Dear All,

After a few years of seeing a certain pattern emerge in exclusively (&
possibly partially) breastfed babies, I finally found a couple of
physicians (one is an expert in neonatal mycology AND is also a research
doc!) who are willing to assist me in conducting a study to see if yeast
in the GI tract can produce symptoms similar to reflux, and, if treated,
cause the "reflux" to disappear.

I have seen the following pattern in the NICU, as well as when working
with moms over a breastfeeding info line and during in-office consults.
Basically it presents as follows.

1.      Mom or nurse states baby is "very fussy", or "very gassy", or
"very colicky".

2.      There is a history of antibiotic therapy in baby and/or mom.
Rarely, there is a history of vaginal yeast infection in mom.

3.      Symptoms begin (and sometimes reflux is diagnosed) around 2 to 3
weeks of age.

4.      There are other indications of thrush in most, but not all
cases.

5.      In some cases, meds for reflux did not help that much, but
symptoms disappeared after treatment for thrush.

I have spoken to experts all over the country and am aware that there
are differing views on how yeast in the GI track may present.

If you have a case, or information which may be helpful as we develop
and implement this study, please e-mail me.  I will respond as soon as I
can, but it will probably take time.

Thanks in advance,

Sandy Hess