A.L. asks from Oxford, OH on April 04, 2008
GERD And Antibiotics
Hi everyone! My 6-year old son has reflux (GERD) and he's now on antibiotics for strep. The last time he was on antibiotics, his GERD issues seemed to get worse. This makes some sense to me, but that doesn't make it true! So I have two questions: First, are antibiotics harder on people with GERD...so that they have to be careful to replace the "good" bacteria in their stomachs afterwards? Second, what are your favorite kid-friendly ways to do "probiotics"? I know about active yogurt, but I don't really know about anything else. If you mention a store, please also mention the city...I think this list goes to a pretty wide area.
Thanks for all your good advice on these questions and all the questions posed by others. You-all rock!
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T.S. answers from Fort Wayne on April 06, 2008
Hi A.,
My daughter also has GERD. She was diagnosed as a newborn. Anyway, I have never had a problem with her and antibiotics. Other than the fact that it is very hard for her to swallow pills. I have to crush them up. (oh, my daughter is 7 now.) But, she is also on Prevacid. Which I hated the idea of putting her on medicine. But everytime we went somewhere, it seemed that she would start gagging/throwing up. She hasn't gagged or thrown up since the medicine. I hope that this helps. Good luck.
T.
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A.W. answers from Columbus on April 05, 2008
I give my 3 kids a chewable probiotic called UDO's Choice. I like this one b/c it has the bacteria in it to help avoid strep! You can get this at Whole Foods. Adults can take it too:) I also see a MD at OSU that practices Integrative Medicine. He told me to increase magnesium to help with reflux. Not sure if there is a magnesium supplement specifically aimed at children, but there might be....I would ask at Whole Foods.
B.R. answers from Columbus on April 05, 2008
Here are some brands to check out. Their websites are just the brand name dot com:
Culturelle, Florastor, Jarrow (Jarrow-dophilus, Fem-dophilus), Theralac
T.D. answers from Indianapolis on April 05, 2008
First, no one should use antibiotics. But if that is what you choose, get A & B biotropins from www.danielchapterone.com using affiliate code 122. It is a powder form of probiotics that you can put in milk, juice, and so on. It will replace the good bacteria.
You might also consider a good homeopath. You son could get SO MUCH good out of treatment.
L.M. answers from Cleveland on April 05, 2008
Because of the antibiotic use, I would highly recommend Culturelle, Vitacost.com has it for one of the best prices. They also sell chewable forms of probiotics that taste good, but are nowhere near as effective as the culturelle. If your son doesn't want to swallow the capsule you can open it and mix it in something like applesauce, or put it in a couple ounces of a drink he likes (nothing hot) I would definitly keep it on hand for use while on antiobiotics. You could probably get away with using a cheaper chewable as a daily choice.
M.S. answers from Cincinnati on April 08, 2008
i am 29 and i have gerd, i don't have any issues with antibiotics. i take prilosec everyday though.
T.S. answers from Fort Wayne on April 06, 2008
Hi A.,
My daughter also has GERD. She was diagnosed as a newborn. Anyway, I have never had a problem with her and antibiotics. Other than the fact that it is very hard for her to swallow pills. I have to crush them up. (oh, my daughter is 7 now.) But, she is also on Prevacid. Which I hated the idea of putting her on medicine. But everytime we went somewhere, it seemed that she would start gagging/throwing up. She hasn't gagged or thrown up since the medicine. I hope that this helps. Good luck.
T.
E.W. answers from Cleveland on April 05, 2008
YOu can buy culturelle at the drug store. It is a capsule you can open. I would mix it with my daughter's apple sauce or just swallow the pill. WHile taking antibiotics take 2 a day but do not take them at the time of the antibiotic. It just cancels the culturelle out. So if you give the anitbiotic at morning and night take a culterelle with lunch and at after school. I take this along with 2 of kids once a day everyday. Have you ever seen an osteopath doctor? Look at these websites for Osteomed II and Integrative Wellness. They are both in the CLeveland area.
C.W. answers from Indianapolis on April 04, 2008
You can go to any "health/natural" food stores and ask them about their kids stuff. They make probiotics for kids. The one I go to in Avon is family owned and the one owner knows alot and he says kids could even take the adult ones as long as it's a vegetable one. I would try a store like that rather than any walgreens or cvs type places.
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