Re: maybe serious problem?

January 14, 2000

Hi Gail,

Our a (DS) has had a issue reflux and spitting up. Just yesterday we

took her to the GI doctor to see if there was something else we could do

instead of always upping the dosage of her Pulpolsid like our Pediatrician

told us to do. The speech therapist told us that that was not the answer to

possibly a more serious problem. So we took her to the GI doctor yesterday.

We learned a few things there we did not know. They said that because a

is not having regular everyday bowl movements for us, so she is backed up

causing her to spit up easier. That at her size and weight (she's about 27

pounds and 30 inches high) she should be getting 48 ounces of fluids a day.

We were only getting about 24 ounces of fluids down her a day along with

regular solid food too. We do thicken a's milk with rice cereal, which

helps her also to keep it down and from spitting it up so easy. They told us

to continue that. They told us to try to get 2 ounces of water down her

before bed time everynight to help soften her stools and help her to get

them out easier. They also said to try to get more juice mixed with fruit

baby food to thicken it down her to help move her stools. She will not drink

juice, so we will try to do this through her G-tube that she still has in

and we were going to have removed if we didn't use it through this winter

(She had it put in due to when she would get sick we couldn't get her to eat

or drink). We hadn't used it for about the last 6 months she has been doing

so well with her feedings.

We used the G-tube to put some thickened juice down her last night and she

spit half of it back up. I think she was full still from eating and what we

put her down her was just to much after eating an hour before. It may be

better once she has a stool. I also think it went in to fast for her to

handle when she's use to taking things in gradually now on her own.

We were also told that she could overdose on Pulpolsid and not to give it

more than 3 to 4 times a day. We thought she needed to get it everytime she

drank or ate something. We were only giving her 2 ml each time she received

it and found out that we should give her 2.8 ml each time. From what I

understand it helps her be more comfortable with food intake, just like we

would take Tums or Zantac.

- mom to a (DS) and Cory - 18 months

maybe serious problem?

> From: GVanHouten <rjvh@...>

>

> Hi everyone,

> The husband and I are getting very concerned with Tara. She has been

> spitting up after almost every meal. Even when she is still sitting in

> her highchair, standing in an exersaucer, or sitting in a chair on the

> floor after her nightime bottle. So, she is always erect after a meal or

> bottle, and still spits up anyway. When I went to Dr. Lenshin's site, he

> does has an article about GER-reflux, she has some symptoms, like

> holding her breath, she does that slightly when you pick her up, or you

> are getting her from prone to sitting postion.......not sure what to do?

> Gail.........Bobby-6, Jillian-3.5, and Tara{Ds}9.5months

>

> ---------------------------

January 14, 2000

Hi Gail

All my children have had Gastric Reflux so badly, and it seems to have

gotten worse down the line. on projectile vomited yet there was

nothing physically wrong with him. was worse - she would spill

(although that word just doesn't describe the volume that came back up)

constantly and I couldn't keep up with breastfeeding her.

Emma and Nicki were much WORSE!! Emma at nearly 4 still very occasionally

vomits when she is bending over after a meal. Nicki had serious gastric

reflux. She was spilling and aspirating and that was the cause of her

illness during her first year. She had pneumonia twice and constant upper

reparatory infections because of reflux. We tried Prepulisid and Zantac and

thickening her formula and sitting her up etc etc but nothing helped. A ST

suggested that she have a GI tube inserted (Nicki was 9 months old at the

time) and I was worried that the aspiration was doing damage to her lungs.

However a few weeks passed and she was still spilling but not aspirating.

She would also cough and splutter on a bottle from not swallowing correctly.

She would vomit in any position but worried me the most is that she also

spilled in her sleep!

When she started sitting independently at about 13 months, her stomach

muscles gradually strengthened. Her spilling decreased considerably but not

entirely and she is also still doing the occasional spill especially if she

has a cold and mucous is in her tummy (sorry guys - that's as gross as I'm

going to get!!)

It doesn't help that our babies with DS have such low muscle tone including

all the muscles inside that help keep food down (the sphincter muscle??) and

the peristalsis action isn't very efficient either (the involuntary muscle

action that moves bowel motions along to their journey to the great

outdoors).

Our pediatrician said that Nickis reflux would resolve and she was thriving

and having plenty of wet nappies. The aspirating had stopped and she

stopped having so many URI's, we just had to wait it out - like for 2 1/2

years and still waiting!!!

Have it checked out for your own peace of mind.

Carolyn

Mum To on, , Emma (3 3/4)ds and Nicki (2 1/2)ds

From: GVanHouten <rjvh@...>

<Multiples-DSonelist>

Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2000 2:45 AM

Subject: maybe serious problem?