[shelbydog]

Hi everyone - just wondering - we are now on Mia's 3rd major stomach virus since she arrived home last September. Sorry to be graphic, but these are awful, blowout diapers, diarrhea that lasts up to 2 weeks...I mean AWFUL. I am washing sheets, clothes daily. The peds just say it is a stomach virus. She came home September - had the 1st one over Xmas - lasted 2 weeks. (several family members had it). Then again early April...and again now. I am extremely frustrated. She acts fine, drinks well, energetic and actually pretty happy for someone with such awful diarrhea!! So it could be ALOT worse. But she gets a butt rash, and the diapers and cleanup is really frustrating me. I was in tears today!! The doc says just feed her normally except limit milk (ruled out allergies), and add alot of rice and banana to her diet for now.

I am curious if other babies from Guat. have experienced this? I wonder if it is the immune system getting used to food/water here or something she is just more sensitive to? The ped. today explained that some kids are prone to ear infections, some pneumonia, and Mia just seems prone to these!? Great!!!!! Has anyone else experienced this?? Help!!

[wildboyz2]

but yes I know of some kids that seem to have stomach sensitivity, the least little virus causes them to have terrible stomach problems. As for the diaper rash, my #1 son had sensitive skin so we dealt with diaper rash often. The thing that worked the fastest was placing Neosporn and then regular Desetin thickly on the area. Good Luck.
Melody

[saranbr]

Milk can be a culprit in such things-- but usually that means it's all the time (she has milk) not just in two week stints. I agree that it sounds more viral like. Has she been tested for parasite possibility? I know that is discusting as well, but I know they can be a culprit. Some are also prone to waxing and waning (for lack of a been term).

Anyway, I hope you find out quickly. That is a very unenviable problem!

[Suzeb1]

I really know what you are going through. It looks like my dd came home about a week after your daughter and she has had two stomach bugs. One was a very contagious bug (everyone in the family had it) and the other was a rotavirus (which, according to what I've read) almost every child gets eventually. So, I think two or three stomach illnesses (especially when they are going around) isn't too unusual.

What I found to be the most helpful with diarreha was switching to lactose-free formula and no other dairy except yogurt (Yobaby). My pediatrician had me use lactose free formula the first time dd was sick, but I totally forgot about it the second time until her diarrhea had been going on for over a week. As soon as I remembered, I changed formula and her diarrhea resolved itself in less than two days!

Another thing I did was buy some waterproof mattress pads (ultimate crib sheets for her crib, mattress pads that lay on top of the sheets for my bed) They are much easier than changing fitted sheets so that helped somewhat with the middle of the night frustration (it's so hard to know where to put the baby, while you change the sheets, after you've changed her...and then you look down and see that you need to change, too!)

Hoping that we get to see you post that baby is well...very soon.

Susan

[lwils89701]

stomach virus just multipled by TWO. It was about six weeks ago and it was horrible.

I wholly sympathize... The first couple days their poor little bottoms blistered despite the cream...I was literally using the shower head to gently spray the area rather than wiping, because they were so sensitive...I did have the skin back in good shape in about 48 hours. I used A&D with zinc which provided a good moisture barrier. I also let them sit in the tub a couple of times a day and that seemed to help as well. They did eat well (BRAT diet and all) and otherwise didn't seem uncomfortable....after about my third call to the Dr.'s office in three days, they recommended I try some yogurt....OH MY GOD! For three hours we had non-stop runs. I was literally changing one or the other's diaper every 10 minutes...after the first hour I was crying right along with them! Someone later told me yogurt was a good think if babies have diahrea after being on antiboitics, but not when they have a virus.

I called the Dr's office every couple of days...I just couldn't believe they couldn't give them something to relieve the symptoms, but they said they were too young (under 2) for any of the usual remedies and they would just have to ride it out. Ride it out! I told the nurse that was easy for her to say, but not so easy in practice.

10 DAYS...10 miserable days! We are all better now, and there has been not recurrence. It was one of the most exhausting things I have live through as a parent.

I will tell you the Dr.'s office was crammed with children who all had the same symtoms. Dr. stated they had done enought cultures on enought kids to know it was definitely viral. I also work in a large office and all of my coworkers with children in diapers were commiserating with one another around the same time, so I don't think my Guatemalan born children were any more susceptable than other children...I think there was just a very nasty virus on the loose this year.

I hope your little one feels better very soon.

[shelbydog]

Thanks everyone - oh gosh I cannot imagine having TWO children with this virus. I totally sympathize - you poor thing! Thanks for the ideas. Ya' know, this is mind-boggling to me. I do not remember ever getting these types of viral things as a kid. Do you?? It seems like EVERY Christmas our family has it. It starts with one and spreads. And kids too. It seems like it is SO prevalent now vs. years ago?? WHY?? I would love to know. It irritates me!! We had it the last 2 Christmases and I sort of dread Holidays now. Isn't that awful?? I will be running around with Lysol wipes all December this year, LOL!!

[waitingpatiently]

WHATEVER YOU DO KEEP THE BABY HYDRATED! As a former ER nurse; they can get dehydrated very fast! Is your pedi doctor suggesting pedialyte, L. Acidophilis ETC. IF NOT ASK HER ABOUT THEM!

[Slatond10]

Yes my DD gets them everytime they are going around.

Something that worked for the diaper rash / red bottom was to give her a bath in water with a little bit of Tide ( original / powder version). This takes the sting out of the bottom and her diaper rash would almost visibly clear up. A doctor told this to my mother when my brother was young (so 40 years ago ) but it worked.

We also use Flanders Butt Ointment at changing time ( they sell this at the Pharmacy counter) It is normally behind the counter. Not sure why.

[Pamsko]

My boys came home in Jan 2005. We limited their exposure to the outside world for several months -- didn't go out too much with them (church and a few family functions) and only family came to visit. They were healthy as horses. . .THEN -- Scott got older, Alex got better attached. . . we started taking them more and more places and boy did they pick up the GERMS!

We, too, had the stomache virus right before Christmas (ugh!), the boys and my daughter and myself (right at the end, I succumbed). . . . I, too, did nothing but laundry, wipe sore bums, and cry. It was horrible. It lasted a full week exactly for each of us. . .unfortunately, the onset was offset for a couple of days. I think the whole ordeal lasted 3 weeks total! I was exhausted and depressed by the end of it all -- it started right after Thanksgiving and Christmas was a poor affair. I don't think I left the house for more than a few hours that whole time, thank GOD for online ordering or we wouldn't have had any gifts at all!!!

I suspect that all the sickness is just a function of exposure to germs. The same as what happens when you send a child to daycare/preschool/kindergarten.

Good luck! Hope Mia feels better!

[Cherrytex]

Have you had her tested for parasites?? It is very very common in Guatemalan children and can last for many months. Some people have had to have their kids tested up to three times when they got home, before the right parasite was even picked up. I guess what I'm saying is that it is good to treat the rash, but you have to get down to what the cause is ultimately.
Just a thought!

Caroline

[Pudding]

Hey forum friends! My little Lilly has had several stomach issues and the first thing that I do is pull all dairy from her diet. I switch to soy milk! She has no cheese, no yogurt, no ice cream. Nothing coming from a cow. It helps a great deal! I would recommend trying it the next time your little one has an issue with their bowels!!!

Beth

[shelbydog]

Thanks about the Pedialyte. We did stop milk yesterday and started her on Pedialyte. She hasn't been dehydrated at all. She is eating and drinking well through it all. She loves Pedialyte and is drinking alot of it. I think we are turning a corner as so far, no **'s today - just lots of very wet diapers which means it's exiting as urine, not diarrhea - woo hoo. So we'll see! Thanks everyone!

[hopin4ababy]

My guess is that she is just prone to tummy bugs. My children, all 3 of them, have never had a stomach bug. My dd was very prone to ear infections, though, and my youngest is prone to sinus infections. Hang in there. I can imagine how awful it is. Ali

[OkieDokie]

My daughter did the same thing. We stopped all dairy and switched her to soy. It made no difference. I finally noticed that she started those horrible bouts right after I gaver her any citrus fruit (oranges, pineapples, ect.). I stopped giving her anything with that in it and put her back on milk.... no problems!! I'd suggest making a diary of what she is eating and compare it to when she has the diarrhea. Maybe you'll see a pattern.

[lisaf1]

My Daughter has been home since Nov and has already had 3 stomach viruses. first one in Dec then again in Feb and again in April. All were like you described. and lasted about 2 weeks.. The Dr told me to keep her diet as normal as possible but no Dairy while she had the virus. She has had Soy milk and Rice Milk during those times.

Lisa