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From the time he was born, Henri has been very reactive — to everything.
As a baby, he was allergic to milk and soy, which led to weeping eczema all over his body. His allergies meant frequent ear infections and sinus infections.
As a toddler, he was anemic and underweight. He had two urinary tract infections (UTIs) with fevers.
At age 3, he had a circumcision because of the repeated UTIs.
At age 4, a sinus infection spread to his eye orbit. Every sunscreen on the market gave him (and still gives him) a rash.
At age 5, a bug bite on his ear led to a cartilage infection that required antibiotics.
Suffice it to say, I am always prepared for the unexpected with Henri. …
Is it safe to give my baby probiotics for colic?
Having a colicky, inconsolable baby can be one of the toughest parts of parenthood. Seeing your newborn cry and scream — without the slightest clue as to how you can help — is enough to make most moms and dads want to curl up and cry right along with the child. Making things worse, science isn’t really sure what causes colic, making a quick and simple treatment hard to find in many cases. …
Kaleb’s journey: Treating C-diff with fecal microbiota transplantation
Bath time and bubbles, snuggling with Mom and playing hockey with his big brother are just a few of Kaleb’s favorite things.
But for the bright-eyed three-year-old from Massachusetts, things weren’t always so carefree.
Kaleb’s health changes: Battling ear infections and diarrhea
As an infant, Kaleb was a healthy baby boy. He was eating well and growing by leaps and bounds.
At six months, his health began to change. Multiple ear infections followed by numerous antibiotic treatments became a painful part of Kaleb’s young life.
As his first birthday approached, a second, unrelated condition emerged. Bouts of diarrhea were frequent. And as the days turned to weeks, the diarrhea intensified and his condition worsened.
“He wasn’t eating and was having up to 14 loose stools per day,” recalls Kaleb’s mother, Christine, a licensed practical nurse at an area medical center.
Stool cultures examined by Kaleb’s local pediatrician confirmed the toddler was battling more than ear infections. He was also battling Clostridium difficile, or C-diff, an infectious disease that causes debilitating diarrhea and is often prolonged with antibiotic use.
“As a nurse myself I was familiar with this infection. And though I was saddened by the news, I knew it was treatable,” Christine says.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t that easy.
Boston Children’s through a lens
Will Davis was born with a gastrointestinal condition so severe it threatened his life, symptoms of which began to present themselves shortly after his birth. Doctors monitored him for several hours, but as the hour hand on the clock dragged on, it became clear that Will would need highly specialized care. Barely 24 hours old, Will took his first car trip—an ambulance ride to Boston Children’s Hospital—for complete diagnosis and treatment.
Within hours of his arrival in Boston Will was diagnosed and underwent the first of five surgeries to repair his intestinal malrotation and volvulus—a complex blockage of the digestive tract that leads to tissue necrosis. In cases as severe as Will’s, the condition could be deadly if left untreated.
Treating intestinal malrotation requires multiple surgeries and a good deal of supportive care—hospitalization for the condition can often last for months. In preparation, Will’s father, Gabe, his mother, Megan, and big sister, Chloe, all temporarily moved to Boston so they could be together as a family during his treatment. …