Has anyone tried Kefir?

[Camryn'sMommy]

I read an article today saying that Kefir does not help antibiotic associated diarrhea in children. It got me thinking that it might help Camryn. She still has bouts of diarrhea, but it is usually when she gets something she isn't supposed to eat. Let me know if anyone has had success. Thanks!

[JLH]

I got that news in my Ivanhoe Insider (pay subscription) email this morning and thought of Camryn. How are you and your son doing?

[Gas Bag]

She is such a cutie! How awful for a child to have to suffer with this.

Well I just jumped on the probiotic yogurt bandwagon, and I instantly quit having the rumbling gut and no D today. The first time in a month.

[Camryn'sMommy]

I'm doing better and my son isn't showing any signs of LC (thank God). I have to have sinus surgery soon...not fun. I have chronic sinusitis and they have to break my facial bones....ouch!

I think I might try the Kefir with Camryn...it can't hurt right? I read an article from 2003 that said there were only 4 children in the world diagnosed with LC/CC. I have a feeling that has to be much higher, but who knows.

[Gas Bag]

I say go for the Kefir it wouldn't hurt Camryn at all and might do a world of good. (nothing like taking advice from a total stranger)

Sorry to hear about the sinus surgery. It's sounds brutal.

Deb

[Gloria]

Ohh. Good luck with the surgery. Polly had a lot of sinus problems last year, I believe. I'm glad your son doesn't have LC.

If Camryn can handle dairy, she should be able to handle Kefir.

Gloria

[tex]

I did a quick search, and although Kefir has been mentioned many times on this board, I can find where only two members mentioned ever using it, and both of them, apparently rotated several probiotic products at the same time. CAMary and chastecl both mention using it, but there were no details given on how well it worked, (or didn't work).

Theoretically, at least, Kefir should be a much better probiotic choice than yogurt, because according to some "authorities", Kefir can actually colonize the intestinal tract, something that yogurt cannot do.

I think I might try the Kefir with Camryn...it can't hurt right? I read an article from 2003 that said there were only 4 children in the world diagnosed with LC/CC. I have a feeling that has to be much higher, but who knows.

Unfortunately, though, according to Camryn's test results, she's sensitive to casein, and Kefir is a cultured milk product, which definitely contains casein:

Fecal anti-casein (cow's milk) IgA 16 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

I suspect that you're right about that article being way low on the number of children in the world diagnosed with MC. We have at least 6 members of this board, who joined because they have a child with MC, and only a tiny fraction of the total number of people in the world diagnosed with MC ever join this board, I'm sure. (Of course, this board wasn't even around in 2003). At any rate, that represents approximately 1.5 % of our membership, so if that is anywhere close to representative, then there are a heck of a lot of kids in the world with a diagnosis of MC. The U S census bureau estimates the world population to be 6.776 billion, (today), so at that rate, there would be a minimum of approximately 400,000 cases of MC in the world today, of which roughly 6,000 would be children, more or less.

Thanks for the update on Camryn. I'm sorry that I don't have better news on the Kefir - I wish that Camryn wasn't casein intolerant. When Dr. Fasano's "zonulin-suppressing" pills are approved by the FDA, you might want to try them as a way to protect Camryn from her little "dietary indiscretions".

Tex

[JLH]

Have you tried other treatments for your sinus problems like a Neti Pot? http://www.webmd.com/allergies/sinus-pa ... /neti-pots Google for other sources.

Glad you are doing better and your son doesn't have it. Oh, what a relief it is.

[JLH]

Do a PP search because Neti Pots have been discussed here. I imagine you've probably tried everything but just in case.......