babywords 3

I bought Coconut Mallows from Lidl the other day. Hey, they're gluten free, though since Bodhi got a nasty little candida infection on his willy, there is going to be far less sugar in the house.

Actually, interesting story, he woke crying with pain, and we were alarmed to see how swollen he was. We were wondering (worrying) whether to bring him to hospital or not. I found a webiste called JustAnswer.com, and for the sum of €8, got my query answered by Hilary the New York Jewish Pediatrician, who diagnosed it as balantis, male candida (I'd always thought men carried thrush but were unaffected by it. Not so). She suggested a several American over the counter painkillers and anti bacterial sprays and said to take him to the doctor the next day. I asked a qualifying question, and she wrote another immediate response, which included quite a sweet, if possibly brisk, reassurance:

It should not continue to spread, it just probably wont get any better without medication. So it should get looked at tomorrow, just does not need emergent attention.
Continue what you are doing and see the pediatrician in the AM. You are just fine and your son will be fine.
This is common in uncircumcised males. if this is the first episode, it is treated with antibiotics. If it continues or persists, some urologists may recommend circumcision. it is important to pull back the foreskin well and clean regularly during bath time.

Again, this was exactly what I needed to know - I'd post her first response, but the site has locked it, and I'd have to pay another three euro to gt to it, which I think is kind of shitty - note to self, copy and paste if used again.

Now, I was happy with her diagnosis and info, mostly. I take issue with two things. Number one is, I aint going to be circumcising Boshi. The chances are he will get repeats of the condition, as anyone who gets thrush does, so it needs to be adressed internally, not just have the site it affects sliced off.

It makes me wonder how many uncircumcised boys she sees, being Jewish and living on the East Coast and all. Because I'm fairly sure that pulling the foreskin well back and washing it carefully is EXTREMELY bad advice. It's not ready to do that yet, and you can really hurt a kid trying.

The other thing is that I'm reluctant to treat thrush with antibiotics - it just seems like a depressing vicious circle to me. Suppress, inflame, repeat.

Here's what I did instead: I did use Calpol, so he could get some sleep, and because it's just to horribly sore. I cut out sugar and what form his diet immediately (and yeast of course, it al lfeeds the bacteria). I talked to the homeopath the next day and we worried about whether we could take the time to treat him. She suggested giving him a day and going thenext if needs be. Ithink the antibiotics would take three days to take effect one way or the other, so better to try something quicker first. I bathed him in tea tree oil and Citricidal Grapefruit Seed Extract mixed in a little milk so it would spread in the water. He was to sore to touch, so I just let him sit and swish around.

I gave him Belladonna, which is for red, throbbing pain, wonderful for strong fevers too. And Apis, which is bee sting, and Cantharsis, which is for scalds. If you've ever had severe thrush, you'll know all about the stinging burning pain.

I tried to get him to take some probiotic and Citricidal internally, but he was having none of either.

A day and a half later, he was grand again. He only complained of pain once after starting the remedies. No €65 visit to the doctor, no antibiotics. I'm sure it's not gone for good, but I'm on it.

I am really pleased about JustAnswer.com's middle of the night help, I have to say. But also happy to have alternatives.

I know this is a bit domestic, but I'm interested by the process.

Back to the Mallows. Bodhi was instantly hooked, and demanded more frequently, moaning, 'Mellors, Mellors,' in a mournful, desperate tone, like a small, sticky, lonely Lady Chatterly.