I just started giving my 8 month old pro biotic oatmeal (which she absolutely loved to eat!), and she has also just developed diarrhea. Have you ever had that happen? I know pro biotics are supposed to help actually prevent diarrhea, but the opposite seems to be happening? I am wondering if the oatmeal is causing the diarrhea - or could it just be some other food she is eating?
Try the naturally cultured probiotics in organic yogurts... my favorte is Stoneyfield Farm which also makes Yo Baby yogurt! Fabulous taste, all organic ingredients AND very good natural source of calcium and probiotics.
Probiotics saved our lives!! My son would get horrible yeast infections on his butt! Dr. said the PH of his saliva when he was teething would go through his whole system & cause them. I'm talking acidic eating away the skin diarrhea turned to yeast infection -- horrible!
The probiotics in the vitamin section & in food DID seem to make him sicker though, usually make him throw up. We used the probiotic that you don't need a script for, but is kept in the fridge behind the pharmacy. They come in little green packets or in pill form in a green labled bottle. Always cleared him up in 2 days. The pharm. techs rarely knew what I was talking about and I'd always have to say "look in your fridge for a green packet/bottle" -- sure enough they ALWAYS had it.
Probiotics replenish good bacteria that is often wipped out after a round of antibiotics or diarrhea - I do not believe that they prevent diarrhea per say. When my son first started taking them he also had loose stools, but it did not last long. I would consult your pediatrician during your next visit just in case.
Good luck.
Is it really diarrhea (frequent, watery stools) or loose stools?
Also, what are you hoping to gain from the probiotic? There are literally dozens of different strains of probiotic, and each has its own job. So you need to be thinking carefully about which probiotics you are feeding your child and why. Doing it just for the sake of doing it isn't a great strategy, IMHO.
Florastor for Kids is the most widely studied probiotic for kids-- it's been around for over 50 years. and is what I give my son when we go on antibiotics. It is a yeast, rather than a bacteria, and so it isn't killed by the antibiotics, and acts as a sort of "placeholder" in the gut so that the "bad" bacteria (like C.diff) don't get a chance to overwhelm the gut. It is a bit pricey, though, and only really makes sense to prevent antibiotic-related diarrhea. One thing I'd check is if you are giving him anything with added DHA? It is usually made from algae and can definitely give kids loose stools. Also, try not to introduce more than one thing every couple of days so you have a better idea what might be causing the problem.
If you are really interested in the various benefits of probiotics, I'd recommend "Bacteria for Breakfast" by Kelly Dowhower Karpa, PhD, RPh.
Good luck!
Yes, this can happen, I know my one friend had the same thing happen with her daughter.
If your/your baby's system is ok, then you don't *need* probiotics. They did that to my kids and to me. We were all regular anyway so there was no need for it. Don't let those commercials convince you you need something you don't!
Since day one (from my breast milk, from my breasts while nursing, in his bottles, in his food as he grew and now in his milk every morning). Probiotics help balance out the stomach and GI tract, so loose stools can happen as stuff gets broken down and 'shoots' out faster. I would check the oatmeal to make sure its not the stuff with added sugar which can cause looser stools. If she has actual diarrhea, where its blowing out diapers and almost watery, she might be teething (this happened to my son with each tooth, contrary to what peeds say about it never being related). Good luck!
