OK I need REAL help here...PLEASE!

please help, i'm trying to get this sudden decrease in appetite thing figured out and no one is being very helpful, including the ped so i was hoping to get some opinions/tips/suggestions/advice/anything on the issue....

Symptoms:

decrease in appetite that has been a gradual decline over the last week from consistently taking 5-6oz every 4 hours to 3-4oz every 4 hours. now i do not believe this is a growth spurt as they were taking 5-6oz consistently for over 2 weeks.

persistent drooling

chomping their mouths

biting on the nipple, fingers, toys

chewing on the nipple, fingers, toys

playing with the nipple rather than sucking, moving it from side to side with their tongue and pushing it out with their tongue.

crying and refusal of the bottle all together (but once you get them to latch on and suck everything is fine)

total lack of interest in food. they will STTN for 8 hours and only take 3oz during the first feed after only have 4oz before they went to bed.

increased feeding times, it's taking 15 minutes just to get them interested, they suck or pretend suck down 2oz in 10 minutes and then stop to bite down on the nipple, roll it around in their mouth, spit it out, smile or try and talk and just overall loose all interest in eating making me start the process all over again.

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now they do have reflux and are on prevacid in the am and zantac in the pm. they cough, gag and regurgitate very infrequently now and do not cry during or after the feed just when you are trying to get the bottle in their mouth. they do still spit up although no longer projectile. often times they are spitting up because they jerk so much during the feed and fight me so hard that they shove the bottle too far down their throat and gag themselves forcing themselves to throw up. occassionally there will be some spitting up from one of the boys a couple hours after the feed but that is not frequent.

i should mention that this problem originated on similac insomil and has continued now that we are back on similac advance.

my pedi doesn't want to deal with this issue at all since part of the problem involves feeding. the nurse i talked to first said they could be teething but the ped refused that idea and said that it's a "reflux regression" and that we need to go to the GI and let them decide what the problem is. well the GI isn't exactly easy to see since they are an hour away and we don't see them until thursday. plus gut says this isn't reflux related.

sooo what do you guys think is going on???? it's driving me insane!

 

Well, all the symptoms you describe we experienced at the very same time when they were about four months old. They lasted on and off for about two weeks. One morning, we woke to find not one new tooth on one baby but two new teeth on each baby! As long as they don't lose weight or cry from hunger, I would leave them be. Rami is up to eight (!) teeth now and with each set (they come in twos here), he again refuses any food. Ephi is working on number three and four and pretty much went on a hunger strike today. BM is the only thing they will take, bottles, spoons, sippies are spit out.
Good luck with this!
Rachel

 

It sounds like teething to me. ardon: My two started teething at 3 months. As far as reflux goes, that could still be bothering them. I know I've heard of silent reflux... but I'm not sure what that entails exactly as my ds had "regular" reflux and it was anything but silent.

Good luck.

 

i would probably say teething too... have you tried giving them some tylenol to see if that helps them eat better?

 

the nurse suggested this before she got shot down by the ped and told that they don't want to deal with it. i've decided to *try* it with their next feed giving it to them 15min before they eat just to see what happens.

 

I think that as long as they are not losing weight then its just a phase and not to worry. If they are drooling a lot, the drool could actually be filling them up more. It also make them throw up more. I agree with trying Tylenol. Try to be patient until the GI can rule out reflux issues.

 

Well, it could be teething, a phase they are going through, their reflux, so many things. But I agree with Megan, I wouldn't worry too much if they are not losing any weight. And if you are seeing the GI doctor on Thursday, hopefully he can give you some advice.

 

I agree it sounds like teething as well. Mine started teething around 3 months, and rylee popped her first tooth at 4.5 months. She's been doing the same thing for the last week, and lo and behold, yesterday she popped her 4th tooth.

Hylands teething tablets and tylenol for pain is what works for us.

 

yeah, that's what i was going to say...i started reading your list and i said out loud (yes i talk to the computer) "teething"...i'm thinking you have boys who will shortly be popping out some teeth...

 

thanks so much for all of the tips, my ped is an idiot.

i tried the tylenol trick. i gave it to them 15min before the feed and sure enough they sucked their 4 1/2oz bottle down in 20 minutes without refusing or chomping or chewing on the nipple. as soon as it got in their mouth they started sucking.

sooo my question now is, how often can i give them the tylenol??

 

You can give them tylenol every 4 - 6 hours but not for more than a couple of days.

 

I'm a nurse as well and agree with your everybody saying it's teething time.

Teething tabs at walmart. I love them.
Tylenol is a also a good suggestion.

Here is a good article from the MAyo clinic, which a wonderful advice for parents.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/teething/FL00102

 

THANKS! i'm going to pick up some teething rings tomorrow, i'll try and go to wal-mart so i can look for those teething tabs you mentioned.

how long do you think it might be before i see teeth now that things are in motion?

 

I said teething in the other thread too It's classic symptoms. You can also try oragel, so you don't give out too much Tylenol; plus it works immediately.

It's hard to know how long it will take. My son Mark's teeth just show up, and he' was only bothered on the day they popped through. Eli on the other hand teeths for weeks.

 

I wondered the same thing when they hit 4 months. And teething was the issue, still is. I wish these little teeth would show up already <_< Just like PP said, try Tylenol or Motrin (Motrin seems to work better with my two), a little nighttime Orajel and teething tablets. The teething tablets have been great. They don't work immediately, but within a half hour or so, they usually calm down considerably. We rotate the Motrin out one or two nights on and then one or two nights off when they're in a really bad teething spell. The teething tablets are great because you can use them with the Motrin and/or Orajel, too. I only do the Orajel before they're bedtime bottle with the same rotation as the Motrin. Good luck!

 

I haven't read the other replies so I hope I'm not repeating, but I would say teething. You can alternate Tylenol and Motrin if you need to. We also use wet washcloths for them to chew on. Still no teeth here, though. Hyland's teething tablets are good, too. GL!