<<The resident asks why and the attending replies
that "breastmilk can cause graft versus host disease >>

Well, there were a number of other repulsive things in that anecdote,
surely,
but this one made me curious.   Thank god there are not too many children
needing bone marrow translants, and I fervently hope I never need this info,
but I wondered whether this were true?   My grasp of the immunology of bf
inself is tenous at best but my knowledge of graft-versus-host is limited to
knowing that it is deadly to transplant patients.   Anyone out there who can
explain this one patiently?  (I add the last word there hoping that Jack N.,
if he knows the answer, as I bet he does, remembers he is preaching to the
choir here!)   Thanks!

Elisheva Urbas
NYC
Dr. Newman wrote :  "graft versus host is mediated through lymphocytes.
Though there are lots of lymphocytes in breastmilk, the numbers decrease as
breastfeeding proceeds.
There is no reason to imagine that enough lymphocytes are actually absorbed
from the baby's gut to be clinically significant."

Thanks for everyone's interest and concern.  I obviously do not have the
necessary understanding of this subject to make an informed argument.  I am
collecting resources and hope someday to be able to make a difference for
these kids.  Luckily there are not that many breastfeeding children (or
other children) undergoing these sorts of procedures but each one is
heartwrenching.  I am proceeding cautiously as the risks of the wrong
decision are great for these kids.
Ruth