my 4 yr old has been recently diagnosed with c diff and salmonella twice now and!
Question:
he has high fevers unexplained alkaline phosphatous levels have been in the past at 6000 salmonella twice pnemonia twice cdiff two fereberial seizures due to the fevers the drs are missing something he is 4 and 1/2 and this has been going on since he was about a year.
Answers:
I would agree with the person who posted above, but if you can rule out environmental factors and you want further testing, here's what I would recommend.
If it hasn't been done already, you might consider having a full blood workup, with particular emphasis on leukocyte (especially lymphocyte) counts and whether or not they appear normal. Clearly he has had lab tests if you have a phosphatase value, but they might not have looked for the presence and/or normality of the white blood cells in detail. There is the possibility that an immune disorder could be present. A white blood cell analysis is a quick and easy way to rule that out, or if abnormalities are present, to be able to recommend further testing.
Other Answers:
C Diff and Salmonella are infections associated with unclean conditions and cross-contamination of cooking surfaces from meats and meat by-products. Is there a possibility that your home or the areas he plays in are contaminated with these bacteria? If this has been going on for 3 and a half years, I would hope that you would be aware of this and careful about it, but it's the first thing that's come to my mind. Pets can transmit these bacteria too, the most notorious being the small turtles that were popular, and then banned, years ago, and fish and reptiles. The poor little guy sounds like he's been very sick and it worries and saddens me to hear that it is a repeat problem. I hope it gets resolved soon, and that maybe I helped a little.
The high alkaline phosphatase levels are just indicative of an inflamation/infection, and this would be expected with his fever and lab findings.
Source(s):
life and learning
is he taking antibiotics? one of the reasons c diff become apparent is the use of antibiotics that kill off regular bacteria in our gut (which regularly harbors c diff anyways). and how do you know the alkaline phosphatase level is high? did you get a liver test? 6000 is pretty high for a AP level. Did he get a blood culture? What drugs is he taking? your question needs more info before it can be answered
OK so i saw your after my answer. Why is he taking antibiotics for a cold? Colds are usually due to virus and antiboitics have no use. He must be using some pretty strong antibiotics to cause c diff infection. You should talk to the pediatrician as to why he's taking antibiotics for a cold. As for the salmonella, food needs to be thoroughly cooked, especiall poultry (chicken, eggs, etc), nothing much else to do. Make sure he's well hydrated if he's having diarrhea.
Source(s):
med student
Everyone's answers are very informative and should be helpful, but just let me add a few points. Since you did not mention other family member's (that eat the same foods as your son) are also getting ill then food preparation is probably not the contaminate. Small amounts of Salmonella are always present in the environment, but when it enters the body the immune system of most people can ward it off quickly before it reproduces to the point of causing illness. Secondly, you also mentioned 2 incidents of pneumonia, so it seems as though your son may have a slow-to-respond or compromised immune system. I imagine a white cell count has already been done on your son, but maybe you can have his doctor look at it again. Naturally, when only 1 household member is severely ill often, it is due to a suppressed immune system. For immune deficiencies, children's vitamins often help to improve the immune response in young children, as well as orange juice. Also, if your son does have an immune system problem definitely consider administering the flu shot to him annually to help reduce seasonal ailments.
Source(s):
Clinical Lab Scientist
Answers: