Just picking your collective brains on this one...

If an infant has an immune deficiency - specifically igA or igG and is breastfed, what does 
his body do with the igA and igG that he ingests through his mother's breastmilk?

Is there a chance that his body will produce anti-A (antibodies to igA)?


This baby in question is my son, and I know we aren't supposed to ask about personal 
cases, but this is uncharted territory for me and I've picked the brains of several IBCLC's 
I know and they are perplexed as well. I'm hoping there might be someone on here with 
a particular interest in Immunology.

Brief history:

Born 37 weeks, emergency c-section. He's gained weight well, although at a year he's in 
the 5th percentile for weight at 18 lbs 14 oz and 29 inches long (25%). 

He started producing green slime discharge from his sinuses at about 1-2 weeks of age. 
Was very congested. Pedi said it was "normal newborn stuffiness." 

I said it's not. After several more weeks I complained again and they prescribed 
amoxicillian, which did nothing. Then i asked them to culture, which they did begrudgingly 
and it was pseudomonas aeruginosa (sp?). He's been on 7 antibiotics in a year and 
cultured three times. The most recent culture showed psuedomonas again, along with 
pneumococcus (which he's been vaccinated against) and heavy growth at that. He also 
had moraxella catarallhis and diptheroids (more common from what i understand and i 
apologize for mispellings).

So now we're having him tested for immune deficiencies. He's been tested for CF, but the 
immunologist said we may want to test him again at a different hospital just to make 
sure. His original results were within normal range. 

So my question from a hypothetical standpoint regarding breastfeeding is IF he has an 
immune deficiency - is breastfeeding the only thing keeping him from getting really sick? 
If his body really isn't producing these immunoglobulins and he's getting them from my 
breastmilk - are they enough to replace what he would be making himself or just enough 
to boost his immunity?

The longer I breastfeed - what happens to the igA and igG levels - do they stay the same, 
increase, decrease?

I find this mind boggling and fascinating at the same time. I've been pouring through my 
lactation texts, but there really isn't any mention of immune deficient infants and 
breastmilk (not that i've found yet anyways).

If breastmilk is part of what is keeping him healthy (beyond the normal benefits for the 
average child) do I need to keep breastfeeding him forever? (help me find the humor 
please!)

Will I be pumping a glass of milk for him daily when I'm 50 or 60?


Any insight, practical or anecdotal is greatly appreciated. You can of course contact me 
off-list - although the IBCLCs I've asked about this are eager to learn the answers 
themselves they say. 

thanks so much!

anne
- since when is 75 degrees in JANUARY normal?

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