Pls help,what is wrong with my 9 week old?

[suedetteuk]

Basically, since my sons birth nothing has seemed right. He had jaundice and was very sleepy and wouldnt wake up ever. Then when that cleared he started choking on his milk which is terrifying. He has diarea all of the time, he only turns his head to the left and screams in pain whenever I turn it to the right. He was on cow and gate so we changed milk cos he seemed in pain (arching his back, never settled) we changed to comfort milk. He then got worse again and spent days crying. Tried colief and he is better, but still has diarea every day and I change his outfit every single time he poos. Asked HV and she suggested to get a sling, and said do not change his milk. He is swallowing constantly and making high pitched sounds when he breathes. Doctor says he has a lazy larynx. Does anyone know what is up with him? Just want him to be well!! Feel like I am not getting answers from anyone as some docs refer him to a pediatrician, others have said no. Dont know what to do anymore, going out of my mind with worry. Sorry for the novel!

Hi suedette.

That sounds tough.

When you say diarrhoea, what do you mean?

I don't know about the milk, but if he finds it painful to turn his head to one side, you might try taking him to a cranial osteopath to get him some relief.

Poor him, and poor you. Hope you get some answers.

Hi Julia, Its basically green/yellow water that he is passing every time and it goes through the nappy, vest, the lot :(

You seem to be having a few problems . The only one I can advise on is the turning one way. He could have torticollis. You need to have him seen where he will get diagnosed and then be given some exercises to do with him to loosen up the muscles in his neck so he can move freely before it develops into more problems.

Thanks, will def be going back to the docs

Sounds like cows milk intolerance and/or reflux. I'd park yourself in the GP tomorrow and demand a referral and some hydrolysed formula.

Write a list of what he's doing and ask the GP to explain what they think it is.

Thank you all for your replies, new to the site so sorry if I miss anyone when I reply.

CreatureRetorts, I mentioned a lactose intolerance ready present in my family and they wnt believe it and said that as he isnt losing weight, he is ok.

Didn't want to leave you unanswered, I hope there will be some more knowledgeable people along soon. If I were you I would get this moved to the breast and bottle feeding topic as there will be more traffic and advice on there.

My thoughts are:

Cows milk protein intolerance

Or

Reflux possibly both.

Suedette, follow your instincts. Sometimes you need to be super assertive with the doctors or health visitors.

A cranial osteopath may help with the turning his head.

Hope you get some answers soon. I hope you are ok too.

Thanks everyone, I will be changing his milk, I cnt put up seeing him suffer anymore. I will def go back to HV/Docs and hopefully get some answers x

Ask to see a different doctor and insist on a pediatrician referral. Be very assertive as some gps are crap. Hope he gets better soon.

Doctors and be as bolshy/stroppy as you can be.

Insist on a referral. Request a second opinion if needed.
I second seeing the osteopath. Not cheap but has worked for several friends.

If you are in or near to London there are places you can get free Osteopathy for babies here and here and a low cost one here.

You need a proper doctor, a paediatrician referral, not a cranial osteopath. If your baby can't turn his head one way it needs seeing by someone medically qualified.

I would also say cows' milk allergy. The head turning can be something called Sanifers Syndrome which is caused by gastric pain. I know because my DD had this.

If it's an allergy lactose free won't help as it's the protein causing the problem. The green diarrhoea also fits that picture. If it's an allergy you'll need fully hypoallergenic formula like nutramigen or neocate (prescription only)

Get a referral to a specialist and don't let up with your GP until you get one. They are notoriously poor for taking these kinds of symptoms seriously. Sorry to other posters, but I'd not waste time with an osteopath etc at the moment. We went down all those routes and it just delayed a proper diagnosis - the osteo won't be able to help the diarrhoea and if the head turning is liked to gastric pain won't help with that either.

Hope your poor baby gets sorted soon xx

Another mum saying push for the referral to a paed. GPs are utterly rubbish for pooh poohing these types of symptoms and you need to fight to be heard.

I'd be worried with these symptoms that there is a serious lactose intolerance here.

Also DO NOT switch to Soya formula. Babies who are allergic to milk are usually also allergic to soya so this can make things worse. No paediatrician will recommend soya now as it's also high in plant oestrogens and not suitable for small babies. I'm amazed that some GPs and HVs still suggest it, and that it remains on sale.

I missed the bit about the choking/reflux but that would doubly suggest the head turning is sandifers syndrome. My DD did this hundreds of times a day, and it was explained to me that they turn their heads to cut off the oesophagus to try and stop the milk/stomach acid coming all the way up - it's trying to avoid pain. The arching and going rigid are also classic symptoms. Within a short time of switching to neocate the head turning and arching both stopped.

Some GPs are either stubborn or ignorant when it comes to intolerances in babies.

I wouldn't use soya milk - it caused similar symptoms in mine who were dairy intolerant.

Also lactose intolerances is slightly different to cows milk intolerance (lactose is sugar in milk, cows milk intolerance is intolerance to the protein) and is rare in babies but common in adults. Cows milk intolerance is more common in babies.

I found taking a written list to the GP helped as I'd get flustered otherwise.

op
write a list of symptoms, as you did in your op. Make a note of times and regularity eg he arches as soon as he is fed, or wakes himself up arching etc.

Don't keep changing the milk, that is why hv said don't change. It takes babies a while to adjust to new milk. You need a referral to get the RIGHT milk for him, and then switch to that.

If you think you will get flustered, take someone with you who believes you. Someone who has kids and can say this isn't normal would be good.

Take a dirty nappy (put it in a sealed clear plastic bag) There is a world of difference between normal poo and green water, and any gp worth his salt should know that.

I think lactose intolerance can be tested for? Insist that he is tested.

Sometimes gps do a lot of placating of new mums who are a bit panicking, and they miss the genuine cases which need to be referred. You need to stand your ground

hettiene - a cranial osteopath is medically qualified .

OP - listen to your instincts. My DD was badly let down by inept GP's and while we have gone privately and mostly had good treatment after diagnosis at 10 years of age we have learnt of a new problem. Not ALL doctor's are experienced enough in out of the ordinary baby issues.

A cranial osteopath will cost you around £40 and they are excellent at picking up problems and it is a very gentle treatment which works quickly and fully.

Er, cranial osteopaths may be qualified as cranial osteopaths, but 'medically qualified' ie doctors, they are not.
How do you think a cranial osteopath is going to help with what is clearly a gastrointestinal problem of some sort?
Sigh.

Cranial osteopaths are alternative practitioners who fix the rhythm in your head They are no more medically qualified than homeopaths.

Okay, splitting hairs imo and clearly my mistake but no need to be so rude. They don't fix "The rhythm in your head" as stated by you.

And a gynaecologist is medically qualified but they aren't going to be able to sort your heart problem so not such a good argument.