4 month old fs might have hepatitis C????

Hi- Our birthmother was Hep C positive. While we were in teh process we went to a seminar by an International Adoption Pediatrician (Dr. Miller in Boston). She said that Hep C is much harder to contract than Hep B. Mainly through blood. I am certainly no expert but from what I have read if the birthmother is Hep C positive the child only has about a 5-10% chance of actually developing the disease. The child may test positive for the antibodies (ours did) but this does not mean they will have Hep C. It can take up to 18 months for the antibodies to clear. (Our daughter was clear by 12 months). However there is another test that can be done if they child tests positive for the antibodies - I think it's called a PCR test - that will tell if they actually have developed the disease. There is a vaccination for Hep B but not for Hep C. Again - I'm no expert but I have done a little research - I wouldn't freak out just yet - sounds like you are doing the right thing - gettting your child tested and finding out information. Hopefully the tests will come back ok.

foster parents should take universal precautions with all of your foster children. you do not know what these children have been exposed to. you should also call his sw immediately upon suspecting any illness and before taking him to the doctor. on your way there if neccesary.

Thank you!!! Not freaking out as much as I was at first. I was PM'd with a great site with a lot of info. Plus your post was also calming. As far as letting the case worker know... I have never called the case worker ahead of a DR's appointment unless i didn't have the medicaid # or didn't know what DR the child was assigned to. Except one time when I was bringing a baby to the ER by ambulance....I called her just incase any serious procedures would need special authorization from her or her supervisor and so they would be able to contact the parents if things became much more serious. I usually just give her an update at the next visit of how things are going or of any appointments i brought him to...or medicines he's on Etc. Plus i was coming straight from a visit at her office. I saw her when the visit first started she asked if i was staying for the visit(which I have never been invited to do yet...so this time i supervised the visit)...because she dissapeared. I assume she doesn't know about the mother having Hep. C yet...because otherwise I'm sure she would have informed me. I will call her and let her know....or at least talk to her at the next visit. I'm just curious why you said to call her before bringing the child to the doctor? Do you do that for all your childs Dr. visits or just ones that you consider could be serious? I knew i wouldn't find out anything that day...I just needed the Dr.s advice on what the disease was and wether my family was in danger...and also for her to draw the blood to have him tested. After learning more about it....even if he comes back positive we will most likely keep him. It does sound like you have to come into direct contact with blood...and that it has to enter your blood stream. My concern is still there with the whole pacifier/teething thing...but he isn't even wanting his pacifier anymore...and I will just have to be more cautious and make sure my husband or i feed each baby..so they won't accidently be shared between them. I'm at a little more ease because I figure we've already possibly been exposed and if we get it there is nothing we can do about it...so why worry about it until we really get the answers back. You're also right about the test coming back positive...yet him not really have it...or vice versa. Only time will tell wether he really has it or not. I'm sure we won't have him until he's 18 months...so we may never know for sure. His next court date is in July and we are really hoping the grandmother gets custody...we'll just have to wait and see about that as well.

HI Hep C can only be passed through blood - not pacifiers unless the hep c child is bleeding AND the child receiving the pacifier has a cut in his mouth - it's blood to blood contact. I know it's scary but think about it, this is what my pediatrician said "have you EVER had a bloody child that was bleeding on some place on you that was bleeding????" this is why it is DIFFICULT To contract. As Ktates said, the transmission rate is low. If the birthmom had Hep C then you're baby has 5%(ish) chance of contracting it - less if he was a C section and more if she also has HIV. They can test positive for the antibody from mom up until 18 months. My twins mom was hep c positive.... they tested Pos for antibody at 6 months when we got them, we just had them retested at 15 mos and the antibody from Mom is gone and they are negative. I know it's scary - did you look up the CDC website - lots of good info. Feel free to ask more questions.

Hi Jessica, A friend of our's fs tested positive for Hep. C early on and, apparently it was just the antibodies from his mom. When he was retested at 7 months old it was negative. You are right, there is nothing you can do about it at this point so don't worry. I would caution, however, that you practice safety measures from this point on until you get the results. You should be wearing gloves to change his diapers, clean any blood with bleach, etc. Just because you've already been exposed doesn't mean you should continue to expose yourself. I'm sure you've already started doing this but my friend didn't and it just shocked me that she didn't think to do that so I thought I'd mention it to you. Best of luck to this little guy. Michelle

Our 4 month old fs just tested positive for Hep C. His birthmom was Hep C positive also. My pediatrician said the same thing about the antibodies. All of his liver counts were normal so thats a very good thing at this point!! Its hard sometimes to remember to use universal precautions all the time. Our families can easily get carried away loving and kissing on these precious babies. For however long we have them we treat them as if they were our own!! We cover our babies in prayer everyday so I know God is watching over us all!!!!!!!

Hi Missy, I'm not surprised his results were positive. I will pray for him that it's just his mom's antibodies and the next test comes back negative. I think with his liver results being good that may be the case. Can Hepatitis C be spread by kissing him :eek: Yikes, I didn't know that! Poor baby. Good luck. Michelle

Michelle Thanks you for your prayers!!! I don't actually thing you can transmit it thru saliva, I just made that comment as more of general statement meaning these babies seem like our very own and sometimes we forget to use universal pecautions. Sorry if I stated untrue facts!!!!!