Antibiotics and Tummy Trouble

I second chiropractic adjustment and probiotic with both the lactobacillius and bifidum bacteria strains with a high CFU count. My favorite is Vinco sold online or at LaValle Metabolic Institute if you are near Cincinnati.

Go to Whole Foods and ask where they keep the probiotics. You can get them in little chewables for him and by-pass the whole dairy thing!

Hi N.,
My pediatrician also recommends Florastor (over the counter but must get it from pharmacist). It helped Johnny tremendously.
D.

I agree with getting acidophilus from a health food store. I have used it in tablet form that you can also give to children if you break it in half. The one I get is called Kyo-dophilus. Acidophilus is also good for keeping yeast infections at bay!

I have a lactose intolerant child, too. One thing to try is Lactaid drops stirred into milk or yogurt. They break down the lactose that causes the trouble. I found this method to be cheaper than buying lactose reduced milk products for her. If its the milk protein, casein, that is the trouble, then soy yogurt would work.

My son was on antibiotics as a baby what seemed liked constantly. We would give him acidophilis. You can get it at the pharmacy where they keep the vitamins, etc. or you can get it at a health food store. This helps restore the "good" bacteria. You can crush it up and put it in a spoonfull of something like applesauce, jelly or whatever else your son might like.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

I buy the soy yogurt at Kroger and at Whole Foods. It's called Whole Soy at whole Foods.

I also buy Schiff Probiotics as well as liquid probiotics online at the Vitamin Shoppe. It seems to work well for my son (who is terribly allergic to milk products).

My son ended up with a lot of yeast and bacteria after the antiobiotics when he was younger. We had to do two rounds of Diflucan to get all the bad bacteria out from the antibiotics.

Culturelle works best for my son (3) and my nephew (18 months) Sams Club can order it for you for a decent price. It is also available on Vitacost.com for cheaper than you will find in the stores.

Hello,

I have also heard of the Acidophilus. My sister's doctor told her to get it for yeast infections instead of a prescription medication. She said it has worked great. If he is having loose stools from the antibiotic use the BRAT diet( bananas, rice, apple sauce and toast). Make sure he is drinking alot of water and try to stay away from sugary drinks which can bother the intestines. I hope your little guy gets feeling better soon! Take Care and God Bless your family!

The good bacterias are available in probiotics. PLEASE try not to give your child dairy if he is intolerant! My daughter has a similar problem and her life has significantly improved since removing cow's milk from her diet.
Probiotics can be found at Whole Foods. I also order them off of the internet. Flora Baby, made by Renew or RenewLife is my favorite? It comes in a powder. I put mine in her soy milk twice a day everyday now. OR, you can buy capsules at Whole Foods and open the capsules. Just don't put them in warm food because the heat kills the stuff you need.

ALSO, there is soy yogurt out there and NOT SOY BABY! You need Silk or WholeSoy. Look up where you can find them near you - they are both at whole foods.

If your son is dairy intolerant - that means you must avoid milk, cheese, cheese culture, whey, casein, and caseinate. If a product is lactose free, that does not mean it is free of milk protein, or casein. If you choose to give him goat's cheese, check that too. Some have dairy products in them.

This is very serious for his development. When the gut is inflammed, the brain cannot think properly - which is why so many ADHD kids and austic kids are later diagnosed with dairy allergies. These are not causes - just a relationship. What if they had been diagnosed earlier?

If you are considering looking for a new pediatrician, Dr. Ali Carine is incredible. She helped us diagnose our daughter with her allergy issues at a very young age and she has walked us through this process. Every child is different and she knows that, unlike the "treat and street" doctors. She is not quick to medicate AND she listens to the parents. We would have been lost without her and our daughter might have gone undiagnosed for years.

Good luck!

When my son had to take antibiotics at around 9 mos, I got a powdered probiotic supplement from Whole Foods (at the time, Wild Oats). It was Nature's Way Primadophilus Children. It's made specifically for kids 0-5 yrs old. Since it's a powder, you can add it to water, juice, etc.

My son has had similar troubles. Does he have a diaper rash and is it yeasty? My chiropractor recommended that I try 'Bifidobacterium infantis' - it is in powder form and is the naturally-occurring bacteria found in the gastrointestinal tracts of infants. It can be added to juice or water.

Please read the directions because it should not be consumed within two hours of taking antibiotics and it needs to be refrigerated.

I bought it locally but you can get more information at www.nutraceutical.com

DO NOT USE ANTIBIOTICS! There are other ways to treat and clear up illnesses. As a homeopath, I don't ever give my kids drugs not do we vaccinate and I have very healthy kids. Anyway, get A&B biotropins from www.danielchapterone.com or get an l-acidophilus and bifidus chewable and give it several times a day to your child to replace the good bacteria. The A&B biotropins can be put in juice and are not dairy.

Hi N.! My son is vegetarian and we have lots of trouble getting pro and pre biotics to help bacteria growth, too. Wild Oats (Chagrin Blvd) has an oatmeal called Monkey Brains that promotes good bacteria. There are three fruit flavors and it runs about $4 a box for 8 instant packs. I am not sure if there is dairy in them; but, it's worth a look!

Florastor!!! It is the best probiotic out there. My daughter was on an antibiotic for 10 days and got a horrible bacterial infection in her intestines (Clostridium Difficile called C. Diff). I don't want to scare you but I don't want you to have to go through what we have been through. My daughter is 21 months (21#) and she gets 1/2 capsule of the adult florastor twice a day. There is a florastor for kids but it has fructose in it and it makes my daughters diarrhea worse. Best of luck with everything!!!!

Hi N.,
You can go to any health food store and buy probiotics for children. For an 18 month you can get it in a powder form and mix it with juice. He'll never taste it. One thing most people don't know is be sure not to give him the probiotic the same time you give him his antibiotic. In other words if you give him the antibiotic in the morning, wait several hours before giving him the probiotic. Hope that helps...L.

Can your son have soy products? There are some soy yogurts on the market that my daughter eats. I am not sure if your son can eat soy products though......so, I am not sure if I am much help.

Good luck!
T.

Primadolphilus is wonderful, but I believe it is based off of milk product (as are most probiotics). Having said that, the amount of milk in the product is so little that it may not affect him. Regardless, I'd probably give it a try if he were my son.

Hi N.,
My son is allergic to milk. I use soy yogurt to re-set his intestines. I just spoon out some of the container in a small bowl and offer it to him throughout the day. Overnight results. I found it in the organic section near the soy milks. Good luck!

Hi N.,
I am an older mom I guess you could say. About to adopt another toddler hopefully from Bulgaria. Still praying this week on that one...
I am a nutraceutical consultant with a health professional program called nutraMetrix. I work with tons of different challenges. Antiobiotics I have never used with my daughter and have had her since 18 months old. We use our customizable Isotonic solutions for her and our 150% drinkable strawberry-kiwi Aloe. If something seems to be coming on I add more to her custom cocktail and/or start 2-4oz of Aloe and its gone in 2-3 days or sooner. It is awesome for kids and babies! I suggest our new Isotonic drinkable Spectrum Digestive Enzyme with probiotics for children. It is part of our new Isotonic line for children. Also, great for ADHD, Autism and other digestive and metabolic challenged children. Isotonic you can look up but it means same osmotic pressure as our body fluids so its absorbed 95-98%. Highest absorb able product on the market. I love the customization and the ease of taking these products. NO MORE PILLS! I have been medication free for 3 years now from HBP, Chronic Fatigue, Allergies, Asthma and irritable Bowel. Amen! Helping many and praising God for it. Not any of us are alike so nutrition needs to be customized to us personally. I can send more info if you like. And get more on my site at www.marketamerica.com/joeandtina The HP program I work with is www.nutraMetrix.com
____@____.com if you want to e-mail me. Blessings to you and your family!
T. :)

Hey N.,
Try going to the health food store and getting some primadolphilus. It is especially for children and infants and worked wonderfully for my girls. You can mix a little bit into any of his food or drink.Good luck!

Good morning Nicki,
I also worked outside the home many years until last August when I became a stay at home mom to my almost 3 year old daughter. I worked for a chiropractor for a couple years and I still work there one evening a week and we have many parents who bring there children in for ear infections after they have been on antibiotics and our Doctors recommend a product called Ultra Bifidus DF which is the good bacteria that you are looking for. It is made by a company called Metagenics and is in a powder form which can be added to applesauce, juice etc. I'm not sure if you can purchase it through their website or not being that we sell it at the office. That is one thought...another thought is L. Acidophilus made by Nature's Sunshine which you can sign up for and purchase online. This one comes in a capsule form but can be chewed up. My daughter absolutely loves them because they taste sweet. She calls them her "medicine" and she will say mommy I need some medicine. I'm not sure how you feel about herbal remedies and such, but my daughter will be 3 in October and has only had one ear infection after giving her both before. I do give her an Acidophilus almost everday just to keep the good bacteria up in her body. If you are interested in either of them you can contact me on here and I will try and get the websites for you.
Take care,
W.

Just wanted to chime in with my experience. I agree with several other people in seeing a chiropractor. One of my twins and I both had ear infections and they cleared up instantly after we had adjustments.

Antibiotics before age 2 are a huge problem because the atmosphere in the intestines is not done forming until around age two, so antibiotics ruin whatever progress your child's gut has made up to that point. So I'd start a lactose free probiotic as soon as you are able to stop the antibiotic. If you give him the probiotics now it will be a waste because the antibiotic will counter act them.

Yogurt unfortunately does not have enough live cultures to really do any good and the sugar content in yogurt will negate whatever good it does anyway. Sugar just destroys your immune system and where is the majority of our immune system housed? Yep, in the gut.

You'll need cultures that number in the billions to do any real good. I used Custom Probiotics out of California. They have a lactose free blend for infants with 250 billion live bacteria per gram. They are extremely expensive though. Another local and not as expensive brand is Udo's Choice Infant Probiotics. This only has 1 billion per gram and it may not be lactose free but it cheaper and easily found. Hope that helps!

N. - my son is having the same problem right now. My doctor suggested an over the counter medication called Florastor which is a probiotic. It helps to get back the normal flora/bactieria in your digestive tract that antibiotics naturally elimitated. She said to give it twice a day. Hope this helps!

I have used a product called Florastore (sp?). You can find it at the pharmacy, it's otc but behind the pharmacy counter. I found it at Target. Hope this helps!

Why don't you try going to trader joe's or whole foods and I'm sure you will find a lactose/dairy free type of yogurt. Those stores are great for that!

Hi N.
Upset tummy's are terrible. i don't think yogurt works personally. I recommend a good PROBIOTIC. Make sure it has various kinds of GOOD Bacteria in it and not just the kind you get from yogurt. You will find he will be healthier all around.
I have had lots of problems with my intestines and because of that had to have my Large Intestine removed several years ago, so i'm very much in tune with anyone with problems. I am here to help!!
I recommend that everyone take a Probiotic for everyday healthy intestines.
The Probiotic I take is FLORA Q available through the pharmacy at Kroger or i'm sure you can get it on line.
I also recommend a good Vitamin - one you can trust for everyone in the family. No more sickness.

Visit my website and search USANIMALS for our children's vitamins.
If you'd like more reading material on these products, please contact me and i'll be happy to send you something in the mail.

Good Luck
God Bless.
L.

You can try a probiotic such as L. Acidophilus or Bifidophilus Flora Force. Nature's Sunshine make these particular product. I have used them when my children were taking antibiotics and continued for a week or so after the fact. It seemed to help them in that they did not have diarrhea. It helps keep the good bacteria in their intestional tract and is dairy free. You can simply open a capsule and put it in their juice or food and they will never know. It is tasteless. Adults can also use them. I have also given it to my children and taken it myself when you have diarrhea. Good luck.

L.

A sahm of three ages 5,3 and 22 months.

Culturelle is a product you can get from Walgreens's. My doctors recommend it for my kids when they are on antibiotics. They even have it for children.You can out it in applesauce. Look in the aisle with vitamins or supplements.

My husband is a dietitian, so I know you are right about replacing the good baceria in his intestines. The answer is that - yes - you can go to any health food store or the nutrional area of the pharmacy and buy pills with the active cultures in them. Then those can be crushed and mixed in with his food, since is is probably too young to swallow a capsule. Look for the word probiotics. Also, there are soy yogurts that have the live cultures. Check the labels and make sure.

I try acidophillus tablets whenever I take antibiotics or my kids are on them. For kids I soak the tablet in spponful of water and it melts down. Then I give them to drink that water. It works great all the time. You can get the milk free acidophillus tablets.

You can get something from your pharmacist called acidophilus. It is a pro-biotic and the same good bacteria that you find in yogurt, but in a powder form. You can add it to juice or water and it is pretty much tasteless. I have four children and put them on acidophilus every time they have to be on an antibiotic. Hope this works well for you!

Hi N.,
The best thing you can give him is Acidophilis. My daughter was on antibiotics quite a bit at 19 months old and I gave it to her every time woth no problems. The brand I used was called Nature's Plus animal parade. I live in the Akron area and found it at a place called Kreigers. Another thing I was told (which I tried) and she never had another ear infection was to put a few drops of garlic drops(oil) in each ear once a day and it will drive off the infection.They wanted to put tubes in my daughters ears and I did both of these and she has not been on medication since. I am a nurse and I think the less medication the better. Hope this helps, God bless you on your suprise and I have a "later in life" blessing also!!!!

Hi N.,

I would like to suggest taking your son to a Chiropractor instead of continuing with the antibiotics. These can cause problems in the future. A chiroprctic adjustment will help get the neck in alignment and relieve pressure of the Eustation tubes in your sons ears. I am a Licensed Massage Therapist & have worked with a Chiropractor and have myself found this treatment to work far better than antibiotics. My son was 1 when he had a double ear infection. The ER Dr. prescribed an antibiotic, which I gave to my son only one dose. The following day I took him to the Chiropractor and got him adjusted. No more ear ache and the infection left almost immediately. He has not been on ANY antibiotics since, and he will be 11 in Dec. I took my daughter to be adjusted when she was just 4 days old. They both get an adjustment from the Chiropractor about every 2-3 months. They are VERY healthy children. An it has been wonderful not to put them on antibiotics. Hope this advice helps!