I forgot to mention the other reason for having the baby treated as soon as it is practical and safe to do so. That is to prevent any possibility of passing on the infection to anyone. Life is filled with little cuts and scrapes in kids and the potential to give it to anyone else is something that must be considered and dealt with, quickly.
Start by asking to see a hepatologist since you have it. See that person and then bring up the baby as well.
Hep C is not harmless at the beginning. It usually will not cause serious or noticeable liver symptoms but it is doing damage from day 1. The sooner it is gone the better. Fortunately, the liver is the one organ that is able to regenerate, not just heal. As long as the damage is not severe it will completely rebuild itself. Still, the infection and continuing harm it causes will cause other problems that are not directly liver related. The virus doesn't just live in the liver, it lives throughout the body. It can and will cause problems in the feet, the nose and everywhere else in the body. Believe me, having had it for 47 years I do know what it is like. I developed bad fibromyalgia in just a few years. I know when and how I got it, from IgG injections by the US Army. I am now finally getting treatment, I started today. I seem to be extremely lucky, I have nearly no serious damage in my liver. It sure will be nice if my numb feet, my bone dry nose and my fibro will fade away too.
Daughter is scheduled for her specialist app. Mid December. .. Confused because I was told they wouldn't see her for at least 4 more months (18mon old) she will be seeing a pediatric gastroenterologist. I asked her pediatrician if he would refer her to a hepatologist and he said they do it all at this specialist office . I'm not sure I am content with that answer . what questions do I need to ask this specialist and what all do I need to make sure they are doing??
Thank you Kim.. I needed to hear that today.
Also, i will be sure to get copies of her labs for my records!
Asking for a copy of your (and your daughter's) labs is a good habit to get into. It helps to be able to cite certain elements or values and let the people on here help if they can.
Best of luck
Hi and welcome. I understand how worried you must be for your baby and I know it must have been shocking to hear this news for not only your baby but also yourself. I'm sorry you had to go thru this.
I honestly can only give you good advice because this is the way I feel about having the virus in this day and age. Hep C is harmless when you find you've just been infected. It takes decades for the virus to effect your liver before it does any damage. Most people have it for upwards of 30 years before they become symptomatic or show odd looking blood work. Typically the virus does zero damage until harboring for dozens of years.
5 years ago I would have said "Oh No" what a tragedy for this baby since then we had no real cure. Today not only do we have a cure, but a cure that works with few side effects of short duration. In a child (baby) being newly diagnosed the viral load should be low and therefore easy to knock out. It's doubtful if you decide to treat your child now that there would be many side effects. You also have the option of waiting till the teens and the liver would/should not be affected. As Pat says by then they will likely have 1 pill that will eliminate without worries.
We are on the "Fast Track" with technology and science. Hep C is slowly going by the wayside similar to The treatment of Polio in the 60s. In 10 years or so Hep C should be eliminated from the planet, never to harm anyone again. Just want to repeat and let you know the damage caused by this virus is from having it for many, many many years. Your baby is going to have a perfectly normal life without repercussions.
You BTW need to treat now. I don't know your age but irregardless if you've recently been a new mom your likely young. For you also it's highly unlikely you will have any issues as well. Know this may be somewhat unnerving and worrisome but both of you will be just fine. Most of us on this forum have had this virus for 30-40 years and we are all being cured. You will too, and in later years when you look at your beautiful child all grown up Hep C will be only a distant memory.
We are all here to give you emotional support should you need us. Please don't worry as this disease is treatable and now curable.
Take care
.......Kim
She is being referred to a pediatric gastroenterologist. upon finding out her type after 18 months, they may refer her out again. I will be sure to ask for a hepatologist.
On a positive note..her liver enzymes came back good. Doc didn't give me numbers but she said her levels are ok
Your baby may still clear the virus on her own.
From Medscape:
"Among cases of neonatal infection, 25% demonstrated spontaneous clearance by 7.3 years."
Another article.
"A total clearance rate of 25% to 30% has been reported in a larger Canadian series (18) of 157 children, with almost all cases of clearance of vertically transmitted HCV infection occurring by seven years of age. "
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2532905/
Your baby should be seen by a pediatric hepatologist, not just a plain gastroenterologist. A pediatric hepatologist will best be able to appropriately care for your baby.
I just found out I have it a few months ago. November appointment to determine viral load and type..
Welcome to the Forum. I have never been there myself, but we have had one or two, I believe. Hope they see your question.
I juts wanted to welcome you and say that this is not a chat room set up, so it may be a day or so before someone whose been there will see it, but I really think they will respond. - oh, and we have one active member who got the virus at birth.
Did you or do you have the virus? You need to get yourself checked and treated, too.
Hoping the Drs are wrong and she will clear on her own, BUT, if not, there are some excellent treatments, and this is a very slow developing virus. She could wait until she is grown to treat, or at least until she in in her teens. By then, they may have this thing down to one or two pills a day for a few weeks and done.
Blessings to you both,
Pat