Try Nordic Naturals omega 3 fish oils for kids. I give Sierra berry keen and she takes it no problem. She just had her first cold at 16 mo, roseola at 14 mo, and has never had an ear infection. She kisses other toddlers all the time and is always outside. She only takes elecare which is 55% corn syrup solids becuase of all her allergies. She has been getting the fish oil since my second trimester. I swear by it. We are trying NMT treatments for all her allergies and vomiting. I'll let you know if we have luck. Our endoscopy w/biopsies and barium swallow with follow through all came back negative so our gi said goodbye and good luck. We're going all natural now.

 

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Originally Posted by USAmma My todder is sick *all* the time. She's not in daycare and has limited contact with other children. Like maybe once a week we will go out someplace where there will be other kids. She never goes more than 2 weeks without a cold, ear infection, stomach bug, sore throat, you name it. The thing is she's tube-fed and has severe GERD. I would just give her OJ or something but it's too acidic. I am also putting her on the elimination diet because I think she's developing allergies to things I give her down the tube other than her toddler formula, bananas, cereal, and apples/pears. Do you have any suggestions on things I can give her to boost her immune system? I'm fed up with her being sick all the time.

Have you consider seeing an allergist? Jack for the past year always seemed to have something and so does my aunt's baby. (all the things, Its allergies, and it wasn't food that was doing it to them. More like cats, grass, mold, etc. Jack tested really high for mold and cats.

(and we have two kitties!) The sore throat thing could be her tonsils -- which our ENT said that infection in the tonsils often originates with allergies. Its then like a whole cycle events: cold symptoms, ear infections, sore throats and then around it goes again. And when I asked about some of the "stomach" issues, I was told it was because of sinus drainage down their throat. Gross!

If your baby does have to have surgery again they can do the blood draw while she is out for allergies. This is what we did with Jack.

 

Thanks for the suggestions! I have tried fish oil in the past but took it out of her diet b/c I wasn't sure she was digesting it well. She was having another vomit spell at the time and I took everything out of her diet that was questionable. We are vegetarians so I don't like the idea of fish oils anyway. But I like it better than antibiotics.

Allergies: I strongly suspect them, so does the ENT. He thinks she has environmental allergies. I have allergyproofed our home even going as far as to rip out the carpets. We have pets but they don't go in the bedrooms, they are bathed often, and I dust the house and floors very often to get rid of the hair and dander. You just can't avoid allergies where I live. Everyone seems to have them. Lots of dust and pollen.

The ENT said to ask the Ped GI to test for food and environmental allergies. The Ped GI refuses to test her until she's older. I'm currently shopping around for a new Ped GI and in the meantime I give her Benedryl when the clear nasal discharge starts to bother her. There's not much I can do other than that.

but she gets sick so much, beyond allergies. Colds and fevers and stuff.

My oldest dd is developing the line across her nose and complaining of her ears itching, not to mention behavior problems on *my* bad allergy days. I give her Claritin.

I am currently on Flonase and Singulair, as well as Flovent as needed for bad asthma.

So yeah, we have allergies.

 

Have you tried supplementing with probiotics? Jarrow makes a kind specifically for babies. 70% of immune response is in the gut, and it sounds like with her restrictive diet, she may be lacking in appropriate levels of bacteria in the gut. You can break open the capsules and mix the powder with her formula.

I am a high school teacher -- around 2,000 other people in an enclosed space every day, using public restrooms. I make a point of taking my probiotics and I haven't gotten sick yet this year.

 

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Originally Posted by mountainmon Our endoscopy w/biopsies and barium swallow with follow through all came back negative so our gi said goodbye and good luck. We're going all natural now.

That's great!!! Nitara is still on Prilosec and we are struggling with her vomiting cycles and not eating by mouth. She gets very little by mouth these days.

 

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Originally Posted by reader Have you tried supplementing with probiotics? Jarrow makes a kind specifically for babies. 70% of immune response is in the gut, and it sounds like with her restrictive diet, she may be lacking in appropriate levels of bacteria in the gut. You can break open the capsules and mix the powder with her formula. I am a high school teacher -- around 2,000 other people in an enclosed space every day, using public restrooms. I make a point of taking my probiotics and I haven't gotten sick yet this year.

She gets acidophillus (sp?) daily in a powdered form that I mix with water. The problem is she's on prilosec so she doesn't have the acid to kill germs like a normal stomach would. I am trying to get in to see her Ped GI about it but he is not very enthusiastic about it. The first appt I can get is in July

: but I'm trying to get in sooner with another one that I've heard good things about. She focuses on allergies and other things like that. Her current doctor focuses only on physical things and would rather do surgery than rule out allergies.

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have you thought of finding a holistic pedi?

eta- not sure exactly where you are in AZ but you might check this dr. out!
http://www.doctornewmark.com/

 

 

Thanks again for all the responses. From everyone I've encountered with reflux kids, they seem to largely be sick more than other kids in general.

I've decided to eliminate dairy from her diet for the next month. I know she can tolerate soy, but it's just hard to come by in a pediatric drink. I found *one* that has to be shipped and just ordered some. Hopefully taking dairy out of her diet will eliminate some of her mucous production from allergies.

Other than that I will try the supplements again.

 

I would try a broad-spectrum probiotic, if you haven't. Acidolphilus is just one of many beneficial bacteria.