posted
anyone??? Posts: 8 | From Portland, Oregon | Registered: Mar 2007
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
My guess is the reason no one is answering is because no one knows.
There are no studies about congenital lyme disease symptoms or presentation that I know of but it is proven that it can be passed during pregnancy.
I would guess that just like in anybody, the symptoms would depend on many variables such as the strain of borrelia, which, if any co-infections are present(babesia and bartonella can both be congenital and there are probably other co-infections that can be congenital). The health and genetics of the immune system etc..
A person can be infected and not have symptoms and at some later point symptoms can appear. It seems reasonable to talk to your LLMD about this as I don't think anyone here can adequately answer your question.
I know there are quite a few here who have personal experience with this issue and hopefully they will give you more information. Perhaps you can recount any symptoms that your baby is having as that might help those who have been through this experience to give you constructive advice. In the long run, you really need to talk to an LLMD about it.
Terry I'm not a doctor
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
I have six kids and was infected prior to being pregnant. I asked my LLMD if I needed to have them tested, he said only if they were showing symptoms -- fatigue, joint pain, etc.
So far none of my children have been diagnosed. I have one with learning difficulties, who is obviously smart, but can't do the school work.
He said to have her tested for food allergies, heavy metals, candida, etc. before I tested her for Lyme and brought her to him. I'm going to be starting that testing as soon as I have enough motivation to pick up the phone ... amazing how daunting of a task that can be.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
I was born with lyme (as far as I know) But my mom was bit prior to my brith without treatment. My 3 kids were born without me being in treatment.
All of the symptoms that I had growing up and my kids had I assumed were "normal".
But I can tell you that I and them had alot of learning disabilites. I always had alot of pain, arthritis (as a kid) memory problems, concentration, speech problems, and severe anxiety and panic attacks. I couldn't walk into a store alone or buy something it was impossible for me.
My kids had on top of my list... had no attention span, OCD, allergies, severe anxiety, panic attacks and alot of fears.(at the age of 4 -5) At younger ages (under a year) they didn't develope as fast as other children, they always seemed behind.
I'm sure there are more I just can't seem to remember right now.
BTW- my kids are 20,20 & 16 now and doing great, they've been on abx for 2 years and are really improving. Half the thing on the list above are gone.
posted
My 2 kids have it and have very different symptoms. They both see Dr J and he said these are "typical" congenital lyme symptoms. Neither is in any pain. My son: slow development, excema, allergies, asthma, RSV, hight fevers, regression after immunizations, stuttering, torticollis at birth, jaundice at birth, reflux as an infant, and breathing problems at birth. Low tone, light sensitivity and sensory integration problems (difficulty with textures, shut down in group of people and noises). He gets speech and OT through early intervention which lyme kids are eligible for. My daughter: consipation as a toddler, stomach aches, sweating at night, poor sleep, sleep apnea as an infant, choking problems as a toddler, itching at night at bed and irritable. Both are extremely smart, no one can tell they are ill (except for my sons stuttering which gets worse when he herx's). There is info on lymeinducedautism.com that talks about the similarities between lyme kids and autism also. Good luck! -Nikki
Posts: 129 | From NYC | Registered: Sep 2006
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savebabe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9847
posted
What symptoms are you having that idicate lyme disease? Are you seeing a llmd?
Posts: 1603 | From ny | Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
=Yes, I actually had my 1st appt with a LLND (naturopath) today. She said all indicators point towards lyme for me... now it's up to me as far as whether I wean him early and get on abx ASAP, or not. Or go the herbal route (would this be safe with breastfeeding I wonder?).
My son seems pretty healthy. He had pretty bad reflux for the first few months then it went away. He has reoccurring cradle cap which lately has manifested itself on his face. But this could just be dry skin on his face. He was also born about a week early and had breathing issues for the first 24 hrs, then was fine. All of these things seem fairly typical for a healthy infant. But now, of course, I am beginning to wonder.
Is there any way to get him tested without having to take a bunch of blood from him? I've heard this is VERY traumatic on infants.
Thanks again!
Posts: 8 | From Portland, Oregon | Registered: Mar 2007
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I was not diagnosed with Neuro-Lyme until 8 years after I was bitten, the bite was misdiagnosed as Ringworm.
My son was 2 when I was diagnosed. From his early birth, I knew something was wrong with him. Everyone fought me on that. He was slow, could not breastfeed, delayed in development, constipated, slept alot, very quiet.
Then at 16 months, like a switch flipped on, he got so hyperactive, unfocused, gittery. I could not get him into daycare, preschool or get any family member to even watch him for an hour. He was out of control.
The dr. recommended a shrink and to get him on meds for Bi-Polar. She did not even suggest changing his diet. But I did. It appeared he had a severe allergy to diary. But today I think it is something in the milk that is added, that has caused a severe Calium deficiency.
He was found to be Anemic, which can cause hyperactivity.
He also qualified for a Preschooler with a Disability with his Expressive-Receptive Language Processing, OT & Speech. But he never fell under 'one umbrella' like Autism, or ADHD, even though he was young, it was vague.
He also has increasing health problems. He has green urine w/ a foul odor. He has high & low fever, seasonal allergies etc. etc. I could not get his pediatrician or infectious disease referral to test him for Lyme Disease. Interesting how neither one will give up his records to my son's lawyer now that he has a specialist out of state....
We cannot get him any health care here in Ohio. None of our medical bills are being paid. We have taken him to a specialist in MD.
What I did learn. And check out your records, moms.
When his new doctor asked me when I noticed the change in his lethargic to hyper behavior, I said it was at 16 months.
I thought that it was around the time I switched him from formula to milk...Then she suggested that maybe it wasn't the milk...
It hit me like a train wreck....My heart was pounding...And I did not do anything but think about it for three days because I knew what she meant...Then I looked at his immunization card and he received 3 shots at 16 months, 1 was tetnus, which contains Mercury, a poisonous metal.
So I do believe, which has yet to be proven with exstensive scientific research but as far as my own son is concerned, this is what has happened to him...
He was exposed to this horrible Lyme bacteria in uetero and then to the poisonous metal in the vaccines and it caused a horrible, poisonous reaction. And my son had been very sick in many many ways because of it.
Go with your gut...your the mom...you are right about your child's illness...
I feel so much better that I finally know what is really wrong...
Ranson's Ina
-------------------- Mitakuye Oysain (we are all related) Posts: 34 | From OH | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
I have this article saved on my computer but I can't find the link for it online... anyway:
"Chronic Lyme Disease in Kids: Nurses are in a unique position to see the 'red flags'" by Ginger Savely
Lyme Disease, a tick-borne disease named for the town of Lyme, CT, where the first U.S. outbreak occurred, is present in every state and is more prevalent than most people realize. The so-called deer ticks that transmit the infection are so tiny that they frequently are not detected by unsuspecting victims. Only about 40% of bites are followed by the tell-tale "bull's eye" rash; consequently, the early, acute and easily treatable phase of the illness often is missed. Months to years later, children can present with a host of seemingly unrelated and puzzling symptoms that parents and doctors often do not associate with past exposure to ticks. Thus, the possibility of chronic disseminated Lyme disease is usually not entertained.
In an ambulatory care setting, the nurse often spends as much or more time with the child than the physician. While taking vital signs and gathering preliminary information from the parent, the nurse is in a unique position to pick up on "red flags" for chronic disseminated Lyme disease. Since most doctors do not think to include this disease in their differential assessment, heightened awareness on the part of the nurse could make a significant difference in determining the correct diagnosis. The nurse should put up her "Lyme radar" when a child is a frequent visitor to the office, has many and varied complaints, or has symptoms that have eluded diagnosis by other healthcare providers.
Subtle Symptoms: The symptoms of chronic Lyme disease in children are subtle and can be easily missed or confused with other illnesses. These children often present with a history of such diagnoses as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), hypercholesterolemia, migraines, Crohn's disease, gastritis, maturation delay, ADHD and learning disabilities. The nurse should be skeptical of a previous diagnosis of JRA, especially if the child also has been diagnosed with ADHD and/or migraines. Children with tick-borne diseases also have a history of symptoms that do not neatly fit into any diagnostic category. Some of these are: - low energy in the absence of anemia; frequent urination in the absence of a urinary tract infection; visual problems with a normal ophthalamogic exam; stomach pains, vomiting and abdominal cramping without obvious pathology; clumsiness; frequent "growing pains"; and insomnia unresponsive to the usual treatments.
"Red Flag" issues: When questioning a child about symptoms, the nurse should be suspicious when parents report that the child has frequent and significant symptoms but the child claims he does not. Children who have been sick for a long time, and especially those who have been sick their entire lives (such as children with congenital Lyme disease), do not recognize pain and other discomforts as abnormal. If your knees have always hurt, you really don't know what it means for them not to. A parent may say "he vomits 3 or 4 times a week". The child may neglect to mention this because he has become accustomed to it and thinks this is normal. The parent may report the child is moody and unpredictable and he has frequent headaches and stomach aches. He will often report to the school nurse not feeling well and bring home notes for poor behavior. The child with Lyme disease usually has a high number of school absences. If a child is sick frequently and the parent reports "he comes down with everything that goes around", immune suppression due to chronic infection should be suspected.
Note behavioral changes: The parent also may report the child has had a sudden change of behavior. The quiet child has become loud and aggressive, the active child has become passive, the happy child has become weepy and sad, or the calm child has started throwing tantrums. The nurse should take note when there is a change in the child's usual behavior. Parents should be asked if the child has ever had a tick attachment, even if the popular belief is that the area where they live does not have ticks that carry disease. If the child has ever had rashes of any kind, parents should be asked to describe these in detail.
Ask Environmental Questions: The nurse should ask about the child's environment, habits and activities. Questions may include: Are there wooded areas near the home? Are there deer around? Does the child play out in the grass? Does the family go camping? Do they have pets? Are tick checks routinely done? Has the family traveled to highly tick-endemic areas?
Often, parents won't recall a tick bite, but if there is exposure potential, there may have been a bite that went unnoticed because it was in the hair or another part of the body that was difficult to see. If environmental factors don't sound suspect for tick exposure, inquiries should be made regarding the mother's health status. If the mother says she has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, or she's had vague complaints of joint pain and fatigue since before the child was born, a congenital Lyme case may be a possibility.
In assessing the child, the nurse may notice a tendency toward distractibility and hyperactivity. It is often difficult to get the child to stop talking or sit still long enough for vital signs to be taken. The child may be hypersensitive to touch and may wince when the blood pressure is taken. He may avert his eyes to the light of an opthalmoscope or complain that the lights in the room are too bright. Reflexes may be so brisk that even brushing against the leg will cause the child's lower leg to kick forward.
Child's Advocate: Nurses are the parent's and child's first contact in the doctor's office. They can form a strong relationship with the parent and bond with the child. They are the child's advocate. Since nurses have acute observation skills, they would do well to become vigilant to the "red flags" of Lyme disease. They can then encourage the physician to take note of relevant history and symptoms and to pursue the possibility of tick-borne disease.
Posts: 220 | From central TX | Registered: Jun 2005
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