The terrifying uncertainty of having a child with an illness that changes every day
Before I had my son, I knew what kind of parent I wanted to be. My husband and I had decided on everything from co-sleeping and TV usage to schooling and nutritional choices. Like many moms-to-be, I fantasized about our growing family and the role our son would play in our lives. But then my son, David, came along and we all know what they say about the best laid plans.
Starting in early infancy, we suspected that something was wrong. He often had rashes on his face, arms and neck. Every time he nursed, his face would flush a deep red, and he would pull off the breast and cry. He would throw up while nursing, and often up to two hours after a feed?something that even the nurse in the hospital after his birth acknowledged was unusual for a newborn. In a search for answers, I saw five lactation consultants in the first four months of his life. One convinced me that he had severe tongue and lip ties, requiring an invasive, painful procedure when he was just five months old. After the procedure, he stopped sucking altogether, and ended up in oral motor therapy. And still, his eating problems continued.
He began experiencing daily gastrointestinal bleeding, pain, vomiting, rashes and hives, along with continued weight loss. I concluded that he was having allergic reactions to foods through my breastmilk, so I made an appointment with a paediatric allergist. David tested negative to allergies for rice, dairy, soy and other foods, even though he was experiencing hives, reflux and...
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