Hello, I was diagnosed Oct. 2009 and was in treatment for Lyme 5 1/2 months and went into SEVERE drug induced liver failure. Needless to say, I am going back to my Lyme doc next month and I am very nervous.
I need some help with my 3 year ole. She has been tested for Lyme through I genex and came back negative. However, about once a month or so she gets a small rash on her back that lasts a few days and she always asks me to itch it for her. She is only 3 years old and I of course am very worried. I really would like some advice from parents who have toddlers with Lyme. What were there symptoms? Did they get tested through Igenex? If so, did they test positive? My LLMD informed me that if it was passed in utero symptoms USUALLY show up around the age of 8 years. Has anyone else heard this?
She also has a REALLY hard time with her immunizations. She has only gotten 3 shots. Her first shots were at 2 1/2 months of age and she actually had seizures for 2 weeks. (By the way she had Dtap and the polio shot) Of course the docs said it wasn't from her shots it was from something else.
We have decided to start her up on her shots again and I am nervous. She is getting another Dtap tomorrow and I'm super nervous. But she is bigger and hopefully her body can handle it better. Anyhow, please help me if you can. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.
Posted by opus2828 (Member # 15407) on :
Sent a PM
Posted by jwall (Member # 22999) on :
According to my LLMD, my 4 year old is positive for lyme. He has bands 39 and 41 on the labcorp WB. I am hesitant to start treating him, but LLMD says he needs to be treated soon. I was going to do the Igenex test, but LLMD said don't bother, bands 39 and 41 are enough.
He has had known tick bites and exhibits symptoms, but nothing major enough for me to think he needs to be treated right now. I am currently rying to find a pediatric lyme Dr. to evaluate and treat him.
I am worried about the vaccinations as well. My son just turned 4 and still hasn't had the MMR shot.
Hope everything goes well for her!
Posted by BackinStOlaf (Member # 23725) on :
oh my, what did you do about the liver failure??
Posted by tiffagoo (Member # 23750) on :
Well, the liver failure thing scared the HECK out of me. Everyone kept saying that I needed to take a liver support including my LLMD. I ordered the correct liver support and also took some milk thistle. And to my suprise I only got worse from there.
I was sent to a Liver specialist and was told that when your liver is having MAJOR problems like mine your suppose to STOP taking everything. The only meds I continued to take were my thyroid pills for hypo thyroid disease. Other than that, I was told to stop taking anything and everything.
Needless to say it took almost 4 months for my liver to fully recover.
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
my son (27 now) got bit in the night-(we later found a dead mouse in his room) when he was 3 and the next morning told me his feet hurt...(it might have been his ankles but he said feet)
he was a hyper type kid and he just sat in the bed and said his feet hurt so it was pretty obvious that something was going on when this little tornado was sitting still
the primary sent us to infec dis doc and the elisa was pos...he got tx-doxy a month i think...maybe something else-it was a long time ago---but an abx. then he was retreated cuz test was still pos 2 more times(lyme was new then and they didint know alot of what they know now)
he actually responded quite well to the abx and he didn't seem sick or have sx but based on testing he got a about 3-4 months abx
as he went on in life he got bit many times...7-8 i think. each time...the next day this very active child-young man went down on the couch. within two days after getting abx he was back up
once he also had a virus at the same time. i can't think of the name of it---they call it the kissing virus...it makes you very sleepy...when he had that and lyme he had more trouble getting better. i remember he was on the soccer team and and he did dress and sit on the bench---but he couldn't play...he could barely walk
he hs gone on to college - will get his doctorate next may-and along the way he has scuba dived (alot-for work) and competed in jujitsu(very strenuous---its how he keeps in shape)
(he has always eaten healthy, doesn't smoke or drug and hardly drinks)
so-my message to you is to stay on top of it with the kids as they grow and be aggressive about tx...
i was labled crazy etc because i would throw tantrums at the docs office if they gave me trouble about getting the abx...
i am so glad i did what i did cuz he has a life now.
the same time he got bit his sister was sleeping in the room so she was txed once-even though she didn't have sx or test pos(she was about 1 1/2 yrs old)
how ever i have since learned that i gave her lyme thru placenta and 3 yrs of breast milk
she didn't have acute sx like him but she was always a whiney, wimpy kid and had unexplained belly pain. she had big gi workup at 5 yrs that came back neg. she never liked gym class but was A student. in 4th grade she had trouble getting up for school . school insisted it was behaviorial---primary could find no cause-(this was a time in our lives when i was about 12 yr into lyme with many sx but not yet dx---except with fibro)
because it was my "baby" as opposed to me i took her to the "quack" doc in town. i needed answers and was not going to leave any stone unturned.(he is now a well known llmd.) he sent test to igenex and she was clearly pos-had one year tx then one yr detox and also is now working on a doctorate. she never had as much stamina as her brother-but did do sports in hs and her brain is fine. she also eats well and doesnt smoke or drink or drug.
SO---DON'T DOUBT YOURSELF. DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO GET TX FOR YOUR BABIES.
both my kids - altho very successful in the eyes of the world-have subtle sx i consider lyme related. they both deny any lyme related health problems. i think there are emotional things going on because the whole time they were growing up they watched me sick-disabled-undx-untx for so long. and they saw me d crazy behaviors inorder to get all of us tx at times. so i think they just do not want to be labled "lyme"---it was hard to grow up wih a lymie mom.
but i figure i'll just be quiet about it for now and keep learning as much as i can so if they need help with it in the future i will be there.
one lingering sx is hyper hearing...and another is post nasal drip-excessiive---that i think might be yeast. but they are living their lives and i am so grateful...becausue it is like yesterday that i can remember these little people suffering---sitting in the bed cuz ankles hurt...or on the bench...or unable to get up for school...whenschool was her favorite thing.
HANG IN PARENTS...YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. DON'T GIVE UP ON THEM.
it is so sad that there are so many kids whose parents and teachers don't know their problems are from lyme...their lives ill follow a whole other scenario.
[ 08-16-2010, 01:40 PM: Message edited by: lpkayak ]
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
Vaccines are ONLY intended for healthy children, and if the child has anything (a flu bug, etc) he or she should not get a vaccine during that time. If you think your child has anything....even a touch of a mild infection, or worse yet, Lyme, it is NOT the right time to give her a vaccine.
Aside from that, as someone with Lyme, I had great difficulty with the DPT vaccine. I would urge you to be very cautious. I would put off the vaccine until you know more about her health.
For symptoms of Lyme in children, check out the Lyme Times special edition called the Children's Edition, with the blue cover. It can be purchased at www.lymedisease.org. Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
ps--and if my child had had seizures from a vaccine, I would not let them get another one. That is just me. It is your decision. I would think even doctors would understand that a reaction that adverse would mean that vaccines should be avoided.
Posted by lululymemom (Member # 26405) on :
I agree with Hoosiers.. The DPT vaccine should be monitered closely after it's given. If your child runs a high fever or has any severe symptoms, you need to stop giving it to them. The Pertussis part of the vaccine can harm your child if they can't tolerate it. It's not a pure vaccine.
Posted by blinkie (Member # 14470) on :
I agree, any kind of reaction like that should no get vaccines. Your pediatrician should tell you that.
Posted by greengirl (Member # 25316) on :
"My LLMD informed me that if it was passed in utero symptoms USUALLY show up around the age of 8 years. Has anyone else heard this?"
I was told 5 years, but, yes, same concept. Luckily my kids were not born with any drastic effects of the illness and, to date, seem healthy. But, I do find myself going in circles about whether their behavior could be the start of lyme or is "just being 2.5"
I am hyper-vigilant over my toddlers symptoms, whatever they be, keep a journal, keep them on maintenance vitamins and probiotics. And, always as my ped whether a symptom could be part of a "systematic" issue.
I have not had them tested at all, but if I had an Igenex negative, then I'd probably be more at peace.
Also, try to get her in to see the ped while she has the rash.
GL with the vax. If she has any reaction (even "just" fever), bring her to doc (or ER or urgent care if you'd like someone else to consider the reaction).
Posted by feelbetter (Member # 21957) on :
So does it mean if your kid suspect have lyme should't take any vaccine,am I correct?
or even the normal kid doesn't need vaccine at all..?
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
I wouldn't give a child with Lyme a vaccine. Could make things worse. So if I suspected Lyme, I wouldn't either, until I figured out if it was Lyme or not.
Some people with Lyme get vaccines and are okay, but some aren't, and that is not a chance I would take.
I am cautious about vaccines in general, but I suppose a healthy child could get vaccines. It just depends how you feel about it, as the parent. If my child had health issues, I would put it off. And having an adverse reaction to a vaccine in the past would make me wait to get others done in the future, if ever.