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DD doesn't know what's upstream, other than a lot of Amish farms. DD's brother- and sister-in-law just built the house on 5 plus acres, and the pond and creek were already there. Their kids have been swimming in it all summer. Just me, but I'd have the water tested to make sure it was safe before I'd let my kids go in. Other than that, I think pond water's fine.
Grandson is now fine, diarrhea has passed hives cleared up. Still awaiting the test results, however.
BTW, DD is not the kind of mother with "too much time on her hands". She runs a whole foods/health supplement business and works 70 plus hours a week (which is why she often needs us grandparents to babysit). She follows the same guidelines with her family that she promotes in her business, and only lets grandsons have whole organic foods, with nothing processed, and no sugar. The "candy" given him by his cousin was a breath mint. He called it "candy" because he didn't know what else it was. I think there's xylitol in that.
Amish farms upstream mean cow poop in the water. Cow poop means E. coli in the water. E coli can be deadly for young kids.
Can't stress bring on both these symptoms? Maybe the kid enjoyed playing with his cousins and getting to eat normal food, but then became anxious thinking about how his mom was going to react. I would think it would be hard on a kid wanting to follow all of mom's rules, but also wanting to be a kid and have fun outside with cousins.
That is very rude, considering the links have nothing to do with myself, I'm certainly not making this stuff up...but I was simply providing the links for information to counteract all of the "You are over reacting" nay sayers in this thread. And to folks who have never heard of this reaction to certain bodies of water.
And, if this information can help prevent one child from suffering, all the better......like the old proverb about the star fish....."It matters to this one."
The OP asked if anyone has heard of this type reaction, some of us try to provide evidence to support our opinions.
It wasn't intended to be rude and not insinuating that its made up but come on a kid has a case of diarrhea and a rash after spending a day playing with cousins in a creek and you jump to a brain eating amoeba that doesn't even occur in creek habitat.
Can't stress bring on both these symptoms? Maybe the kid enjoyed playing with his cousins and getting to eat normal food, but then became anxious thinking about how his mom was going to react. I would think it would be hard on a kid wanting to follow all of mom's rules, but also wanting to be a kid and have fun outside with cousins.
Giardia. We lived in the suburbs of NY at the time. It could well have come from the stream, or it could have been food-borne. I was just glad to eventually find out what it was, wish I'd known what it was when I was a kid. My parents chalked it up to me going to a new and more challenging school.
Oh yeah, that was the other one that I couldn't think of, thanks. Glad you got to the bottom of your mystery. In Colorado they were always warning people about drinking the water in nature without treating it first. That it might look good, but still have things in it that could make you very ill.
If anyone is interested here is a link on Recreational Water Illnesses from the CDC with additional links to the various types of baddies.
And this one from the EPA about Giardia tells how prevalent it is even in treated water as the cysts are resistant to chlorination.
"What are the health effects of Giardia
infection?
Giardia infection may be acquired
without producing any symptoms, and this is
often the case for children. In symptomatic
patients, acute diarrhea is the predominate
feature. In some instances, diarrhea may be
transient and mild, passing without notice; in
others diarrhea can be chronic. Other
symptoms may include abdominal cramps,
bloating, flatulence, steatorrhea (daily losses
of fat in feces greater than 7 grams), weight
loss, and occasionally vomiting. Stools may
be pale, greasy, and malodorous. Weight loss
may be significant. In some patients,
symptoms last for only 3 or 4 days, while in
others symptoms can last for months or years."
Last week, my grandsons were babysat by their other grandmother at a relative's house. This house is on several acres and has a large pond, fed by a creek of unknown (to them) origin. DD specifically told her MIL that they were NOT allowed to wade or play in the pond. She should have specified "not in the creek either", but didn't. She didn't want them playing in any of that water, because it was never tested for bacteria, etc. MIL let the oldest wade and splash in the creek, and that night he came down with explosive diarrhea which lasted for three days. He also broke out in severe hives all over his body. His pediatrician ran tests (one of which was a stool sample), speculating it could have been caused by a parasite. He's seeing the doctor tomorrow regarding the results. He's feeling better, the diarrhea has subsided as have the hives.
DD doesn't trust leaving her kids with MIL anymore. The understanding was that she was going to babysit at THEIR house, but announced at the last minute she was going to be at the relative's all day, and would babysit there. DD wasn't in favor of it, but was ovverruled by her DH (and it was too late to make other arrangements).
Has anyone ever heard of this type of reaction? Grandson also confided to DD that a cousin gave him a piece of candy. He couldn't tell her what kind (he isn't allowed to eat candy or accept food unless his parents say he can). DD will be checking into that as well. She doesn't know if it was the candy or the water in the creek. His cousins have been playing in the creek and swimming in the pond all summer, and this hasn't happened to them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. Skeffington
DD doesn't know what's upstream, other than a lot of Amish farms. DD's brother- and sister-in-law just built the house on 5 plus acres, and the pond and creek were already there. Their kids have been swimming in it all summer. Just me, but I'd have the water tested to make sure it was safe before I'd let my kids go in. Other than that, I think pond water's fine.
Grandson is now fine, diarrhea has passed hives cleared up. Still awaiting the test results, however.
BTW, DD is not the kind of mother with "too much time on her hands". She runs a whole foods/health supplement business and works 70 plus hours a week (which is why she often needs us grandparents to babysit). She follows the same guidelines with her family that she promotes in her business, and only lets grandsons have whole organic foods, with nothing processed, and no sugar. The "candy" given him by his cousin was a breath mint. He called it "candy" because he didn't know what else it was. I think there's xylitol in that.
I wanted to post both these quotes because they show that, while the grandson was certainly sick with something, he's now over all symptoms as far as I can tell, thank goodness.
I also wanted to point out that apparently he doesn't have any immune disorders or anything like that - that his mom's restrictions are based on her beliefs about healthy living, not due to any underlying health condition the child has, which is also good. So apparently he's a healthy, active kid.
I also want to point out that the mom doesn't know "if it's the candy or the water in the creek" and I want to note that those are not the only two choices. It could be any number of things that have nothing to do with either the water or the "candy" (a breath mint) or even that day with his cousins and "other" grandmother.
Look, if the mom doesn't want her kids playing in ANY outdoor water on the property, it is her responsibility to make that clear, which she didn't do. And if her son is only allowed to eat "whole, organic foods, with nothing processed and no sugars," frankly it's her responsibility to make that clear first and foremost with her son, because she is not going to be able to control every single temptation or eating opportunity that comes his way, and he is going to be offered all sorts of things from playmates, relatives, school friend, etc over the years.
I certainly hope and pray that your daughter didn't say or do anything to make "the other grandmother" or these cousins feel badly about her son playing outside (sounds like a great day for boys!) or eating a breath mint that someone offered him, probably out of politeness or just generosity. Good grief.
The fact that the other cousins have been playing joyously (and apparently popping breath mints joyously too) all summer long in that creek really does imply that these aren't the issue - at least not for someone who is not unduly or overly sensitive to this sort of thing. That's why I said earlier "my bet is on nettles or something like that." It still is. Or maybe some sort of detergent, maybe even something that he got on his hands in a store or whatever, could be days before.
I'm not saying that a sick child shouldn't be taken to the doctor and tests run. What I'm saying is that the mom should not be so quick to lay blame on "either the creek water or the mystery candy" when it could honestly be all sorts of things. And not only that, they may NEVER find out what caused the symptoms. Whatever it was, the child has recovered. Meanwhile, I hope his mother has not dampened his joy or tainted his memories of a great summer day playing in the country with his cousins. Those can be some of the best days of one's life.
As far as your daughter "not trusting her mother in law to watch the kids anymore," WOW. I think that's, well, at best an overreaction. That poor grandmother. That poor child. What a pity the mom feels the need to be so...overreactive.
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