IgA Deficiency

My four year old daughter got out of the hospital a month ago. Her pediatrician told me to go to a pharmacy and get some herbal stuff. I went the day she got out and the pharmisit told me to give her flax seed oil, floragen 3 (one capsule is equal to ten yogurts the good bacteria) and we have a spray for the air, body, mouth etc called Germa cleanse. It worked very well until I had to stop giving it to her due to her other medications. You might menchen these to your doctor. Good luck!!

hi K.,

i know a lot about IgA, as i did my graduate research with it (and with animals deficient in it). i know this sucks for you and your daughter and i just wanted to let you know that the you and your family will be in my prayers.

i don't know how much you know about it already,but i'd imagine you are learning as much as possible. here's a link to a site that i think provides pretty good (and easy to understand) information.
http://www.primaryimmune.org/pubs/book_pats/e_ch04.pdf

good luck and please keep us posted.

S.

Well I may be able to give some comfort. I am a carrier of SCIDS (severe combined imuno-defeciancy syndrom). Most people have never heard of it but in the 70's there was a little boy named David they called the "bubble boy". That's what he had. He lived until he was 12 but only because he lived in the bubble. I had a cousin in the hospital right down the hall from David. My cousin died from SCIDS when he was only 18 months old. These kids are born with no immune system at all, and more are being born with it all the time. The ones who are diagnosed at birth receive a bone marrow transplant and have to get IVIG therapy to keep their new immune system healthy. This therapy may help your daughter build up her own healthy immunities. It is just something you would have to ask your Dr about. Also a bone marrow transplant might help her, but it is hard to find a good enough match to be the donor, and I'm sure it's probably painful, as most surgerys are. Hope this helps, or at least gives you some options to ask the Dr about. Let me know.

My cousin's daughter has a mild form of IgA deficiency. She is 5 years old now and goes to school. Her parents try not to limit her exposure to others as she needs to socialize just like other kids. But she does need to be hospitalized once or twice a year because a virus everyone else has caught (last one was foot and mouth) is worse for her and she needs to be monitored. She is a regular little girl, maybe a little spoilt because of being sick so much, and carries on a normal life apart from the episodes where she has to go into hospital. Both of her parents work full time; it possibly helps them not dwell over her condition too much. It helps having a good hospital nearby. Best of luck.

I was wondering, you said she has been sick all the time what kind of sick do you mean? My 16 month old son seems like he is always sick ever since he was a baby. Always feel like the drs blow me off as one of those over dramatic moms, but this is my second child I know when he isnt well ya know. What is IgA? Is there any kind of treatment for this definciency?

Could you hire an in home babysitter or child care provider for while you are at work so that she doesnt have to go to daycare and you can still work?