Samonella in Infant!!!

Any pets in the home? Pets can harbor organisms that would be harmful to a baby. It would be very easy for germs to be transferred from the 3 1/2 year old to the baby. It is impossible, I know, to keep an older sibling from patting, petting, touching a baby, and not always with clean hands. I don't have a solution, but perhaps can help find a cause.

can you still breast feed? do if you can
have you checked re calls- I'd look at the formula.
For future if you cannot breast feed(this is the best, really) check out Weston Price.com for help- ditch the formula- really just awful.
and woulda shoulda coulda are the worst words in the language- get rid of them- I know we each do the best we can with all the knowledge we have at any individual moment- to second guess yourself- forget it, it serves no useful purpose.
best, k

E., it could be anything. It could be the formula, or it could be something she picked up and put into her mouth. Contact the company that makes the formula to let them know about this issue; you may be helping a lot of babies out there if you do.

In the meantime, I would get some hand sanitizer that is appropriate for babies and make sure her fingers are always clean. She could have put her hand into her diaper and then stuck her fingers in her mouth for all we know.

Please stop blaming yourself. Just be on the lookout for hidden sources of dirt.

Peace,
Syl

Just a random thought but I have seen this in babies at the hospital where i work because someone around had a pet turtle and did not wash there hands. Also certain animals like iguanas also have samonella in there poop if u have any of these things near or around your house someone might have touched them and brought it in and touches your baby. Just a thought, hope she feels better soon, Good LUck!!

I saw a similar story on the news a few months ago. They finally figured out that the salmonella had occurred because the family would put the baby bottles to dry on the counter and some raw chicken juice somehow gotten near them.

You are not alone. My daughter had samonella at 4 months. We don't know how she got it but we assumed something transferred onto the pacifier. Unfortunately, we never got an answer for that question. We were fortunate that she didn't end up in the hospital. I was breastfeeding and our pediatrician let her fight it with the antibodies from the milk.

I too felt horrible and wondered how this could have happened. I began overcleaning and overwashing everything to make sure it didn't happen again. My daughter is 2 1/2 now and I still overwash my hands.

Let me reassure you, you are NOT a bad mother.

Are you breastfeeding? Could it be something you ate? I don't have advice but I am VERY curious. My family has recently started eating organic food and grass fed meat ONLY for this very reason. This strengthens my desire to eat like this, no matter how people make fun of us (but it doesn't bother me, people are just uninformed). Please keepme/us updated and I'll pray for your little baby!

My cousin had the same thing happen and it turned out it was from cockroaches running across the floor and then the pacifier falling and being picked up without being sanitized. Since roaches and bugs are so common in Florida it could easily be that. I would try cleaning the house and sanitizing everything and then make sure everyone is washing before touching the baby and especially after going to the bathroom. There are so many things it could be so I would just clean like never before and use caution in the future. Don't feel guilty, things happen, all you can do is try to change the future. Good luck!

I am curious as to why you seem so certain that she got the Salmonella from her formula. Did the doctors test it and tell you that?

Salmonella can be transferred easily by unwashed hands and cross-contamination (one surface to another)... ie, the grocercy cart that has leaked from a package of raw chicken gets touched by your purse (or your hands pushing the cart), which you touch, and when you pick up your baby or handle her pacifier... voila. That sort of thing. Or her pacifier gets dropped on the floor and rinsed for just a moment before being given back to her - but not washed thoroughly enough to really remove all the germs it might have come in contact with.

Also, it is VERY common with reptiles. Do you have a reptile in the house? I see you have a young stepson. Does he handle frogs and such outside? Salmonella can be acquired directly from animals such as pets, birds, fish, dogs, cats and turtles. Do you monitor him when comes from outside into the house to ensure he washes with soap before he touches anything else (doorknobs, too, not just toys)? Does he use the bathroom on his own? If so, does he wash thoroughly with soap? (Salmonella is present in the human intestine as well).

I am not pointing blame anywhere, just reminding that is is NOT that unusual to find salmonella lurking around your home. Salmonella is one of the most common food borne illnesses.

You didn't mention whether you have pets in the home or not, but if so, that could up the odds of her getting it.

Some folks (particularly grandparents) are very lax about germs and babies and think we newer parents are too germ conscious.... but there are reasons we sanitize where our tots sit in high chairs at restaurants, and grocery cart handles, and fret about whether or not a visitor has washed their hands before holding the baby, etc.
Assuming that you haven't blatantly disregarded "common sense" about your baby... it is still quite easy to see how something cross-contaminated could make it's way to your baby accidentally. Please don't blame yourself.

Yes, it could be the luck of the draw.

I'm not a salmonella expert, not have my children had it, so I looked it up on the CDC's website and found the following information:
http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/salmonell...

I don't think you're directly to blame, and it doesn't appear that intentionally spread it to her. There are many different strains of salmonella and many ways it can be spread.

It appears she's in good hands in the ER, and depending on the strain, she should fully recover.

I'm sorry you're having to deal with this and wish you the best in getting past it.

It is Salmonella and, yes, it is rare. It is nothing you did. I would start using a Brita container and have your water checked by the Water Dept, or Health Dept. Your formula may have been contaminated, as well. Similac Organic is great, but expensive. But your bavby is worth it. If you still have the same formula that should be tested, as well, so others will be informed by the company.
Make sure that you never leave mixed formula out for more than one hour, or less, if it is in a warm area.
I hope your baby gets well soon!