Ambiguity Stinks

I just have to state for the record that one thing that really stinks about FPIES is the complication factor.

The last week we’ve been confused about the carrot trial on Zac. He has definitely had an acidic diaper rash and poo full of mucous, he has screamed in pain when trying to change his diaper, he has been clingy at times and cranky at others, he has refused sleep at times and passed out at other times that are atypical for him, and he has been completely difficult to read.

We’ve ruled out an ear infection, a throat infection, and discovered he is teething horribly.

Just when I start to suspect it IS the carrots, he screams and gets uber-excited to eat the carrots. Just when I start to suspect is ISN’T the carrots, he has a diaper full of carrots that burns his butt and makes him scream in pain.

I just don’t know what to think.

Compounding the issue is the fact that for the last three days Jed seems to be suffering from some kind of stomach bug. He’s had diarrhea; so much so that we have gone completely back to diapers because the trauma for Jed of having diarrhea in the potty was too great to witness, let alone force him to endure.

Yesterday he informed Darrel and me twice that his tummy hurt and we needed to “go see the doctor so the doctor can fix” him. Today, by 10:00 a.m. he’d already so informed me three times.

But yesterday and today he has eaten like a starving piggy, drunk a TON of water, plays, giggles, bounces, and otherwise acts perfectly fine.

I’d be willing to say that my boys are both suffering from a mild stomach bug, if I were a normal mother. I’d push liquids, encourage rest, and keep a close eye on them both. End of story.

FPIES confuses things, though.

Jed, clearly, is suffering from some kind of stomach bug. But is Zac? I don’t know!

The only thing to do is to keep moving forward. We’re going to pull the carrots for a few days (again – it’ll take forever to finish this food trial at the rate we’re going!) to see if his symptoms clear up and if so, we’ll begin the trial again.

I wish we didn’t have to spend so much time playing “If…Then…”, but FPIES makes us play that guessing game over everything we encounter as parents.

So if you’ll excuse me, I have a toddler that wants to cuddle and a baby that seems to NEED ME and I’m going to go be Mommy to my sick(?) boys today.

__________

Does FPIES confuse your symptoms? What do you use to determine regular sick versus FPIES reaction?