posted
I would just like to say that baby Maila was born on March 22, 2008. I had her cord blood and placenta taken to be tested but have not had the time to send it in to Igenex. I just want to know what are some signs I can look for in her to see if she has lyme. The only thing is that she wont poop enough and has lost a couple oz. I am not sure if these are signs of lyme in a newborn. Does anyone know what are some signs I can look for in her?
Thanks
Posts: 59 | From california | Registered: Aug 2007
| IP: Logged |
feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
I have no experience on the baby front, just wanted to say congratulations on your baby!!
Feelfit
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
| IP: Logged |
Maybe look for "failure to thrive". I've heard that can be a sign.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
tickled1
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14257
posted
Congratulations on your new baby girl! I believe losing a few ounces in the very beginning is normal for all babies. I don't know what else to look for in a newborn as far as Lyme goes. Best of luck to you and enjoy your baby. I hope you are sleeping well!
Posts: 2541 | From Northeast | Registered: Jan 2008
| IP: Logged |
It's very normal for a baby to lose several ounces after the initial weigh, as long as baby is eating fine the weight should come back up in a couple weeks.
Doctors like to see the baby poop and pee before leaving the hospital but it's not uncommon for the baby to go several days on a bm.
Just make sure baby is not acting like it's in pain or stuggling to have a bm.
hth
-------------------- Bart Henslea 1976 Fibro/CFS/arthritis 2004 Lyme diagnosed 2007 3 1/2 years treatment with oral combos, Cowden, IV roc. BW herbs. Off all abx in 12/10. Feeling good. Posts: 647 | From NY | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
LisaS
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10581
posted
Congrats! I hope she is and stays healthy!!
sometimesdilly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9982
posted
are you breast feeding? how much a baby poops has a great deal to do with what goes in....
my baby at 3 months once went for a full 2 weeks with nary a poop, and that was NOT a problem for a breast-fed babe. my ped told me to relax and enjoy the break...
losing a few ounces in the beginning is not unusual for normal babies. if you have any concern at all about her health, though, you need to speak to your pediatrician asap, if for no other reason to reassure yourself.
you're fortunate that you knew to have the cord and placenta tested-- good for you. it may seem to you that the wait to get those results lasts forever, but however long it takes, you will know better than most of us what your precious girl is facing.
In the meantime, congratulations!
I hope all ends up well.
One thing you should be on the look out for in babies with Lyme is what drs are most apt to call "colic" which means they don't have a clue why a baby is in pain.
for our son, his 'colic" was actually acid reflux (minus the signature vomiting). GERD meds relieved him of all his pain literally overnight, but i had to beat back the colic "diagnosis" and insist on answers for what else might be going on, and demand the meds.
TRUST YOUR GUT....
dilly
Posts: 2507 | From lost in the maze | Registered: Aug 2006
| IP: Logged |
Beverly
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 1271
posted
Congratulations Marline!!
This is from the leading pediatric lyme specialist....
The Children of Lyme Disease Dr. J., MD Pediatrician, Private Practice, New Haven, CT
Current research indicates that the Lyme disease bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, can be transmitted within hours after an infected tick attachment. Failure of parents and teachers to recognize Lyme disease early in its course can result in a child developing a chronic difficult to treat infection in the brain, eyes, joints, heart and elsewhere in the body.
In my experience treating 7,000+ children birth to 18 with Lyme disease, 50% have no tick attachment history, 10% or less have an erythema migrans (bullseye rash) history, but all have a history of living in or having visited a Lyme endemic area and have a decline in the way they play and perform in school.
They are tired, wilt easily, have dark circles under their eyes and are sick. Lyme disease has a profound negative impact on a child's life, cognitive function and ability to perform maximally in school. Severe fatigue unrelieved by rest results in decreased stamina and a decreased ability to play and to do school work.
Insomnia, headaches, nausea, abdominal pain, impaired concentration, poor short-term memory, an inability to sustain attention, confusion, uncharacteristic behavior outbursts and mood swings, fevers/chills, joint pain, dizziness, noise and light sensitivity, and difficulty thinking, expressing thoughts, reading, writing, and making decisions as well as a feeling of being overwhelmed by schoolwork plague a child with Lyme disease.
Pain and impaired cognitive function make it difficult to sustain attention and to learn and recall new material.
Although Lyme is usually transmitted by Ixodes scapularis (deer) and Amblyomma americanum (lone star) ticks, it can also be transmitted in utero and through breast milk. These children, frequently floppy with poor muscle tone, are irritable and ill early in their lives with frequent fevers, increased incidence of ear and throat infections, pneumonia, joint and body pain. They have gastroesophageal reflux, small windpipes (tracheomalacia), cataracts and other eye problems, developmental delay, learning disabilities, and psychiatric problems.
All respond to months or years of continuous antibiotic therapy.
When Lyme disease is a possible diagnosis, the children should be evaluated by a Lyme knowledgeable physician who will continue antibiotic therapy until all Lyme symptoms resolve. In most circumstances, Ixodes scapularis tick attachment should be treated with one month of antibiotic therapy.
Posts: 6641 | From Michigan | Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged |
TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
Congrats!!
You wrote: I had her cord blood and placenta taken to be tested but have not had the time to send it in to Igenex.
I don't know for sure but I think the faster you get the blood in, the more reliable the results will be. Be sure to check with IgeneX as to how long you can wait.
Best wishes to you and your family!!
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
bettyg
Unregistered
posted
CONGRATS MARLINE on your new baby girl!! whoopie
********************************* From ``GENEAL'' June 2007
I have been doing some research regarding Lyme and signs/symptoms in small children.
I know many of you have small children that you may be concerned about. I believe my youngest child (4yrs old) may have gotten this disease from me.
For All Children
-dizziness -neck pain and stiffness in almost 90% -sore throats -swollen lymph nodes -excessive thirst, -Chest pains in at least 70%, some have palpatations -Sense of air hunger or shortness of breath, dry cough
-abdominal pain in about 50%, can mimic acute appendicitis -sometimes vomiting, heartburn -rashes that come and go, malar rashes, new psoriasis
-migratory arthralgias, joing pain in 50% to 100% -myalgias in over 80%, back ache, morning stiffness, pain at rest, muscle weakness
-frequent illnessses, dark circles under their eyes -intermittent red, hot pinnae of ears -sleep disturbance in over 80%
-Neurological symptoms are protean and can appear AT ANY TIME during the course of infection *hypersensitivity of skin, scalp and hair *Hypersensitivity to noise, light, smell *Alterations of taste *poor balance and coordination *Uncharacteristic behavior outbursts, mood disturbances, depression *social withdrawal *New onset phobias *Oppositional behaviors *Obsessive compulsive disorders *Deterioration in school performance in over 90% *Difficulty with concentration and attention in school with easily distractibility as well as "brain fog" in over 80% *New onset of ADD
*When measured with formal neuropsychiatric testing, children demonstrate defects in auditory and visual sequential processing
Less Commonly:
*Movement disorders-spaticity, ataxia, motor or vocal tics *Cranial neuropathies, e.g. Bell's Palsy or optic nerve neuritis *Peripheral neuropathies-numbness and tingling, distal parathesias, subtle weakness
Pre-Schoolers and toddlers
- Modd swings, sudden emotional outbursts - Irritabiity - Personality changes - Regression of motor and social skills (developmental milestones) - Changes in play behavior, tire easily, less active
- Trouble falling asleep, frequent awakenings - Nightmares, new phobias, recurrence of seperation anxiety - Diaper rash unresponsive to normal treatment - Frequent URI's, ear and throat infections, bronchitis, pneumonia
Congenital Lyme Disease
* Infants can be infected with Borrelia transpacentally in any stage of pregnancy and/or via mother's breast milk.
* The co-infections: Babesia, Bartonella, Mycoplasma and perhaps even the Ehrilichias can be transmitted transpacentally to the developing fetus.
* Gestational Borreliosis can be associated with repeated miscarriages, fetal death in utero, still births, hydrocephalus, cardiovascual anomalies,
intrauterine growth retardation, neonatal respiratory distress, and maternal toxemia of pregnancy.
* Infants either infected congenitally or from breast milk can have
- Floppiness with poor muscle tone - Irritability - Frequent fevers and illness early in life - Joint sensitivities and body pain - Skin sensitivity - Gastro esophageal reflux - Developmental delays -Learning disabilities and psychiatric problems
* Infants bitten very early in life will have many of the same symptoms - loss and decline in developmental milestones.
I found this to be a pretty inclusive list of signs/symptoms for small children, infants, and those suspected of congenital Lyme.
Sadly, my two children do exhibit many of these symptoms and both have positive bands for Lyme via Igenex diagnostic lab in PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA. Geneal
IP: Logged |
I can tell you what the symptoms were with my granddaughter. She just had her 6th bday yesterday and was born with Lyme
From the time she was born she was a poor eater. We had to feed her with a syringe and it was a full time job since she ate such little amounts at a time.
She was low birth weight, 5lbs 9oz. had a hard time for the first few hours and had low temp. She never would nurse, which in hindsight was a blessing.
When we would try to give her a bottle even as a new born she would turn her head away and gag like she was going to vomit. She had to be really hungry to take a bottle. If we fed her much over a sryinge full of any of ALL of the formulas we tried she would do the projectile vomit thing.
At a very early age, even under a month old she would spike a high fever for no apparent reason. We would rush her into the Pediatrician and he coudln't find anything wrong. It was usually, oh, her one ear is a bit pink she is getting an ear infection. He would put her on antibiotics.
So since this happened about every month to 6 weeks she was on antibiotics lots. LOL, a Duck was treating her for Lyme and didn't even know it.
She NEVER cried. and I Mean never. She was the best baby ever. Even when she would get the fevers and vomit so much. She basically slep all night from day one.
This happened until she was about 11 months old then she started crying and seemed to be the most unhappy baby I have ever seen. (that must have been when her Lyme started hurting)
She was still very hard to convice to eat all though her infancy and when she was a toddler. It was a full time job.
We took her to Dr. J when she was 3 and she also saw Dr. H in Ca. This was after my daughter was diagnosed with Lyme. Dr. H took one look at her at my daughter's first visit and said, ah, she has Lymie eyes.
So, he started her on Zithromax and did all the tests and told us to take her to Dr. J and he and Dr. J would take care of her. He didn't want to make any mistakes with her so he wanted us to see the best.
Dr. J confirmed what Dr. H said. She was treated for over a year then her symptoms went away. She started having symptoms again last June, so she is back on antibiotics.
Her main symptoms are still high fevers and vomiting. IT seems to last a few days about every 6 weeks or so. She gets very sick.
That is about all I can tell you. She had a few odd rashes during her infancy and when she was a toddler. She still gets them at times. She is still a picky eater.
She is bright and has no learning disabilities nor is she hyper. She does well in school. I think the trick was we caught it early enough to get it in check. The sad thing is that is seems to be back again.
If I can help you in any way or if you have any questions just email me at [email protected].
Good luck with your new little one,
HUGS,
-------------------- ICEY Posts: 468 | From Las Vegas NV | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Congratulations on your new bundle of joy.
Are you nursing?
My babies were both nursed and never had any issues with pooping.
However, my daughter lost almost a full pound before my milk came in.
Try to enjoy and not worry. Send the blood in for testing and let us know.
Sending you and your precious new baby hugs and kisses.
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
| IP: Logged |
Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Congratulations!
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thank you all for your nice replies. I'm breastfeeding and bottle feeding. Things are going very well. Dr. S. H. told me to go ahead and breastfeed. I just hope her tests come back negative.
I barely got sleep, no one said having a newborn would be this hard, lol. Yikes.
Posts: 59 | From california | Registered: Aug 2007
| IP: Logged |
sometimesdilly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9982
posted
Marline-
glad things are going ok and that you have the go ahead to breast-feed.
yes, the newborn days are hard,hard labor, with no coffee breaks and no-one who can come in and take on the second shift.
one the other hand, oh trust me on this, these days are completely irreplaceable. You'll never have this time again of your incredible baby so brand new her feet have never touched the ground.
You can still look forward to her first real smile, her first laugh, her utter fascination with everything around her, her discovery of everything, including her own feet and every feature of your face.
Everything every one has ever said to you about how quickly children change and grow, change and grow, is entirely TRUE- beyond a mother's ability to imagine.
I pray and hope for you that you can cherish the time you have now with her, however physically difficult it is- and it IS difficult.
Forget about Lyme for the meanwhile. If she has it, you will be able to help her immediately and her prognosis would be excellent. If she doesn't have it, you will have lost time yiu will always regret.
Hug her, enjoy her, take care of yourself, mother, and look for new-mom support groups if you feel the need. They can be great- and lots of fun.
dilly
Posts: 2507 | From lost in the maze | Registered: Aug 2006
| IP: Logged |
You are absolutely right, I will do everything you say, thank you for those nice words.
Posts: 59 | From california | Registered: Aug 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hello and congratulations! I am still sturggling with Lyme, etc after being diagnosed 6 years ago. All three of my kids have it along with my husband. Luckily I did catch the kids but they have been in treatment with Dr. J for 2.5 years. The Babesia was just found in December- just like mine was. ALl of us were treated for bart and Lyme but somehow all our wonderful docs missed the Babesia.
As a mom who has truly struggled with this disease and what I have seen it can do to your child's true abilites- I truly urge you to send that placenta in to Igenex and get it tested for Lyme and ALL coinfections. Please send the blood asap too. IF something turns out positive you will be very fortunate to have caught it early in the child's life. I wish had been able to do that.
I also urge you to truly think about breast feeding. There is a very real possiblity out there that Lyme can be transmitted through breast milk. Unless you really need to I would be so careful doing that. I breast fed my children for a little while and I am positive at least one of them got it through that or the birthing process. All three were not bit.
I wish the best of helath to your little one and may God Bless her always!
Posts: 238 | From Bethlehem, PA | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Congrats new mommy! I miss the days of tiny fingers and tiny toes, it passes so quickly! I miss it so much...
I wanted to suggest a yahoo group named preglyme. There are lots of mommies and mommies to be on there. The success stories are uplifting and they are a great resource on testing etc. Check them out if you get time.
From what I understand through research breastfeeding is still thought of safe as long as you are on antibiotics. I would trust you LLMD and enjoy the new baby.
Your testing will be here and looked over soon enough. Try to relax and just be a mommy.
Posts: 183 | From Texas | Registered: Nov 2007
| IP: Logged |
tickled1
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14257
posted
Hi Marline,
Just want to share a little bit about my experiences. I started showing signs of illness before getting pregnant with my daughter. After she was born I breastfed for a year getting up with her 3-4 times per night for the entire first year! It was then that I finally crashed HARD!
You are a wonderful mother for wanting to breastfeed. Just remember that YOU need sleep in order to stay healthy enough to be a good mother to her. Breastfed babies wake during the night much more often as breast milk is not as filling as formula. Listen to your body carefully as lack of sleep can really catch up to you quickly.
I'm not saying stop breastfeeding but if it gets to the point that you are not getting enough rest, which is SO important for us Lymies, don't feel guilty about not being able to continue.
I may have crashed just as hard either way but after I did I needed help taking care of my daughter for 3 mos. and I missed out on a lot during those 3 mos. Even though I was exhausted, I felt like I would have been a failure if I quit breastfeeding before she was ready but then I missed out on quality time with her later on as a result.
So do what you can and don't worry. Just trust your instincts and do what is best for BOTH of you. You did say you are doing breast and bottle though, so hopefully someone is helping you w/night feedings.
Like dilly said, I was always fascinated with those little feet that had never touched the ground. I couldn't stop kissing them!!! She's 2 now and I still kiss them all the time!
Enjoy your little one and don't let worry overshadow this irreplaceable time. I finally got dx a couple of months ago so I was sick for most of my daughter's life without answers so everything from the last 2 yrs.is just a blur. I feel terrible that I wasn't able to soak up every little moment with her b/c I was so sick so take care of yourself so you can enjoy every minute!
Posts: 2541 | From Northeast | Registered: Jan 2008
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[hi]](graemlins/hi.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[bonk]](graemlins/bonk.gif)
whoopie
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[group hug]](graemlins/grouphug.gif)
![[kiss]](graemlins/kissing.gif)
![[confused]](graemlins/confused.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic