[kathywiehl]

Lots of questions regarding delays, anemia, bowel issues
My son turned one on 2/20....since then he has had three bouts of digestive illness- first one lasted over a week and was really really bad. The second one was just a few days and the third just started today. He's not acting ill but having lots of nasty diapers.

He's always been a late bloomer- sat up around 8 months, crawled at 10, finally pulled himself up to stand at 12 months, cruising on furniture at 13.5 months.

We had his 12 month checkup on Friday (yes, almost 2 months late) and I had to answer "no" to nearly all of the pediatrician's questions regarding his development.

We also checked his iron and since he was feeling a bit ill (clingy, sad, droopy) his wbc. The iron was low and he had an increased mcv and decreased rdw.

She also advised an evaluation with Early Intervention.....sigh.....I just don't know what to think.

I never worried about him until he was 12 months and still not pulling himself up.

I am also wondering if the bowel issues, low iron and developmental delays are all related....however the bowel issues didn't happen until his birthday and at that time he was already a behind.

Any experience with this? Advice?

As of now, I plan to give him a small bit of Floradix every day, and increase the iron intake for both of us. Also, I'm going to see if I can find some sources to provide activities to boost his motor skills. We will schedule the evaluation for a few weeks from now to give me time to up his iron level and work with him a bit. Not that I don't play with him already but I'm hoping I can teach him to do a few new things and then maybe there will be nothing to worry about.

 

[BetsyNY]

Welcome. I'm sure very few people ever envisioned themselves here...

Anyway--don't worry about getting him "up to speed" for his evaluation. You want the evaluators to get a true sense of where he is developmentally. And the nasty poos are probably unrelated.

I guess I'm trying to say that there are worse things than qualifying for EI--such as NOT qualifying and having other issues crop up down the road.

 

[sbgrace]

I remember answering no to all the dev. questions too. I remember when we were first referred for evaluation. It was all hard for me to handle at the time. How are you doing emotions wise?

I'm going to ask a lot of questions to try to help better. Feel free to ignore them all! But my kiddo has had dev. delay, GI stuff, and anemia so hopefully I can help some based on our experiences.

I am a little bit confused because those milestones don't sound greatly delayed to me. I assume there is something going on outside of motor skills? Is there?
The average walking age is 13 to 15 months. Kids aren't late until 18 months. So I don't know that he's too delayed in gross motor. Maybe slightly of course. But EI will know for sure. There is no need to get ready for the evaluation. You want an assessment of where he is now. If he qualifies therapy is usually fun for kids--like play. It will be ok.
Is he pointing? Waving? Picking up things with a pincer grasp? Responding to his name? Any words? If not, babbling?

I do have some thoughts on the GI and low iron but I feel like I need a bit more information. To clarify--the stool is loose? Smelly? How many times per day? Is the doctor doing any tests on the stool? How long has this been going on? You mentioned three times--how much time between each? Has anyone else had any tummy stuff? Do you have a copy of the anemia labs? If so, what were the numbers? Does he take any medication? Eat solids (what kinds?) Have you had a lead test? Is he growing well?

Like I said ignore any questions you don't feel comfortable answering!

 

[FuzzyOne]

i would definitely want to pursue the bowel issues. that can really cause issues for some. bowel issues can go undetected sometimes until they just kind of erupt. is he breastfed? exclusively? have you looked into an elimination diet for you or him (whatever the case may be)?

also, i agree with the PP regarding your EI evaluation. i would much rather qualify and not need services than to not qualify and end up needing them. you can always reject or discontinue services, but it's a lot harder to get them. we were denied for services the first time ds was evaluated at 20ish months (wrongly so, but still) and by the time they would agree to evaluate him again, he was only able to receive about 6 mos. of services total before we were transitioning into the public school system.

 

[kathywiehl]

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond.

First of all....emotionally....I'm not sure how to feel. I tend to be a slacker mom, and usually think things will work themselves out. That is why he hasn't been to a well check since he was tiny and I put off the 12 month check until nearly 14 months.

So, I have moments where I panic and a million horrible things rush through my head and then there are moments where I think that as soon as his iron is back up to normal, he'll start doing what he is supposed to be doing.

here is some of what she asked me at the checkup-

is he pointing- no
is he waving or clapping- he used to wave and clap but not much anymore
does he respond to his name- no
does he notice when someone turns on the tv- no
does he give kisses- no
hugs-no
stand behind things and push- no (he occasionally does this on his knees)
words-no
can he make consonant sounds-yes

There were more questions, but off the top of my head I can't remember. I think he's about 2 months behind in his development. He seemed to crawl, sit up, pull up to stand.....all about 2 months behind what my other kids did. Still within the range of normal but almost not (from what I've read)

The bowel issues- the poo is runny and smelly- very smelly. The first time, I thought it was salmonella and it happened just after my 3rd child got over a bout with a tummy bug, but never had him tested for salmonella. The flu was going around and I knew that even if that's what it was, we were going to just be told to focus on keeping him hydrated so that is what we did. A couple times that week he got really sick and I almost took him to the er, but we were told by the nurse to just force fluids every 5 minutes so that's what we did.

The second time he got it was about 3 weeks later. Same symptoms. This one occurred after my dog pulled a sausage wrapper out of the trash can and the baby got hold of it before I realized it had happened. I assumed the same thing- another bout of salmonella or something similar. We got him healthy again and figured that was the end of it. I mean, I do keep a clean house, so his exposure to nasty stuff like that is rare.

The third time came out of the blue. Yesterday morning he woke up covered in poo and had frequent bms all day, some more normal than others. A few were really runny and liquid.

The first time he had tummy issues was the day after his birthday- 2/21 and the most recent was yesterday- 4/12.....so three times in that short span might be what caused his iron to be low.

However, he seemed slightly on the delayed side before the tummy issues began....of course, he wasn't totally out of the range of normal at that point...

He's also very very clingy and I hold him constantly. He's not as happy and bright as he once was, IMO.

Of course that could be my paranoid mama voice or the fact that he's just maturing and going through the normal stages of babyhood.

He was born at home naturally, no shots, exclusively bf until we started solids around 6 months or so (maybe later I can't really remember).

My oldest dd tested "weak positive" for celiac a few years ago. Being a rebellious teen, she refuses to follow the recommendation to go on a gluten free diet and the doc didn't seem that concerned with it so we've never been to a specialist for that. In fact, her doc at the time just left me a voicemail when the results came in- "the test was weak pos. go ahead and eliminate wheat"

Now, I wonder if my youngest has a case of celiac's disease?

 

[mistymama]

Hi there. I don't have any adivse, but wanted to offer support.

I think I remember you correctly ... didn't you used to make diapers? And moved to Alabama? Sorry if I'm totally wrong - I have a terrible memory like that. But I think I remember you... and I live in ********** if you need any local support.

Anyway, just wanted to give you a

and say hi. Ds was also in EI (and it was WONDERFUL) and I'm back on this board after thinking he was so much better, and now issues are popping up in Kindy. They think he has Aspergers.

I think you will find EI to be wonderful, we had a terrific experience with them several years ago.

 

[kathywiehl]

Well, I think you have a great memory, because you are right! I did make diapers back when I only had 2 kids and lots of time for sewing. Now, I can barely find time to sew a shirt or pants for my kids lol!

Have we met in person? Where do you live? I'm wondering if the EI process is the same all over this area or if it varies county to county. We are in Shelby Co.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mistymama Hi there. I don't have any adivse, but wanted to offer support. I think I remember you correctly ... didn't you used to make diapers? And moved to Alabama? Sorry if I'm totally wrong - I have a terrible memory like that. But I think I remember you... and I live in ********** if you need any local support. Anyway, just wanted to give you a and say hi. Ds was also in EI (and it was WONDERFUL) and I'm back on this board after thinking he was so much better, and now issues are popping up in Kindy. They think he has Aspergers. I think you will find EI to be wonderful, we had a terrific experience with them several years ago.

 

[mistymama]

I'm sure it varies from county to county, but anyone I've talked to only has good things to say about their experience. We actually did EI through Calhoun County (living in Anniston at the time) and now we are in Jefferson (Vestavia) - but going through the school system is a whole different experience.

We've never met, but I think I bought a diaper or two way back in the day.

Of course that's been a long time ago - my kiddo is going into First grade next year!

 

[sbgrace]

Ok. I agree he needs an evaluation and there are delays. I understand the mix of emotions.

I honestly think the anemia and GI are likely not the cause of the developmental issues. They may, though, be contributing as none of us do our best when we feel bad and he likely feels bad. And sometimes (my kid, I don't suspect yours) it all went together in the underlying issue. But I don't think anemia or gastro would be causing those types of delays directly. And even if he catches up in gross motor you've got some other things going on. I suggest you go ahead with the evaluation even if he's feeling and doing better. FWIW, my kid was doing really similarly at that age.

Sometimes a parasite can cause diarrhea to come and go. That happened to us. I still have no idea how he got a parasite but I was told it's pretty common and simple things can cause it. Celiac would be another possibility. Is he eating wheat directly or just through breastmilk? Or he could have gotten three different bugs. The smell though makes me think bacteria or parasite. Same smell all three times? No antibiotics, right? But what I would do is a celiac panel. You have to do the panel when a person is getting wheat to be accurate. And if it keeps happening talk to the doctor about doing a stool sample to look for parasites and bacterial things. I'd also do probiotics.

The anemia..make sure you re-test soon. We treated my son for too long only to find out he wasn't increasing. We switched types of iron and it went up very quickly. So you need to stay on top of it. I suspect the doctor will do that anyway. If it isn't improving I suggest ferrous bis-glycinate given with vitamin C. But with the iron (no matter the type) avoid dairy, soy, eggs (white and yolk), beans, greens, and brightly colored fruits and vegetables for a few hours after the dose. All those block iron absorption. I give iron first thing in the morning and wait at least three hours before giving anything that blocks iron. I wouldn't worry about nursing unless there is a time where he doesn't nurse frequently and you could give it then. I did for a while give my son's in the night.

 

[kathywiehl]

Okay- went to the doc and they took 3 tubes of blood for testing and I was given three bottles for stool sampling. I'm to take them back within 24 hrs of collection.

I did some more reading. It appears that he's about 3 months behind in just about everything. Now, I'm curious about how this translates to when he's older? Does it all even out once kids are bigger? I mean a kid who is 3 months behind when he's 6, isn't really behind is he? Or does this mean that he'll always be delayed?

With therapy, can I assume he'll be okay?

Can anyone offer anything encouraging? I just want to be shown proof that this will all go away. I know, probably too much to ask.

 

[KimPM]

Re: the tummy bugs and diarrhea...I wonder if with all those bouts of tummy bugs his intestinal flora is not back to normal. Have you tried giving him some baby probiotics at any point?

 

[BetsyNY]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kathywiehl I did some more reading. It appears that he's about 3 months behind in just about everything. Now, I'm curious about how this translates to when he's older? Does it all even out once kids are bigger? I mean a kid who is 3 months behind when he's 6, isn't really behind is he? Or does this mean that he'll always be delayed? With therapy, can I assume he'll be okay? Can anyone offer anything encouraging? I just want to be shown proof that this will all go away. I know, probably too much to ask.

The idea of Early Intervention is that if these delays are addressed when children are very young and the brain is still elastic, the overall impact will be lessened, maybe even eliminated. There is no way of knowing what the long-term outcome will be for your son. But by getting him help this early you are giving him THE best chance to do and be his best.

We all struggle, question, agonize over what the future holds. There's simply no way of knowing. Just take deep breaths, post here, and try to take it one day at a time.

 

[lactationlady]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kathywiehl I did some more reading. It appears that he's about 3 months behind in just about everything. Now, I'm curious about how this translates to when he's older? Does it all even out once kids are bigger? I mean a kid who is 3 months behind when he's 6, isn't really behind is he? Or does this mean that he'll always be delayed? With therapy, can I assume he'll be okay? Can anyone offer anything encouraging? I just want to be shown proof that this will all go away. I know, probably too much to ask.

I think that is what we all want to know. Most kids improve quite a bit with therapy. We had a positive experience with PT & OT through EI. In fact, we had the same Physical Therapist for 2.5 years. We miss her.

Oh, I also wanted to add, I have a dear friend whose dd was much more delayed than your ds. She is 9 now and one of my ds's best friends. She has some minor lingering issues, but for the most part, you would never know anything was wrong. She was pretty much caught up to her peers by 1st grade.

 

[JessSC]

 

[sbgrace]

Did the pediatrician suggest a hearing test? I forgot to mention that it is usually a first step and most insurances will cover it so might be worth getting as you wait for early intervention assessment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kathywiehl I did some more reading. It appears that he's about 3 months behind in just about everything. Now, I'm curious about how this translates to when he's older? Does it all even out once kids are bigger? I mean a kid who is 3 months behind when he's 6, isn't really behind is he? Or does this mean that he'll always be delayed? With therapy, can I assume he'll be okay? Can anyone offer anything encouraging? I just want to be shown proof that this will all go away. I know, probably too much to ask.

I think the difficult thing in all of this is that you can't know the future. The important thing is that our kids are happy in life. They can be that no matter whether the issues resolve or don't. This beginning is hard--it's the hardest part.

 

[kathywiehl]

Rachelle, yes the ped did recommend a hearing test so we are seeing an ENT on Thursday morning. I'm sure he can hear well though. He does understand the word "no" and when it is directed at him, he bursts into tears. Not that we correct him often, but if he's just about to put his finger up the dogs behind, a stern "no" gets him to stop, lol!

 

[mistymama]

Trust me, I know how you are feeling. I think we'd all like to have hope that our kid's issues will just "go away" ... heck, I thought ds was sooo much better after doing EI that he was fine .. and it's just now that we are seeing he still has issues that are more than just sensory stuff.

I think all you can do is give your son the best possible chance - and yes, often EI does help enough that they catch up and don't need additional therapy, etc. I thought that was the case with ds, but now we are seeing he still has issues that he needs help with.

 

[NativeMom]

For us, the bowel issues, anemia (and in our case sensory/behavioral issues) were related. And similarly, the symptoms exploded exponentially (no pun intended) after a series of infections, and in our case antibiotics.

The short story is that dd has a malabsorption disorder, but despite my having been in medical school (I chose not to finish after dd was born), it took me three years and lots of pressure on the docs for them to test her for anything.

It sounds like your doc is on top of it with the blood and stool tests. Please keep us posted as to how it turns out.

You asked about encouragement, and I certainly don't want to offer false hope, but dd has responded exceptionally well to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. As of the last test, this hasn't corrected the anemia, but ALL of the other symptoms have improved, including now having normal stool, dramatically decreased sensory issues, increased weight, increased verbal ability, and decreased tantrums.

Since you mentioned celiac, that would certainly be on my radar, but it sounds like you and the doc have that covered.

 

[sbgrace]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NativeMom You asked about encouragement, and I certainly don't want to offer false hope, but dd has responded exceptionally well to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.

NativeMom I apoligize. I recognize that diet helped your kiddo and I understand wanting to share that because I've seen huge improvements in my own son with certain things. I do understand your suggestion and why you want to share it. I just want the OP to be aware that that particular diet has proved harmful to some kids at least. Mine was one and I've met several others as the diet tends to attract people whose kids have both delays and GI stuff. OP, if you do a limited diet at some point make sure you have a balance of calories from carbs/fat/protein.

 

[NativeMom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbgrace NativeMom I apoligize. I recognize that diet helped your kiddo and I understand wanting to share that because I've seen huge improvements in my own son with certain things. I do understand your suggestion and why you want to share it. I just want the OP to be aware that that particular diet has proved harmful to some kids at least. Mine was one and I've met several others as the diet tends to attract people whose kids have both delays and GI stuff. OP, if you do a limited diet at some point make sure you have a balance of calories from carbs/fat/protein.

Sbgrace,

Thanks so much. I really appreciate your input and completely agree that what works for one person may not work for another. I was simply relating our experience. And like you, I recognize that some diets (possibly all in one situation or another) may be harmful. Personally, I've had that experience as well and am careful about keeping detailed notes about diet, symptoms, etc., etc.

I mentioned our experience because I wasn't smart enough to find this group when we were initially struggling and would have benefitted from learning what worked--and didn't--for others.

Wishing only the best