Please Help Me I Have a 16 Month Old That Is Sick ALL the Time.

My daughter was exactly the same way from age 1 to age 3. She was also a NICU baby. She was sick and on some kind of medication every 3-4 weeks. It was awful. We moved to a different state right before her 3rd birthday, and she hasn't been sick very often at all since then. (Pink eye once, and an ear infection once - and then normal things like colds every once and awhile). As far as the rash goes, my daughter has mild psoriasis... have the doctors considered that? Hope everything goes well!

You poor Mama! Such a difficult time with your precious daughter. I have a few thoughts. Let me preface this by saying that some of my children have never been sick (other than something mild like a cold) or had any antibiotics ever (maybe 1 has had antibiotics out of 6 children-none of us have had any in at least 10 years). We've had a few ear infections, but we handle them differently than most people (and it works). And, while I think you are doing very good by finding out about her allergies (celiac, dairy), I think there are other things you should consider as well.
1. Take her to a chiropractor right away. They help with all sorts of illnesses/ear infections (this is what we do for ear infections, and it clears up right away every time). Your chiropractor will help restore health. Her early life events most probably caused her to be very much out of alignment, which is the root cause of many illnesses. Take her as soon as possible, even today if you can.
2. Avoid all sugar in her diet. This includes juice and white breads/rice/pasta. One tsp of sugar supresses your immune system for 6 hours. Seriously. It is a poison, and your daughter needs all the health she can get.
3. Do you vaccinate? Some vaccinations can cause issues within the gut, where our immune system functions from. They also can cause poor nutritional absorbtion. If you have never studied this issue, please do so. Dr. Sherry Tenpenny is an excellent resource. PM me if you want more info and links. I would be happy to help you with that.
4. Utilize homeopathy, essential oils, and herbal tinctures for healing. They will not do the damage that antibiotics do. If you want more info on that, one really good book that I use most often is Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Balch and Balch.
Those are the first four things that popped into my head when I read your post. Feel free to message me if you have any questions or would like further info. Hang in there.

The reason she has been sick all these times is BECAUSE of the antibiotics she has been on. I know it seems important to give them that for various reasons but you have to figure out how to get the good bacteria back in her little body so her immune system can start fighting off these illnesses. Get with a nutritionist and figure out a good probiotic for her.

Antibiotics do their job of stripping the body off everything, even the good stuff, the body then has no protection from illness and bacteria and it runs rampant creating more problems, and doctors treat this with more antibiotics, then the cycle starts again. Temporarily antibiotics are a good, quick easy fix, but they are bad in that way too.

You could try special yogurts, but it sounds like she needs some serious pill form to get her started back to being healthy

This happened to my grandson. Sick all the time. His gut was ruined with antibiotics, Tylenol, and vaccinations.I would suggest like some of the others...probiotics, no sugar, and no vaccinations until you get her immune system built up. Clean up the environment around her, even what you wash her clothes and bottles in. Go green. Whole Foods has hair, bath , and lotions that are free of chemicals. It might sound a little overboard, but this helped my grandson tremendously. Oh yeah, please watch if you do probiotics as some do contain milk. My granddaughter has milk allergies and the first one they put her on contained milk. She is one year and takes Culterelle without milk. Your doctor should be able to suggest one. Good luck!

I am so sorry, it must be very difficult for all of you, I hope a diagnosis and cure comes swiftly! I have no advice either, though I am wondering if they have done immune deficiency tests. Just here to say that I hope you have a good support system so you all can get some rest. It sounds like her Dr.s are trying all they can think of. Just do your part to also research, sometimes patients and parents can find things Dr.s can't, I know that to be true with my father's Leukemia.

One thing my friend did for diaper rash, was she bought heavy duty fleece, cut it (no need to sew) into curved rectangles (think like a women's pad) and inserted it like a pad in the diaper, and it really helped with the moisture. Also, let her bottom air out naked as much during the day as you can.

Wow - you have a lot going on with that little baby. She defininetly seems to have an immature immune system. There are so many viral things and immune disorders that modern medicine is just learning about. On top of that there are a lot of wholistic doctors who think that all the medication can be causing the additional problems. Are you going to a regular pediatrician or is there a children hospital anywhere nearby? I think you will be best served by finding a children hospital and getting a full diagnositic work up done on your child. It may be costly - but wouldn't you do anything or sacrifice anything for your precious treasure?

Regular pediatricians have very good intentions and may really care about your child, but they are just not trained to diagnose non-routine stuff. Google children's hospitals in your area, then search through thier list of doctors on the website to find one who specializes in diagnostic care relating to the kind of medical issues your baby has experienced. Call the office and explain yoru child's history. The standard answer wil be that they can get you an apointment in 2 months - or something ridiculous like that. Do not be ashamed to beg for a sooner appointment - explaining what you've been through, how you have to drive 4 hours, etc. will pull at the heart string of the office staff. They are people too.

Even if it means a long drive and an overnight stay at a local Motel 6 go get a thorough work up on baby. Once you have a diagnosis it will be like someone turned the light on in a dark room. You'll be able to move forward and treat your baby with the proper care, medications, etc. Just knowing what's going on will be like a huge wieght has been lifted from your mommy shoulders.

Having worked in the health insurance industry for more than 25 years I've seen all kinds of stuff, I also have a child (now teen) with a very specific medical issue so I've dealt with insurance and the medical profession from the mom side of the business too. I've concluded that usually mom's instinct is right. If there's something that's just not getting better or that isn't being properly addressed it's time to do whatever you need to do to get to the bottom of it.

My husband and I decided a few years ago that we needed to spend money out of pocket to help get our children proper care for a medical condition that wasn't going to be covered by insurance since we couldn't find a good provider in our network. So we could either get upset with the insurance company, or we could just do what we had to do to get our kid better. We decided not to buy a new car at that point, and put off spending on other things in order to spend money to get our child well. And we were not doing well financially at that point. It was a sacrifice. But we've never regretted spending that money. And once we found out what the problem was it's made a HUGE difference and our child is now well - being treated - but living life the way a teen is supposed to live.

You are right to feel that you need to do something else - go do it. Just taking action will make you feel better about the situation instead of waiting for the next medical condition to come up.

And pray - God did not create you and your child for pain and frustration. He cares about the details of your life. Jeremiah 29:11 says "I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord - plans to prosper you and not to harm you - plans to give you a hope and a future." I claim that verse often in my life.

You go mama - you little girl is lucky to have a mama who loves and cares for her so much. You will get to the bottom of this - I know you will.

Not that this is the source of her problems but one thing that may help some is to be cautious of the chemicals in your home (cleaners, personal care products, laundry detergent, etc.). Some she wouldn't come into direct contact with but would be able to smell, others (like soap or laundry detergent) can be absorbed or exposed to all day. This does not help any conditions, especially with the lungs involved.

As for the tests, have them test for whatever they feel is necessary until the source of the problem is discovered. Beware that with two of my nephews, they were born and had fluid in their lungs and have been sick a good part of their childhood...asthma, allergies, ear infections, sinus infections, bronchitis, pnuemonia, strep, etc. Both required specialists to get their issues under control.

Good luck.

There are a group of diseases known as Primary Immunodeficiency, you can read more about them here http://www.primaryimmune.org/about_pi/about_pi.htm. It might help to explain what your daughter is going through, and best of luck with finding your answers.

I would definitely demand they recommend you to a teaching hospital where a team of doctors will observe and test her. In the meantime I would make sure your living conditions are quite sanitary, no pets, no smoking, no one touching her without being sanitized first. Her immune system sounds like it's very compromised by "something" and they need to figure out what that something is. How scary for you!

So sorry to hear it, sounds exhausting. Have they check for immune deficiencies. Not sure what else to say. Hope things get better.

the diaper rash could easily be from the antibiotics,let her go naked more often to dry out after each diaper change.

I am terribly sorry to hear your baby girl has been so sick! I know this is so h*** o* you as it would be any mother with their child. I had a similar situation with childbirth and my son was jaundice as well. He ended up staying in the NICU for 2 weeks after he was born.
I would think her diaper rash would be from all of the medicine she has been taking and she needs to get some good bacteria back in her stomach.
Have you been to your local health food store to talk to someone about that? They will direct you on what might help.

My son and I were VERY sick for a while and I was about to put him in Children's hospital last year. My house had Chinese Drywall which was causing all kinds of illness to him. I ended up having to move out of our house for him and I to get healthy. You might want to check and see if your house has mold or something that is causing her immune system to be weakened.

Best of wishes and I will be praying for you both!

I'm so sorry you are going through all this - it must be frightening.

I, too, had an "immune issues" kid - though he was not nearly as severe as your little daughter sounds. We never seemed to make much progress in getting him truly well until we went to an experienced nutritionist and integrative physician (an MD). Our highly qualified mainstream peds were very little help, and It took us almost 10 years (?) to even get on the right path.

My heart goes out to you. I don't have alot of specific help but I just wanted to encourage you to keep searching for answers. You are her best advocate and champion.

God bless you and this sweet child.

I feel sorry for you & hope & pray your little one be in good health soon

I really dont think there is any advise i can give, I think the drs really need to give you this advise. I'm so sorry you are going through this and I hope your daughter out grows the sicknesses.

My son was premature & he has lung damage from being on a ventilator. Because of that any respiratory illness is HUGE for him - there are several things that we've done which have helped tremendously in helping hiim stay as healthy as possible:

---LIMIT EXPOSURE!!! This is probably the biggest one. It's HARD. VERY HARD.... But I've learned to not only think about WHO is coming around my child but also where does that person spend their time, who else are they exposed to, what is the likelihood they've been in contact with someone who has a cold (etc.) but doesn't have symptoms yet?
-The only kids that are regularly around my son are his brothers & I make sure that their fingernails are trimmed, clean & hands washed or sanitized.
-We don't put him in ANY type of child care setting (even a church nursery).
-We don't take him shopping with us very often. We try to only take him if there are two adults going - so that one can always be attentive to others who may want to touch him.
- We don't sit in the waiting room at the doctor's office (sick people are at the doctor's office). Request a separate area to wait. If they don't have one, wait in the car & ask them to call your cell phone or send someone for you.
-We don't take him to visit homes we haven't been in before. In addition to general cleanliness, there are also issues like fragrances & cleaning products that can irritate & even damage respiratory tissue; pets (our little guy is sensitive to cats).
-We don't take him anywhere there is a crowd, particularly if it is "close quarters". Having baby in your lap at church, a concert etc. may not feel risky - but it's a space where they put in as many people as possible - you have no idea where anybody's been or what they've been exposed to.
-We rarely take him to restaurants - when we do take him, I carry an arsenal of sanitizing wipes & I wipe down ANY & EVERY surface he can possibly touch - with his hands or any other part of him!

Yes, people have been confused or even put off by my telling them I can't bring my son to their house because they have kids that are in school or day-care.
Yes, people have decided to NOT visit our home because I told them that they'd need to wear a light jacket over their clothing because they smoked.
Yes, strangers have rolled their eyes at me when I put my arm up to block them when they reached out to touch my son. Even after I explain that he has lung disease and the "common cold" could be fatal to him.
Yes, I've been told I'm OVER protecting him.
Yes, I have friends & family who have over-reacted & decided that they can't come visit until he's older because they'd "feel terrible if they gave him the cold that killed him"
Yes, I have spent alot of money on hand sanitizer & soap & paper towels.

YES - Some people, regardless of how intelligent, how long you've known them, how great they are - they simply will NOT ever "get" why you're being so protective. (I had someone ask me if we'd have to put him in therapy to "socialize" him - like he's a dog... NO! It's not that he is CONFINED to home, we are just very particular, careful & attentive to where he goes, who & when he's around people - right now is cold-flu season - we go out less!)

Overall - I don't care what anybody says or thinks about the steps we take to try to protect our son from catching a respiratory illness. Not ONLY because it has the potential to be fatal -

MOSTLY

it's because I can't justify risking him catching a "little" cold that could wind up causing more damage to his lungs & the general discomfort.

IMPORTANTLY - This is NOT a permanent situation for him. It's something we have to deal with until his body & immune system is big enough to more effectively fight off "common" illnesses.

I realize that our issues are focused mostly on respiratory issues, but it also has helped him avoid other non-respiratory issues.

Diaper Rash - we haven't had diaper rash problems, however, he does have extensive eczema that is just horrid. I use ONLY fragrance & dye free dish soaps (even clear ones list dye as an ingredient! You have to read labels!) I switched to fragrance & dye free laundry products for EVERYTHING in the house. We don't wear perfume or cologne (these can irritate skin as well - even indirectly).
Pretty much ANYTHING that has an odor/fragrance/scent we either try to keep in an area away from him or introduce it slowly to gauge his reaction to it. Strangely, I discovered that he got red, watery eyes from a dye & scent free aerosol product - I have no idea why...

ANYTHING he eats or drinks I very carefully look at ingredients. I buy organic as often as possible. If a baby food says "Mixed Vegetables" - I don't buy it unless the ONLY ingredients listed are vegetables. ANYTHING else to me is potentially irritating & why bother?

I know this is exhausting. We've been very lucky after a lengthy NICU stay that he's been relatively healthy - but that's in large part to spending a lot of energy to avoid potential harm.

I'm also a HUGE advocate for pursuing naturopathic, homeopathic, & wholisitic avenues for nutrition & treatment. I've been surprised to learn that when a doctor recommends something if I simply ASK "Is there a non-medication/ natural /or even different way to treat or approach this issue?" many times they are happy to provide you with information or contacts. So many people insist on a "fix it right this second" solution & western doctors are trained to provide that answer first.

if you can stand ONE more thing - KEEP RECORDS ON EVERY SINGLE THING that happens, that you try, that you don't try, person you talk to (include dates, names, extension numbers). I have a binder for my kiddo that I keep all this information in - it's impossible to remember everything for a child (or adult) with medical issues - having it assembled & handy is less pressure on you to remember, less time for doctors to have to wait for you to remember & it impresses upon whoever you interact with that you both care about your child's history AND future & they realize that you'll have a record of what they recommended, tried, etc. & they'll be more attentive in their treatment of you (not that it's the BEST way to operate, but I've noticed a difference in how med. professionals approach me & my son when I have my binder & when I don't!)

I pray that you find some solutions & healing for your precious girl soon! I haven't been through the same situation but I've had a very sick baby & it's NOT easy!

I am so sorry that you are going through this. I know it can be scary for you as parents to have to see your child suffer and to not have any answers. I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers often.

It's good that you have an immunologist on board. I'm not a doctor but I really have to second the posters who have mentioned having the doctors check for primary autoimmune disorders like Selective IgA. I have an IgA defiency myself, but was not diagnosed until I was an adult. I have a moderate case of it, but I would guess that may not be exactly what your daughter has. However, she may have another related autoimmune issue.

Someone suggested www.primaryimmune.com website, and that may be a place to start. I don't generally suggest websites to parents in situations like this because I feel websites can do more harm than good, but I think this one is a good one.

I know you're tired--justifiably so--but do keep in mind you are your daughters biggest advocated. Keep in mind that if you think the doctor's aren't listening to you, ask for a second or third opinion. Some posters suggested that you might want to go to a university hospital or a children's hospital, and that is a good idea.

One other thought--this won't be a cure for her by any means but it might make her more comfortable--one thing that has helped me is to eliminate wheat from my diet. I don't know what her diet is, but that may be something to consider for your daughter. Be sure to run it by her doctors before making any drastic changes to her diet though, just in case.

Keep up the hard work mom, and I wish you the best in finding out what is wrong with your precious daughter. I am praying for you.

M.

When you go to the immunoligist ask them to check her immune levels like IgA, IgG. In the first 2 years of my sons life he has Pneumonia 8 times, Rsv, MRSA in his lung, easr infections.Now he is immune to 2 antibiotics. They checked his immune system and found he didnt have one. He gets infusions every friday at home and has been really healthy. We knew to have it checked after a mom at my parents church lost 2 of her boys to the same thing, they got pneumonia and no antibiotics would work because they had it so much there body was immune to it. Good Luck

maybe they should check for this
http://www.candidasupport.org/symptoms_children.html
I am sorry you r going through this, hopefully they will be able to figure it out......