Desperate for help NOW

[beammeupscotty]

My DGS (22 month) has to have teeth out for decay and others filled. My daughter has been told it is because of continual breastfeeding at night (he is a poor sleeper)and because of underlying hypoplasia caused be IUGR. Basically his teeth came through with no enamel, porous and crumbled away and hence decay set in. He is also underweight (more like 12 month old) and is rubbish with feeding.

Porridge with cream and nutella for breakfast - fresh cooked savoury with cream/procal powder lunch and similar for dinner and chocolate petit filous (doesnt like fruit ones). drinks only water - will not entertain cows milk, formula, follow on etc. (just not interested in food - self feeding or otherwise) Has abidec and fish oils supplement. He sees a dietician but aw appt. Teeth brushed at night.

Question 1 - how to stop the night time constant feeding without too much distress.

Question 2 How to get calcium, extra calories, vit D. down him as the bf did give some of these.

Question 3 Is she missing some nutrients in this diet we havent thought of . Zinc??

We cannot see the wood for the trees anymore so a fresh eye would help her. please

Teeth should be brushed morning as well as night, using toothpaste with 1000ppm of fluoride, according to dentist I work for.

Can the dentist coat his teeth, or have they already done this?

There's a surprising amount of calcium in green veg, eg salad.

I don#'t know what "aw appointment" means regarding the dietician.

I'd be pressing the dietician for more help tbh.

What is hypoplasia caused by IUGR????

Hiya what a nightmare for your DD and her son.

1. Ask this question in the Breast and bottle feeding, make it clear that she wants / has been told she must stop breastfeeding. Has she tried giving water in a bottle instead of water, telling him the boobs close down at night now, dropping one feed per night over a week? Has she tried the no cry sleep solution book, or if they are co-sleeping there's a website by Dr Jay Gordon where they night-wean very very gently.

1. Has she tried milkshakes / adding nesquick to cow's milk? If his teeth have not yet been sorted then try making his food very soft obv - mash potatoes or sweet potatoes with lots of milk / butter, creamy / cheesy pasta dishes with that mini pasta, puree brocolli and carrots or other veg and 'hide' them in a cheesy tomato pasta sauce.

Question 3 I don't have any suggestions but hope someone comes along who does.

Mumblechum I think she means awaiting dietician appointment.

Definitely talk to dentist about what can be done to protect remaining teeth. Maybe higher fluoride toothpaste would be suitable. Teeth should be brushed at least twice a day.

Are there certain textures of food that he likes / dislikes? Eg. my DD will eat roast slices of sweet potato all day but does not really like mashed potato of any sort.

Here is a list of calcium content in food:

Recommended intake for 2yr old 525mg / day

Neocate - 100ml = 50mg
Whole Milk - 100ml = 121mg
Semi-skimmed Milk - 100ml = 123mg
Pot of Yogurt - 150g = 225mg
Cheddar Cheese - 30g = 220mg
Cheese Snack - babybel / cheese string) = 130mg
1 large cheese triangle = 120mg
1 pot fromage frais - 100g = 85mg
1 scoop ice-cream - 60g = 75mg
Calcium enriched fruit Juice - 250ml = 300mg
Tofu - 60g = 300mg
2 tinned pilchards = 275mg
2 tinned sardines with bones = 260mg
Fortified cereal bars (per bar) = 180mg
Fish paste (60g) = 170mg
Calcium Fortified Breakfast cereal - Rice Crispies, Cheerios etc = 140mg
4 white bait (16g) = 140mg
Spinach boiled - 90g = 130mg
1 tablespoon Tahini (sesame seed paste) = 130mg
Baked Beans - 150g = 80mg
1 large Orange (210g) = 70mg
2 tablespoons cooked spring greens = 70mg
1 large slice bread - white or brown = 65mg
1 original rusk = 60mg
1 large slice bread - wholemeal = 37mg
Shelled prawns (30g) = 50mg
7 dried apricots - 56g = 40mg
2 spears broccoli - 90g = 30mg
1 egg = 30mg
3 tablespoons boiled lentils = 25mg
1 tablespoon kidney beans = 25mg
1 tablespoon hummus = 12mg

FWIW with the benefit of 20:20 hindsight my DCs constant nighttime breastfeeding helped cause their poor sleep - they could only drop off with my nipple in their mouth, never learned how to get back to sleep on their own. Was well worth the 2-week exhaustion of sorting that out with Dc2 to regain some night time peace (we used controlled crying - Other Strategies Are Available).

Fango - will make sure DGS also getting tooth brushing morning too (he may be? not sure) going to make sure fluride too. Should it be added as drops or is toothpaste enough - consultant dentist didnt say.
Sorry aw - is awaiting appointment - from dietician but daughter has rung to bring it forward.

He will have remaining teeth filled and hopefully fissure sealed.

Hypoplasia (or hyperplasia not sure which) is caused when the placenta is not working well and the baby gets reduced nutrients including calcium and other stuff. He was 37 weeks but only 4 1/2 lbs so very crap placenta.

Thank you R.O.I Will print out list of high calcium foods for DD if she can only do a few a day that would go some way to reducing the worry. Its not what he eats its the volume that is so low. If he had normal teeth to start with I dont think it would be a problem with decay its just that they didnt stand a chance from the beginning.

He only has about 300 cals a day - how rubbish is that? Have got book on No Cry Sleep method somewhere so going to have to find it again. !

I have also posted on bf topic and got some helpful replies. You are probably right purple, the night feeding probably has added to the sleep problem. DD has 2 weeks annual leave so is going to have to go for it now!!

Going to look at Dr Jay Gordon now. Thank you all for suggestions - DD will be reading them avidly now I think.

Poor things. I only have one good tip - peanut butter is brilliant for underweight kids once you've confirmed they're not allergic.

beammeupscotty - it's fine in toothpaste, you can buy them in shops with 1000ppm, sometimes they say from age 6 plus but we give that to kids of all ages from first teeth.

bf does NOT cause tooth decay. Bottles of milk at night might though. A baby with clean teeth can breastfeed all through the night with no problems at all. Others on the BF board may have told you this already. Lots of research has been done to prove this.

If he has weight issues stopping bf may not be the best idea right now so maybe don't try everything at once. Adding calcium rich foods as others have suggested and also ensure he is getting enough vitamin D (sunlight or vit drops) because it helps the body absorb calcium.

Sorry for rushed reply - bedtime for the boys and an impromptu vet trip required this evening!

think the issue is the poor tooth quality as stated on the other thread. with 'normal' teeth this wouldn't have happened.
wrt the night sleeping its going to be a long tough road, lots of crying, but in the end he will get use to it he will have no choice but to.

DD is going with Dr Jay Gordon, as it seems v. gentle and she already co-sleeps. She bottled it tonight but will start tomorrow night. Youre right totally No choice really.

I absolutely agree bf is not harmful to healthy teeth, and DD will still give 3 'feeds' in the day - its just protecting them from the 'nibbling' all night. DD herself bf for longer and had lovely teeth. (still does )

She says thanks for all the helpful replies - especially Dr Gordon link.

Definitely look into getting the teeth coated. And also she could brush them after any sugary snack. My friends DS had hypoplasia and this really helped him avoid decay.

Thank you fanjo He likes toothbrushing at the mo (dont know how he'll be after 4 teeth out though). If we'd realised we could have done something sooner it would have been a great help. It was our local dentist told DD what it was but no suggestions on how to avoid decay. Didn't even know it was decay!