What, if any, is the long term effects of an infant that was diagnosed with pyloric stenosis late?

Question

My daughter had pyloric stenosis when she was 10 weeks old. Symptoms began at 2 weeks. She went 8 weeks before I finally took her to the ER. I took her to the doctor 3, even 4 X's a week because of projectile vomiting, no bowel movements & diapers were barely wet. The last visit to the doctor before going to the ER (which was a friday) he told me give her diluted apple juice & that would help her have a bowel movement & to call him on Tuesday. The surgeons at Childrens Hospital told me that Sunday would have been too late. 2 1/2 days later she was strong enough to have the pylorotomy. My daughter is now 13 years old but has learning disabilities in school. At home she doesn't listen, cusses @ dad & throws MAJOR tantrems. I'm not talking about the 'normal' unruliness of a teenager. Could this be caused from being malnurouished at a very critical developmental stage of life? Anyone ever heard of this condition causing problems later in life?

Answer 1

I haven't heard of this condition causing troubles later in life, but I know that nutrition is a big thing to help with proper brain development and to look at learning disabilities as well.

Answer 2

the issue as an infant could of caused an upset in the intestines.
i would certainly read up on the correlation between "the gut and serretonin". those with ibs lack a kind of serretonin that helps regulate the serretonin in the brain. (both kinds are slightly different) that is why sometimes antidepressants work (which i frown upon in children) and sometims they can actually make the situation worse! (from experience). we tried everything. what seemed to make it worse were adhd meds (upper during the day, coming wayyyy down around 5:30 pm and then a downer at night) who wouldn't be freaking out? i know i would be taking that stuff! many parents don't realize what medications can cause. you go for advice to a psychiatrist and all you get are quick fixes-these issues will still be around once the medication isn't, so we know the medication is not the answer!

watch her diet, (food diary) and a bowel movement diary. they can have runny stools, runny alternating with normal or harden stools or just constipation type ibs.

brandon is kept regulated by medication for his "gut". it is like metamucil, but by prescription, so it is a little different. it regulates his bowel movements and thus the serretonin in the brain is evened out. we tried the mood altering medications and that was worse.besides that the antidepressants will over time, change how the chemistry is in the brain and she would never get off of them.

the other issue is that she could have a chronic illness from her experience as an infant....viral or bacterial. these can pass the blood brain barrier as well.

my first guess is the serretonin connection.

is your daughter in the appropiate class at school? this has helped my son (he is in "social developement").

now is the time to get tough. take away her favorite things when she misbehaves and ground her from things she likes to do and stick to it! repetiveness in standing by your words (just like the repetivenss to her experience with begining life-which is aweful) will eventually sink in. she will figure out that her actions have consiquences. *a word of advice...remove all things you cannot replace that can be broken and no matter how upset she gets, dont let her get to you! ((brandon never broke anything, but sometimes i thought he would in a temper tantrum!)) i also state this because if she hasn't begun her period, or has already, add the hormones to the issue and wow...a whole new tasmanian devil episode.....(smile) i mention this as well because this can add to the ibs pain (if it's ibs that she has).

it's hard. i deal with brandons issue every day. but it's getting easier. now when he gets into trouble (which is far less than it used to be) doesn't even make a big deal out of it anymore. he accepts his fate and understands why.

it sucks being a parent to a difficult situation. notice i said "situation"? thats because you can't change who a child is, but you can help her change her situtation!

if you need to talk-holler at me. i know exactly what your going through.

hugs