Jump to content
ACN Latitudes Forums

Can breast feeding pass Lyme 2 yr kids?


Recommended Posts

Hi. I'm usually on the pandas forum but I am trying to rule out Lyme because I have 4 sensitive children to strep in varying degrees. I know this for sure. I did see that they advise pregnant women with Lyme not to breast feed. I wonder if I could be a link to them all if I went undiagnosed.?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi. I'm usually on the pandas forum but I am trying to rule out Lyme because I have 4 sensitive children to strep in varying degrees. I know this for sure. I did see that they advise pregnant women with Lyme not to breast feed. I wonder if I could be a link to them all if I went undiagnosed.?

 

Hello, I believe my daughters got lyme either in utero or through my breastmilk because I was undiagnosed at the time. My son, who did receive some of my breastmilk, passed away when he was a baby from birth defects that I now believe were from lyme. So I believe you can also pass it along in utero.

 

I know LLMD's usually believe lyme can be passed through breastmilk but I think the CDC says otherwise. However, most here will believe LLMD over the CDC!

 

Good luck to you and your children!

 

Susan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi again, I have a friend who's husband and three children all have lyme (as well as herself). It seems that families all being infected is common and I assume they were not all bitten by an infected tick. I know my children started symptoms when they were babies, probably after their first strep infection that they got before the age of 1. They have a strep connection and diagnosed first with sensory processing disorder, then gluten intolerance, then PANDAS, then lyme.

 

I discovered my lyme after getting very sick 2 years ago after a very stressful situation although I was sick for years before that but did not figure out why. We all got diagnosed at the same time once we put it all together with the help of the lyme mom's that went before me here.

 

Susan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

              

from Dr. J.'s talk (world famous pediatric lyme specialist) at the Toronto ILADS conference the other day.

 

2011 ILADS Conference, Toronto, Canada

 

Pregnancy & Tick Borne Diseases: Gestational Lyme

 

Dr. J. 10/28/11

 

Impulsivity is an earmark of children born with lyme. Lyme is a multi-system disorder. It can wax and wane and change. It likes collagen (valves--like heart valves, etc.), nerves, and joints; it is almost always tick borne.

 

HIV, CMV, any infection in the mother can be transmitted to the fetus.

 

If lyme is transmitted, you will see severe hypotonia (floppy baby), child will be irritable, tire easily, sensitive to light, noise, skin. The hypotonia will cause trouble sucking due to the lips being floppy. This can improve as time goes on. 30% of these children will have developmental delays.

 

Tissue PCR biopsy is more likely to be positive rather than a test of bodily fluids (blood, urine, spinal fluid, etc.). Test placenta and foreskin remnant.

 

Some of these children are classified as autism spectrum early on due to their failure to progress. These children do NOT experience regression as is often seen in autistic children. If antibiotics help them, it points to lyme as the true diagnosis.

 

He described 2 patients. One little boy ran around his office. He had never spoken. It was doubtful that he could understand what others said. But Dr. J. noticed that the boy made good eye contact with him, which autistic children will not do. He took his face in his hands and said to the boy, “I am going to unlock your brain.” The next time the child returned, he ran to Dr. J., put Dr. J’s hands on his face and said, “Thank you for unlocking my brain.”

 

The other boy had committed a long list of crimes, the most serious of which was attempted murder of his mother, and was about to be removed from his home due to his crimes. The boy announced that nobody was taking any blood from him. Dr. J. gave him a choice--either give blood or have a wrestling hold put on him. He put the hold on the child lightly and the child asked for him to stop. Then, he jumped into Dr. J’s lap and hugged him (while Dr. J. patted him down for contraband) and cried profusely for about 2 minutes. When asked why he was crying like this, the little criminal said, “Nobody has ever given me a choice before!” This boy was diagnosed with lyme thanks to the persistence of his mother.

 

Treating the pregnant mother: There is less than 1% transmission of the illness if the mother is treated with 2 antibiotics during the pregnancy; 25% rate of transmission if she is treated with just one antibiotic; and 50% rate of transmission if she is not given antibiotics at all.

 

It doesn’t matter what trimester the mother becomes infected. These are the statistics.

 

A baby born with babesiosis is in really bad shape. He told of one with heart and numerous other serious problems who was given numerous transfusions at birth, plus atovaquone and azithromycin and is now well. It took 1 week to see great improvement.

 

Some medications he suggests for the pregnant mother include 1,000 mg amoxicillin every 8 hours for months, also mentioned IM (intramuscular injections), ceftriaxone (? not sure of this--something that started with “ceft“ but not ceftin), etc.

 

The mother can only breast feed the child if she is on antibiotics. Then, yes, it is fine to breastfeed.

 

He mentioned that a lab known as Advanced Laboratories can now culture for the lyme bacteria. Western Blots test only for exposure, so this is a much better test.

 

He said that a father can infect a mother. In in vitro fertilization, a father infected the embryo, but it was not part of a study, just anecdotal.

 

He quoted Dr. H., “If the mind doesn’t know, the eyes don’t see” to explain how lyme can be missed in these children so that they are misdiagnosed.

 

One month of amoxi should be given to the mother if she is bitten while breastfeeding.

 

To treat bartonella in children, give them zith and/or Bactrim, ciprofloxacin in an older child.

 

Antineuronal antibodies can be found in infected children. If they are found, treat the child with antibiotics. The child can have strep antibodies also. He uses various meds including IV gamma globulin, if needed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Myself (bitten by tick & had rash 22 years ago), my husband, and both my children all have lyme. My youngest has been the sickest and I feel that when I was pregnant with her it really jump started my own Lyme. My older child has always complained of heel and ankle pain but didn't start showing any real sx until last year.

 

I think the post by S&S is an extreme illustration what can happen to the kids with congenitial lyme.

 

I know another local family where the Mom and all three kids have lyme and other health issues. They suspect Dad has it as well but he is dragging his heels in getting tested. Mom was also bitten about 20 years ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...