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I was with my mom when she had a heart attack. I was only 3 years old, but I remember her falling down and the EMTs arriving and later being told she had passed away.
As I got older, I understood that my mom’s weight and health habits caused her heart disease and ultimately her death. As a kid who was always overweight, this haunted me.
…Prepared for the unexpected: How Henri beat C. diff
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.