*AtoZ:</b>" She might mean the little probiotic drinks? I would avoid them, they're high in sugar and i believe ... [snip!] ... of the immune system is and what helps to stop these infections). I'll see if i can link you some threads that might be helpful"</blockquote>



That'd be great. Can I give those to him even though he's only 2 1/2? They have some probiotics geared for kids but they're expensive!

Quoting Bubba Monster's Mommy:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Mama*AtoZ:</b>" She might mean the little probiotic drinks? ... [snip!] ... be great. Can I give those to him even though he's only 2 1/2? They have some probiotics geared for kids but they're expensive!"

Yeh they are expensive, but medical treatment and drugs and your child being in poor health, miserable and in pain is costly in lots of ways too!
Natural live yoghurt is a cheap simple thing that has probiotics and is good for this (if he doesn't have a dairy intolerance). Just one bottle of powder (they are suitable from infant age, but it'd be the next stage up you'd get now) could be enough to get things better again and then it could be an occasional thing so it would be lots cheaper.

Here;s some info, it gives the general idea


Gut Damage from Antibiotics Persists for Long Periods of Time


The Journal Microbiology reports that the generally acknowledged precept that use of antibiotics only causes disruption of the gut flora for a few weeks is highly flawed.
Gut flora does not quickly return to normal after a round of antibiotics.
Even a short course of antibiotics can lead to resistant bacterial populations taking up residence in the gut that persists for up to 4 years – maybe even longer.
As a result, researchers are urging prudence and restraint in the use of antibiotics in order to prevent treatment failure for patients that have resistant bacterial populations still residing in their intestines from previous courses of antibiotics.
What this means is that taking antibiotics today for an illness that is not life threatening may in fact lead to a growth of superbugs in your gut that could actually threaten your life down the road and prevent antibiotics from working for you when you desperately need it.
Could Damage to Gut Flora Be Permanant?


Dr. Martin Blaser MD of New York University’s Langone Medical Center who writes in the August 2011 edition of Nature, has this to say about damage to gut flora from antibiotics:

Early evidence from my lab and others hints that, sometimes, our friendly flora never fully recover. These long-term changes to the beneficial bacteria within people’s bodies may even increase our susceptibility to infections and disease. Overuse of antibiotics could be fueling the dramatic increase in conditions such as obesity, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, allergies and asthma, which have more than doubled in many populations.

As evidence, Blaser goes on to say that infections with H. pylori, the bacterial cause of ulcers, has plummeted in recent years. H. pylori, as it turns out, is very susceptible to the same broad spectrum antibiotics used to treat children’s ear infections and colds which are doled out without much thought at most pediatrician offices.
Shockingly, the majority of children routinely receive up to 20 courses of antibiotics before the age of 18. In addition, between one third and one half of pregnant women receive antibiotics during pregnancy. The high C-section rate is also a contributing factor as surgical birth negatively affects the composition of gut flora in children as they completely miss out on exposure to Mom’s friendly bacteria as they travel through the birth canal.
This is a lot of antibiotic exposure for our younger generations and the implications for those children who don’t acquire H. pylori due to excessive antibiotics appear to be dramatic with a higher risk for both allergies and asthma.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Mama*AtoZ:</b>" As evidence, Blaser goes on to say that infections with H. pylori, the bacterial cause of ulcers, has ... [snip!] ... don’t acquire H. pylori due to excessive antibiotics appear to be dramatic with a higher risk for both allergies and asthma."</blockquote>




Thank you. And he eats yogurt but not enough to really help I guess. I'll look at the probiotics. Will whole foods have it or should I just go to the vitamin shoppe instead?

that sounds alot like my brothers and me when we were younger. we were all born with an immune deficiency and alot of our problems had to do with our environment also. we lived in a bad part of ohio in the city and alot of air problems and pollution. we were so sick all the time, that's actually why we moved to south carolina. my middle brother was going to have to have multiple surgeries on his sinuses starting when he was only five. my youngest brother had back to back ear infections and had multiple sets of tubes put in his ears from an extremely early age. i've had mono six times and when i lived in ohio, i had to have immunoglobulin (sp?) transfusions every three weeks, and both of my brothers were in and out of the hospital constantly with pneumonia. we also all three had asthma and had to have breathing treatments done every single day.
we tried vitamins, we tried medicines, we tried everything. honestly, nothing helped until we moved to the south. my entire family was immediately more healthy.

that's probably no help to you, but i know how you feel and i know the frustration.

Quoting Bubba Monster's Mommy:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Mama*AtoZ:</b>" As evidence, Blaser goes on to say that infections ... [snip!] ... really help I guess. I'll look at the probiotics. Will whole foods have it or should I just go to the vitamin shoppe instead?"

It has to be natural live yoghurt, ie pure yoghurt with live cultures in it rather than processed ones with sugars. A tablespoon a day would help.

What Mama A-Z said....change his diet too.

Mainly unprocessed foods...extra virgin unrefined coconut oil too!!

Add lots of fresh garlic to his diet.. I used to get strep a couple times a year...then I changed up my diet...The biggest impact on the immune system is nutrition...and then the antibiotics strip all of the good /important bacteria from your gut on top of it  
I cured my son's ear infections with a homemade garlic/coconut oil paste.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Kimber's Mommy:</b>" that sounds alot like my brothers and me when we were younger. we were all born with an immune deficiency ... [snip!] ... family was immediately more healthy. that's probably no help to you, but i know how you feel and i know the frustration."</blockquote>




We already live in the south. Lol.

But yes, it's very frustrating to not know why it's happening.

Quoting Bubba Monster's Mommy:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Kimber's Mommy:</b>" that sounds alot like my brothers and me ... [snip!] ... We already live in the south. Lol. But yes, it's very frustrating to not know why it's happening."

yeah but that was only part of it. lol. we had to get out of the city also. we lived near a BP plant and everything. it was pretty terrible. moved to a small town in south carolina and it got better immediately.

And he does have strep again. And I was told they'd check his chart to see if he meet the requirements to see a specialist.

I'm so beyond frustrated. I'm looking for a new doctor and hoping he gets the referral. He's had way too many antibiotics.