We’re in the refusing solids game..

[Anonymous]

Ian was doing pretty well-loved (the 3 solids he was on) and would eat alot. Bottles weren’t great but managing through tv therapy. We did a pear trial a week ago which had ups and downs but seemed ok then allergist told us to try peas-which we have for 3 days-they have made him a little gassy. But the most disturbing thing is-his nasty cough and some sneezing has been back (kind of like his oatmeal reaction). We’re guessing it’s added reflux from pears and MAYBE a peas reaction but who the heck knows. He’s also super fussy. And now for last 2 days won’t eat ANY solids and bottles are down. My question is how do you handle this so you don’t create a long term feeding aversion? Should I keep him in his highchair for thirty minutes, do my own thing, and come back and try and then when time is up, move on? Should we just stop immediately? Let him play?

Also, if anyone has any tips on colds versus allergies?? We can’t gadge anything-teething, reflux, cold, allergy?? Who knows? The cough he gets is so gosh awful! We’re detoxing our apt this weekend just in case it’s environmental..

I HATE THIS! EVERY TIME (EVERY TIME) we think things are going well-endo came back great, allergy tests are all negative, things go bad again! Solids were so encouraging and now disaster as usual.

Also, I know people have it much worse, so I apologize for ranting but I just need to vent it out. Thanks for listening and tips.

Tracy (Ian’s Mom 9-26-05) Elecare and Prevacid

[Anonymous]

Don’t ever apologize for ranting, Tracy. I often feel that way and know
many have it much worse than Marisa and I but this board is here for
everyone to help and support each other and give advice.

Marisa often goes through this – so it’s hard to tell if reflux, virus,
behavioral or what. Also if she’s too tired she doesn’t eat well. And
lately she’s learning to pull up and take steps if supported so she’s
too active to eat and sleep well. But if he’s congested and all maybe
something is bothering him? Maybe an adjustment? Peas are related to
soy family…

When Marisa won’t eat she’ll push away the spoon, cry, etc. We just
stop and if she wants to stay in her high chair and eat Cheerios or
Puffs or something fine (she usually does). If not, we just end the
meal. We also try to create some happy times in her high chair – like
sometimes we’ll let her just sit in there and watch Sesame Street and
gum a teething cookie. With her bottles we usually try the “normal” way
and if she refuses or only takes a bit she’ll usually finish in front
of TV.

Hang in there – if he’s not feeling well, for whatever reason, his appetite may be way down too. Big hugs.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Karen. I appreciate the advice. I will try highchair in fun environments. He does seem to like bouncer better for eating. But he was refusing solids yesterday afternoon as well even though in bouncy seat. Kept trying to sit up so we went back to highchair.

We’re just so arghhhhhh!!!!!!! He’s back coughing/hacking/wretching with periodic sneezing. Low grade fever comes and goes but could be teething. We’re taking him to get ears checked today. I didn’t know that about peas. We’ve stopped them, pears, and probiotics JIC for a few days (not that he’d eat them anyways). Throat seems to be really bothering him and we’re starting to think it could even be an environmental allergy-we have 2 cats and Ian tested negative but that really means nothing. Also-NYC (small) apt – I’m sure it gets dustier then it should. Just the fact that this weird cough thing (that I kept thinking was reflux until neg endo) keeps coming and going regardless of food. But he’s grunting again too-would environmental do that? Sorry- I know I’m all over the map-just trying to figure it out. Plus we’re still not sure if he picked something up at the playground but he has watery eyes and no real congestion just sneezing.

Sometimes I feel like I just can’t take it anymore. Why is it 2 good weeks, 4 bad ones?

Big hugs to you guys too! (thanks I needed one)

Oh, we’re buying an overly expensive hepa purifier and vaccum today to see if helps.

Also, just hired a lovely babysitter from Barnard College to work at my office 3 days a week for 5 hours each day. That way I can have some help and take at least work pressures away. And some much needed relief from feedings. If you want to know how they work-let me know. She’s really awesome.

Tracy

[Anonymous]

That definitely sounds like it could be teething – how did the ear check go though? How’s Ian feeling/eating?

Unfortunately, even with a non-reflux/allergy baby it’s a series of ups
and downs – just to a lesser degree I guess. Hopefully the good weeks
start to outnumber the bad ones…

Sounds great with the Barnard babysitter – I’ll definitely let you know.

[Anonymous]

Tracy, sorry about the feeding strike. It’s on at our house as well, so boy do I hear your frustration. Last night I just wanted to cry- a YEAR of this already just makes me want to scream!

The babysitter sounds great! Do you bring Ian to work with you? That must be hard. What does he do while you’re working? Just curious… we’re looking in to options for Hailey.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Lori and Karen.

K-Eating today not good-he slept horribly waking up several times. This morning he was sneezing constantly and just looked sick. Really tired and fussy and flush. Wretching but less then prior two days-No fever. Definitely not himself. Hard to tell if it’s a virus or not. Really worried it’s environmental because all the books seem to say if he’s sneezing alot (and it’s been pretty constant), it’s more likely allergy. If anyone out there has ever experienced lots of sneezes when their baby is ill, I’d love to know so we could relax a bit. We’re going nuts on if it’s something in apt. I agree ups and downs with all babies-I just wish I didn’t have to worry it was a darn allergy every time. It always affects eating and makes me so nervous I’m hurting him. Sigh.

Lori-its infuriating isn’t it? I just wish all our time wasn’t spent coaxing him into eating. Poor little guy. Yes, I’ve been bringing him to work 2 days/work from home 2 days. My office is great but I had to hire someone to help and play with him for a few hours because as he gets older, he gets bored. We have an exersaucer, bouncer, playpen, and some other toys for him there. As well as tv and baby einstein videos. I had to take him out of daycare with all the colds aggravating reflux. Do you have any ideas your floating around on what to do with Hailey? Are you going to work?

Tracy

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, that does sound like allergy and maybe teething too. Could still
be from the peas? How long was he on them? Marisa does sneeze a lot
when she’s not feeling well. So hard to tell – I know how frustrating
it is.

[Anonymous]

He was only on peas 3 days total-v. small amount too. Coughing started on pears though and no other symptoms. He’s been off everything 2 days now and it actually got worse. Ped told us that they tend to see gi issues or rashes when it’s a food allergy and sneezing/coughing when it’s environmental. But she also didn’t rule out a cold.. He had a low fever last couple of days too just not today. Well, makes me feel a little better that M sneezes during colds too. Maybe there’s hope?

Tracy

[Anonymous]

Tracy,

Whenever I get a cold it always starts with lots of sneezing. I always think it’s my allergies until a few days later when the fever and lousy cold symptoms start. Also, my girls often sneeze for two or three days before their colds become apparent. And the last time Myles had a cold it also started with sneezing. I read that it’s the body’s way of trying to expell the cold virus…to bad it doesn’t work!

I hope Ian feels better soon.

Christine

[Anonymous]

Tracy, did Ian get a lot sicker in daycare? Did the colds really make the reflux that much worse? Were they able to medicate him there? Sorry for all the questions. We have a spot for Hailey for the beginning of September in Sarah’s daycare. We have to let them know by the end of the week if we want it or not. I would really like to put her in daycare in one sense, mainly because I think that the social exposure would be really good for her, and also because I don’t want to have to move into a smaller home (we need two incomes to afford this one). Really my main worry is that her reflux is so bad still that I’m petrified of what the illness would do to her. Our ped said that we can try it out if we want, but then I always have the terrifying picture of poor Ian lying in his crib with blood and vomit. Do you have any advice or recommendations? BTW, sorry to hear he’s not feeling well.

[Anonymous]

I’ve heard that about sneezing and colds too. And Marisa often seems to
sneeze when she’s getting a virus, as do I. And combined with his fever
the other day, I definitely think it could be a cold/vius. Maybe
teething too, maybe some environmental allergies – I’d guess NOT the
food.

I’d give him foods you are confident are safe for now – in whatever
amounts he’ll take. He’ll eat more again when he’s feeling better – one
thing I’ve definitely learned is that if they are not eating because of
a virus (i.e. if it’s not a reflux or food aversion issue, just a virus
issue) they tend to make up for it afterward by eating WAY more.

Hope he feels better soon – keep me posted.

[Anonymous]

He slept a little (little) better last night and humor is a tad back too this am. He had a ton of dried gloppy bogies (apologies) under his nose-definitely looked more viral. Coughing and sneezing are there but minimal so I’m thinking maybe a virus afterall-If it was something in my house, it wouldn’t come and go like this would it? Thanks for notes on sneezing-I should stay away from those books sometimes and just trust instincts. We’re only giving him bananas, squash, sweet potatoes last 2 days -what little he’ll take. Maybe pears today since they really did seem fine. Only 1oz of eve bottle yesterday too. OOOHHH, he just gave me a big smile! That makes everything better.

Also, I’m still not ruling out the probiotic either. He sneezed with watery eyes first time we took that over a month ago. This time, we gave less and it could have taking longer to affect him? But he was off it for 2 days before the runny nose/sneezing happened? Does anyone know if incubation time can take that long?

As for daycare-yes he got sick all the time so we had to take him out-it aggravated reflux terribly. But Hailey will be much older then Ian was at the time (only 3-5 months). Could they up her prevacid if she starts to show problems? Do you have to sign a contract-maybe you could try it and pull her out if it doesn’t work? How bad is her reflux still? Which foods does she take? That was another issue for us. We have to be so careful with solids-I wanted to observe Ian while trialing. I know what you mean, I have to work too (we crunched every number possible) and just couldn’t do it. It’s really hard. We hope to put Ian back in daycare after the summer-because he really loves other children and it’s only 3 days a week. How about Hailey-f/t, p/t? The other tough thing is remember it’s cold/flu season which makes it difficult. But I really think because they’re older, it will probably be fine…..?? Hard to predict I guess.

Tracy

[Anonymous]

Definitely sounds viral to me. Big smiles are the best!

[Anonymous]

I know it’s a long shot, but that sounds like how my older one acts when he gets a sinus infection (which I have come to believe he has been getting since he was little). If it was allergies (environmental) there would be no fever, and most kids with bad environmental allergies have “allergy black eyes” those dark circles under their eyes (my older son has them)..as for allergy testing, your right, when they are so young those tests are super unreliable..Austin’s ENT told us that even getting him tested at 5 was to young to really tell anything major. Sounds like a cold/virus thing and I hope he feels better soon!!!!

[Anonymous]

Things going any better Tracy?

[Author]

Posts