Dr. 3 writes:
> A couple of weeks ago I had a breast fed infant in the office with
> a URI.  Mom couldn't understand.  She actually said to me "I thought
breast
> fed babies aren't supposed to get sick."  Yes, it's better to breast
feed.
> Yes, they don't get sick as frequently.  But they CAN still get sick.
>
>  There is nothing wrong with this... part of parent education involves
> assessing what the parent "knows" and adding to that information.  I
dealt
> with a mom 2 weeks ago who thought that anything over 98.6 was a fever -
> she was all upset because her 6 month old had a "fever" of 99...  If
> someone had taken the time earlier to explain what constituted a "fever"
> she would have been saved a lot of upset and the schedule would have
ended
> a bit sooner that day.
>
> If someone is talking about breastfeeding with your moms in the office -
> besides "breast or bottle?" on baby's first visit - then they have an
> opportunity to educate as well as help mom avoid problems.
>
>
> Another  quote:
>  I strongly encourage breast feeding, but try not to
> be too hard on moms who decide use formula.  And no, it's definitely not
> like
> parents who decide not to immunize their children.  I've seen many kids
die
> of
> H.Flu meningitis--How many have died from Enfamil?
>
> "died from enfamil" is not the right phrase ..... "died from human milk
> substitutes" ( why should Mead Johnson bear the burden alone) is
> unfortunately quite a few - not the numbers in the US as in other
> countries.   I think percentage-wise the biggest numbers (and greatest
> morbidity and health care dollars) would have to belong to the babies who
> get NEC - not just preemies - there was a gastroschisis study I was
looking
> at last evening that had 60+ babies in it.  The exclusive breastmilk
group
> had 0% NEC, the formula & breastmilk group had one case of NEC (9%?) and
> the exclusive formula group had  7 cases of NEC for a percentage around
> 30%.  NICU stays cost a lot of money...
>
> This reminds me a bit of bike helmets - required in our state up to  age
> 14.  We just lost an 11year  old to a bike vs. car incident (no helmet)
> after a several week PICU stay.  Sad Case.  I always talk to kids and
their
> parents about helmets  and sure - lots of kids don't wear them and
they're
> ok.   On an individual basis it doesn't matter what the odds are - you're
> either in an accident or you're not.  Parents need to have information to
> make an informed choice about the decisions they make regarding their
> children's health.  They may not want to hear that they shouldn't smoke
> around their child, or that their 4 year old will be better protected in
a
> motor vehicle crash if he's properly fitted into a booster seat or that
> their 5 year old daughter who doesn't LIKE to sit in the back seat should
> not sit in the front... but that's my job, my responsibility, as their
> child's doc.
>
> Gail S. Hertz, MD, IBCLC
> Pediatric Resident (R-2, halfway through)
>
>
>
>