Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Just a note...Nutramigin does a number on baby's stools.  My son,
    Jason, was on it for a couple of weeks and his bowel movements
    turned completely to liquid, blew out the sides of his diapers,
    and messed his clothes frequently.   Doesn't solve your problem
    but thought it was worth mentioning...
    
    cj/

    My son,  Tom,  had diarrhea when he was teething.  Don't ask me
    why.  He was also about 2 1/2 - 3 months at the time.  He showed
    no other signs of distress when getting his teeth,  although he
    also dribbled alot.  Just a thought ...
    
    Angela

    several of our kids were VERY loose unless we used the
    'iron' formulas.  You might try switching to an iron version
    of your formula.  We used Nutramegin for Katie who was VERY
    allergic to milk and soy based formulas.  She showed it by
    vomiting and terrible gas...I don't associate diahrea with
    allergies.  Her system was just too immature and now she can eat
    anything.

    Good Luck...Diahrea...Yuck.  diapers are bad enough.
    bob

    re: .3   Isomil is iron-fortified.  As far as I know, the soy
    formulas don't come in the lo-iron variety.
    
    re: .0  is there anything besides formula in your baby's diet?
    maybe you've added fruits or fruit juices recently?
    
    cj/

    Eric had diahrrea for 6 weeks when he was 3 months old.  I did
    everything you have described (pedyialite and nutramigin) and
    it didn't stop the diahrrea.  After I switched to nutramigin,
    the diahrrea improved (cut the stools from 7-8 times to 3-4 times
    per day), but still didn't go away.  It finally went away by
    starting him on cereal and banana.     I wish I knew earlier, so
    he didn't need to suffer so long.  I would suggest you talk to
    his pedi. about starting him on the rice cereal.  2-1/2 month
    is young but not too young for the rice cereal.
    
    Make sure you protect his bottom well, ask the pedi for cream and
    powder to use.  Good luck.
    
    Oh, we are also with Fallon.  Although they are nice and concerned,
    but for Eric's diahrrea, I really don't think they have helped.
    Actually, during the 6 weeks of diahrrea, I suggested rice cereal
    few times but was all rejected by his doctor.  Finally, I just
    did it and it worked.
    
    Wendy 

    I was going to suggest the same thing Wendy did.  Rice cereal,
    bananas, and sometimes even applesauce is recommended.
    
    There is a thing called the BRAT diet.  It's used when kids have 
    diahrrea.  It is Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast.  Your baby's
    probably a little young for toast though!
    
    Good luck, Drew had a few bouts with this when he was smaller too.
    
    Nancy
    
    

    When my infant son has a problem with loose stools (not the same,
    certainly, but close) I give him rice cereal mixed with pureed bananas.
    Works like a charm!  Rice tends to be binding, so I can't give it to
    him normally.  I give him oatmeal or barley as part of his regular
    diet.  Although applesauce and apple juice are supposed to help, they give
    David horrible cramps and very loose stools.  We avoid apple anything.
    

    I third the bananas and rice. The doctor might let you give some to him
    because the diarehea has gone on long enough (for both of you!!!).
    
    If the pedi says it's okay, maybe try the St. Joseph's Anti-Diarehea
    medication. I don't know the minimum age but it has helped my son out
    on occasion and isn't like a mega-hit of medication. 
    
    Andrea

    Thanks for the responses!  Tom still has the diarrhea.  The doctor did
    suggest banana's and rice.  We tried that today and he threw up.  I
    didn't give him a whole lot either.  I used real banana's, not the baby
    food, this is what the doctor suggested.  I wonder if it was too much
    for him though!  It seems as though this is not unusual for an infant
    to have diarrhea for this length of time?!?  Although, I am still very
    concerned.  I just don't understand what causes this to happen.  The
    doctor said something about the lining of an infants stomache (I didn't
    understand).  I'm really confused, should I be extremely concerned or
    not?  Will this just pass?
    

    My daughter had the same thing - she was 5 months old and it lasted
    for a good month/month and a half.  My pedi suggested the "Brat
    Diet".  Works wonders.  Also she had a touch of a stomach virus.
    Maybe this is what your little one has.  They say when little ones
    have stomach viruses it can take quite a while to work its way out!
    
    I would suggest using baby food banana's instead of real ones. 
    It may too much for him.  Also the Isomil formula and rice cereal.
    Another suggestion - when my first girl had diarrhea I use to make
    rice and give her the juice from it.  This worked also.  If this
    continues for a REAL long time, I would bring him back in to the
    Pedi.
    
    Good Luck,
    Denise

    A problem that goes on for *weeks* in anyone, especially an infant is
    definite cause for concern.  My 2cents worth is that it's time for you
    to DEMAND to see a pediatric specialist, such as Mike Hirsch at UMass
    Medical, or a pedi gastroeterologist!  The main reason we left the
    Fallon Plan is just this kind of thing, Fallon insists you see only
    their staff, and they simply don't have enough pedi specialist on staff
    like UMass has!
    
    My son was born with gastro (bowel and bladder)problems, and a
    colostomy for his first 16 months, so I've had a lot of "gastro experience",
    but even ina normal infant stool can become lodged in the colon and only the
    liquid part will pass through.  My opinion is that it may be time for
    an Xray of his belly.  The other thing is with this the first thing to
    go should be the formula.  Pedialyte and the Brat diet, (mix the rice
    cereal with apple juice or pedialyte) will give the child sufficient
    nutrients.  I frequently mixed pedialyte with apple juice, half&half.

    Hi!  I had this problem when my daughter was about a year old (she's 17
    months old now) -- boy, time flies!!  We were distraught when her
    diahreaha went on for 3 weeks -- she was on part Isomil and part whole
    milk -- she's an adopted Korean so we started whole milk gradually.
    
    Our pediatrican had us do stool samples to make sure she didn't have a
    virus -- we had to go through this twice - once, I had to leave work go
    to the babysitter's to pick up the stool sample, drive to the hospital
    and then back to work! Whew! Nothing either time...  about this time
    both my husband and myself had short (1 1/2 day stomach viruses) so I
    think Michelle (baby) caught something from us.
    
    However, eventually this all passed -- after exhausting the BRAT diet,
    stool samples and no milk at all, our pediatrican suggested going back
    to milk and formula and she became normal again.....  It must have been
    a temporary thing that had to work itself out of her system.....
    
    We occasionally had the reverse problem - constipation -- there I've
    found that a teaspoon of Karo syrup in the bottle works great!
    
    Good luck -- this is the most vexing problem when nothing seems to
    work.
    
    -- Kay (mother of the most adorable little girl, Michelle Mee Yun)
    

    Re. 11
    
    Thanks for the info.  As a matter of fact, Fallon called us on Saturday
    and asked us how he was doing.  We told them the same, so they asked us
    to bring him in.  They did a blood test, stool, urine and an xray.  His
    white count was fine.  The X-ray showed a spot so they sent us to a
    surgeon over at St. V's. (They thought it was possibly appendicitis).
    Well, it wasn't - Thank God!  The surgeon put him on Donnatol(sp),
    which really didn't seem to work right away, but today my doctor called
    to see how he was doing and I told her again the same.  She is setting
    up an appointment with a Gastroentologist (sp), but in the meantime she
    said she noticed that Isomil has sugar and this might be irrating the
    lining of his stomach.  Evidently, they feel the virus is gone but the
    lining of an infants stomach is so delicate that the sugar is now
    irrating it.  Well!!!  we put him on Prosobee (his last bottle tonite)
    and no BM!!!  She still wants him to see the Gastro(whatever).
    
    I feel that Fallon has really done a good job.  They are the ones that
    ordered the tests and suggested the specialist.  I had suggested
    putting Tommy in the hospital at one point and my Doctor said it is
    much too traumatic for a 3 month old to be away from his mother/father.
    
    My previous doctor (From CMHC) wanted to put my 2 year old on
    antihistamines because she wasn't sleeping (as most 2 year olds don't). 
    Needless to say, we switched doctors!!!
    
    Again, thanks for all the info.  Hopefully things will be looking up. 
    It's so hard to see your child sick and not be able to make them feel
    better.
    
    Joyce
    

    Joyce,
    It'll be interesting to see if the stool sample shows anything.
    
    You are fortunate to have had such good experience with Fallon. One
    comment though about them saying that putting a 3 month old in the
    hospital would be too traumatic -- I would assume that if that did
    happen, you would be rooming in.....
    
    Take care and best of luck,
    

    re.14
    
    I also assumed I'd be rooming in.  I'm assuming she meant that Tommy
    would be on an IV and maybe I wouldn't be able to hold him. This is
    just a guess.
    
    I'm not sure if this is appropriate (moderator please let me know), but
    I'd be curious to hear of negative/positive experiences with Fallon. 
    We have only been on the plan for 1 1/2 weeks.  The main reason we
    switched is, my husband is a school teacher in Worcester and under CMHC
    we could not have the prescription plan.  This can be very expensive
    with two children.
    
    Thanks.
    Joyce

    If this response isn's appropriate, the mods will let me know! :-)
    
    
    I have been as happy with Fallon as any other insurance/doctor/plan
    I have had.  The key is that with an HMO, (like most things), you need
    to be prepared to get a tad aggressive when you feel like you aren't
    getting the correct level of attention.  Fallon has referred us to
    specialist on several occasions, once was because I became INSISTANT!
    In fact, I lowered my voice, stood up, and demanded a referral.  I got
    one.  Now, the truth is there was nothing wrong with Robby.  But my gut
    told me that he needed to be seen by a specialist. 
    
    As with most parenting issues, you need to learn to listen to your gut
    feeling.  And you need to be prepared to defend/demand actions based
    upon your own intuition.  
    
    But I have found it is no different than dealing with mechanics, repair
    people, or customer service people.  When you are *RIGHT*, then demand
    that they see it your way.
    
    Good luck.
    
    Sue

    My son's Fallon pediatrician was real good about referring us to
    a pediatric gastroentrologist (sp?) when she was confident that
    he was just colicy but sensed that I was at the end of my rope.
    We are not Fallon members, however, so maybe she knew that and
    was quicker to refer us.
    
    cj/

    Here's a few comments about some of the more recent notes: first we had
    Fallon several years ago, when they were "affiliated" with Umass
    Medical Center (at least on paper when they sold us the plan).  Since
    that time we switched to John Hancock since I wanted a specific OB, and
    delivery at Memorial Hospital.  Recently, in case this hasn't been made
    known pubicly, Fallon has gained a controling interest in St. Vincents
    and therefore ALL Fallon patients MUST go to St. Vincents, at least
    initially.  (I speak from accurate experience as an EMT, we are Mandated to 
    take all Fallon patients to St. V's or Fallon will not pay for the
    ambulance.  If you take a patient to another hospital they will be 
    stabilized and transferred to St. V's, a second ambulance bill!)  I also 
    know that Fallon adult cardiac patients are handled through Umass Medical.
    
    However in defense of Fallon, I do know that they DO send their real sick
    kids, or those reqiring specialization to Umass for care.  During my
    son's several stays we have frequently had "Fallon" roommates.  Have
    also encountered them at Memorial's NICU.  They do seem to exercise
    good jugement in transferring patients out who need other types of
    hospitalization.  As a personal note, The pedi Unit at Umass encourages
    mothers (fathers or even grandparents and foster parents) to room in
    with the kids.  Nursing moms are given 3 full meals a day, and access
    to the snack area.  I personally can't speak highly enough of UMass.
    Most hospital Pedi Units will encourage parent's to stay, simply as a
    calming factor.  To calm your fear you are more than welcome to hold
    your child with an IV or anything else.  I remember telling my son's 
    surgeon that I was "afraid" since he was a virtual spider web of wires, 
    tubes and IV's after one of his surgeries.  He personally placed my son
    gently on my lap.  By the way many of the doctors have privleges in
    both hospitals, and the Umass Residents and med students do specialty
    training at St.V's and Memorial, keeping care consistant
    
    The other too bad part of this whole thing is that only St. Vincent and
    Umass have pedi floors, and I'm pretty sure only Umass had a pedi ICU. 
    Kind of a bad situation with Worcester and the county growing so
    rapidly.  Unfortunately it's been causing a lot of overcrowding.
    Perhaps if I had known this then I might not have been so quick to change
    from Fallon to JH.  
    
    Lyn