I have just found out that my 9 year old daughter has gone from the 90th percentile to the 40th percentile in height and weight - in just one year. Basically she has not grown any taller in a year.
This has alarmed me and our GP.
She was diagnosed in March /06 with Lyme, which she contracted 3 years ago. She has been on amoxicillan since March.
Does anyone have a similar situation or any information that may help me?
Many many thanks. Nancy
Posted by secondtimearound (Member # 7249) on :
Hi Nancy,
I was wondering the same thing. My son used to be the biggest in his class and over the last year, he has barely grown at all.
He is 13, still no signs of puberty yet but it has me thinking, is there a connection to his lyme and babesia treatment?
Hopefully someone may know.
All My Best, Scott
Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :
Lyme effects the HPA axis. Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis.
I never thought I would say this...and someone in AZ is gonna smile and say, "I told you so", but RGH might help...in more ways than one.
Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :
Shortness of stature can be a classic symptom of celiac disease (autoimmune gluten intolerance).
Many people with Lyme tend to develop either celiac disease or celiac-like symptoms.
One needs to have one or both of specific genes in order to develop true genetic celiac disease. But anyone can have gluten allergies or sensitivities.
It might pay to check out the celiac disease angle in case it's part of the height issue.
There are specific blood tests for celiac disease (the person must be eating gluten for the tests to be accurate - do not go on a gluten-free diet until a diagnosis). If the tests are positive, then a small intestine biopsy is done.
Genetic testing can be done even if one is on a gluten-free diet. The best lab for this is Prometheus Labs in San Diego, California.
Jill
Posted by snowboarder (Member # 6346) on :
Marnie,
What is RGH?
Posted by imanurse (Member # 7022) on :
Have you done endocrine testing to reveal if her growth hormone level is withing normal range?
Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :
Recombant growth hormone. Man-made identical to our own. (Not so originally.)
Celiac can be recessive gene that activates when triggered by a neurotransmitter imbalance.
Can cause multiple myeloma.
Heads up at puberty when the hormones change.
Posted by Lymeindunkirk (Member # 7118) on :
My son was diagnosed with Lyme almost two years ago. We believe that he was actually born with it. (I had Bells Palsy while pregnant). He was born at 9.5 lbs so he was a big baby and remained in the high percentile for height even as a toddler. He is not heavy but not skinny by any means. He is now 11 years old, weighs 100 pounds and is 4ft 3 inchs right now. He seems to be about the same height and weight as the other boys he plays sports with. Maybe just a little bigger.
Just before he was diagnosed he seemed to be slowing down with height and weight. The first lyme doc we had said I would really see him grow now that we had started treatment. Although I did not stay with that doc, he was right about my son suddenly growing. He has really been growing significantly once treatment for Lyme began.
I know some other lyme infected children that are smaller and bigger then normal.
I heard Dr. J speak once and someone asked if Lyme effects a childs size. He answered NO. Heard a lot of murmurs in the audience. I'm sure some disagreed with him.
Logically, it seems to me if a child is sick and doesn't want to eat then you don't get the nutrition needed to grow properly.
I don't think there is an absolute answer as to whether Lyme and coinfection effects a childs growth. It would seem like it would though. My personal experience with my own son is Lyme treatment seems to have made a slight difference.
Posted by NP40 (Member # 6711) on :
My son was 14 when he contracted lyme/babs and didn't grow an inch for 10 months of treatment. Suddenly, near the end of treatment he started growing again.
He lost 20 pounds as well. After being symptom free for nearly a year he's only gained back about 5 pounds. Of course, once his lyme treatment ended he caught mono. Finally cleared that out and he's doing well, slowly gaining weight again.
Posted by pab (Member # 904) on :
Jordan (16) had always been in the 95th percentile or higher from birth to age 8. Jordan weighed 25# at 6 months. He was always the biggest kid in his class.
Jordan got really sick at age 8 (he has probably had Lyme since birth) after a head injury.
Jordan didn't gain any weight or grow taller for several years. He has recently gained 10#. He is 16 and he weighs 116# and is 5'4 1/2". He is now in the 10th percentile.
Jordan has been seeing an endocrinologist for a couple years. His bone age (wrist) is 14 and he is mid puberty.
Growth hormone is still a possibility for him. The endocrinologist will re-evaluate Jordan in 4 months.
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
I ended up being the shortest person in all of my family, including all the cousins on both sides.
And I think I have been dragging this Lyme bug around since I was a kid, which is the only time I had ticks attached to me.
Tracy
Posted by Mo (Member # 2863) on :
My son too.
Tallest in class and on pedi charts, has a father who is 6'5". His 'projected' height was 6'4 - 6'5.
He stopped growing when very ill with Lyme for two-three years as a young pre-teen/teen, also lost 30# quickly and did not regain for some time, however, once symptoms started getting under control (year three, as his case was severe) and there was a steadier recovery phase, he grew 8 inches in one year. He is now 6'2", and beginning to fill out more. Every time Doc checks he has grown at least another inch.
Lyme treatment can corect this. He had severe hormonal imbalances noted when he was most severely debilitated, however, we did nothing but anti-microbial treatment and immune support to address this - treatment is continuing as some cognitive symptoms and fatigue remain. He has done lots and lots of hardcore and continuous dietary and nutritional support and some cleansing for a year and a half, the growth also spurted after kefir, which improved sleep and digestion immensely.
Mo
Posted by OptiMisTick (Member # 399) on :
One of my daughters was so tiny, weighed about 86 pounds in high school (or was it 68??) and wore a child's size 12 clothing.
REceived diagnosis of 3 TBD's and started treatment.
Within six months, gained SIX INCHEs total for that first year on ABX, went into (ahem) menarche, blossomed, as they say.
Went into teen size clothing. Hair **stopped falling out.** (Used to be in clumps on the pillow, she was so alarmed she saved it in the box, I guess thinking about an eventual wig).
Another mother told me of twins, the one who had TBDs was much smaller than the one who did not.
I have heard this other places, growth stunted.
Also one child (now grown) with a small bottom jaw. LLMD said one of the well-known LLMD's mentioned this condition in his talk at one of the conferences last year. Was seeing multiple cases of it due to TBDs.
Posted by PinchotGail (Member # 5066) on :
Wow this is an interesting topic for me!!
My youngest who was 11 at time of diagnosis in Nov of 2004, was treated for lyme, babesia and erlichia. (and still is) It is very possible she was a lyme baby, due to her medical history. She also was allergic to formula, and soy milk so it wasNutramigen for her. I could not nurse due to taking anti-seizure meds.
She was always in the 90th percentile for height, and low end for weight (about 25%).....BUT since Dec. of 2006 she has grown at least 5 or 6 inches!!!!
Every 8 weeks when she gets measured at the LLMD she grows at least a half an inch....she is now taller than me at 5'5" and has passed her 18 yr old sister ......this of course making her very happy as she is a talented basketball player.
I often wonder, why all this growth at once? She never stopped growing but never had growth spurts like this!!.....She too has now filled out and her menses has begun. I can't help but think it is all TBD related......she is so much healthier now!!!
Very interesting!!!!!!
Gail Posted by Lou B (Member # 64) on :
Hi LymeNet Users,
We continue to learn from one another things our MD's may not have told us and we help one another understand what Lyme and other TBD's have done to us and our family members.
This is why we keep LymeNet up and running for all of us ... enabling each of us to share our experiences in battling these horrible diseases.
Let's make sure we continue to help one another ... OK?
Posted by nancyb (Member # 10154) on :
Wow - thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences with me.
We have an appointment with our LLMD on October 5th and I will be asking him about this. I will be sure to post what he says.
I find it strange that my daughter's feet have grown considerably since last summer. Her shoes were a size 3/4 last year and her new runners are a women's 6.
I do know that the lack of growth isn't related to a poor diet. My daughter loves to eat and she would eat like a horse if I let her. She eats very good food and very little junk and processed foods. And she is fortunate to not suffer from too many digestive issues related to Lyme.
This disease never ceases to amaze (and anger)me. There is so much to learn - some days I wonder how there is room to put more info into my brain.
Lou, you are so right. Where would we be without the support of each other?
Thank you to everyone!
Nancy
Posted by Moose (Member # 8545) on :
Wow! This one has really caught my attention!!
I just been confirmed last week, by the family doc that my son, now 10, has tested positive for lyme.
I only mentioned this to the doc recently, when I had to bring my son in to be treated for sinitus, that my son didn't seem to be himself all summer since last spring and I've noticed him with various symptoms, thus running some blood tests.
One of the symptoms I've noticed in my son, is the fact that he gained some considerable weight over the summer and outgrew all of his pants, but hasn't grown even a fraction of an inch in height at all for nearly 6 months. I thought it was so weird, cuz normally he grows at least 2 inches every summer.
Likewise, my son was a big baby at 9lbs2oz and 22 inches long and has always been bigger than other boys his ages, until now when he seems to have suddenly stop growing any taller.
I wonder if this is a factor for children who may have gotten lyme from their mom through pregnancy?? It's still uncertain as to when and how my son got lyme, from a tick bite or through me from pregnancy?
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