Kefir

Last week we added goatmilk kefir to Peter's enteral care. I just told Dr. Kamin about it via an email conversation tonight. I hope he is OK with it.

Peter's ileostomy and fistula had begun to get the usual odor of bacterial overgrowth, which then leads to a need for enteral antibiotics. I am 99% convinced that it was cipro that caused the bleeding two weeks ago. Peter has demonstrated hives and mystery illnesses on other enteral antibiotics for bactrial overgrowth, so we would really like to avoid more enteral antibiotics.

In prior discussions with Dr. Kamin, he is in favor of probiotics in general, but because there is still some risk of translocation of that good bacteria into the bloodstream, Children's Boston is not in favor of giving them to a child like Peter. However, several months ago we did have Peter on cowmilk yogurt. Once we decided to try using Peter's gut again though, Dr. Kamin felt I should stop the exposure to cow milk due to an increased likelihood of allergy with Peter's currently immature gut.

After looking into things last week... wondering why the ileo looked cloudy now vs digested as it had prior to the cipro, and speaking with some other people, and researching online, it seemed logical to at least try the kefir, but with goatmilk vs cow. For those of you who wonder what kefir is, it is similar to yogurt, but drinkable. There are several probiotics in kefir, similar to good yogurt. We have some lovely looking ileo output if I do say so. And a less-stinky fistula and ileo too. One of Peter's home nurses even felt that his breath was better.

Of note, Peter does not sweat either... odd issue with him, but I have only seen him sweat twice, and it was only on his head under his helmet. He will have an increase in body temperature if he is hot, up to 100 degrees, but no sweat. If we mist him with water it acts like sweat and he cools off. There is a person we know who had GI issues as a child and no sweat either, and as an adult she started eating yogurt with acidophilus and she now produces sweat. Could be coincidence in her case, or maybe there is some link with bowel health and sweat. Hearing that was the final push we needed to at least try the kefir though.

We are hoping Dr. Kamin remains in favor or neutral to the kefir. I think if allery is an issue down the line, goatmilk will be easier to deal with than cow milk.