I’ll start with the positive TB test.
They did the DPT (I think that’s what it’s called) on Friday the 29th. The lump never did go down. Instead it got red and swollen. By Sunday night I knew we had a positive test. I did as instructed and phoned the boy’s pediatrician’s office Monday morning. The earliest they could get me in was 3:30 that afternoon. Never mind I wanted to go to Olympia to spend the day with the fam. Less than helpful receptionist told me, “oh that’s not how it works,” when I asked if they could just cram us in between two other people. Hell, it was a big red lump on his arm. Any jackass from 20′ away could tell it was positive.
The lump officially measured between 12 and 13mm. Doc ordered the standard chest x-rays (which we did Thursday). He also prescribed the oh so fun medication that he will now have to take every day for the next 9 months. 9 fricken months. It’s only day 3 and he’s already giving me stink eye.
We went for the x-ray and they were kind enough to let us just walk in. Of course when I told them we needed a chest x-ray for TB the check in lady said in her not at all trying to freak me out voice that we needed to put the little boy in an isolation area. She shuffled the trusty husband and my child with his big giant red spot off to the men’s dressing room. She gave the boy a mask that covered his whole face. Yeah lady… like a 2 year old is going to keep a mask on. Good luck with that.
I join my boys and the little one runs around the dressing rooms cause, curtains! fun! There is all of one chair so I have to sit in one of the dressing stalls. After a while the boy stops his frolicking and is quiet. “Little boy what are you doing?” “Nooooo!” I hear from the stall next to me. No odor. We don’t think anything of it. That is until they call us for his x-ray and I feel for the lump in his diaper. Yep. Poopy. And me without my bag.
Chest x-rays done. We get into the elevator (boy’s choice) and are a bit relieved to smell that the former occupants were heavy smokers. Get down to the car get home and hey! at least I got the last of the poo samples for collection. Of course the elevator doesn’t go down the one floor that we need. Nope. Goes up one floor. Stops. Goes down to the floor we started on. Stops. Finally goes down to the floor we need. Left a little rosebud in there for the next rider.
In the end the x-ray was negative and the boy is TB free. Still has to take meds for the next 9 months, but TB free. The moral of the story is take your child to see an international adoption doctor upon returning home. We did not do this. We also had no intention of doing so. We did because of the behavioral issues we had the week after going to Alaska. Had we not taken him we would never have known about the TB thing. Now D and I have to get tested too. Fun times.
I’m surprised your regular pediatrician didn’t do a TB test. (BTW, it’s PPD. DPT is the vaccination for diptheria, pertussis and tetanus. The MD in me had to say it.)
That’s too bad about the medicine. I can’t imagine trying to get a 2 year old to take daily medicine for 9 months. Bummer for you.
I would say you have to go to an international ped right away. We see one for everything. We just re-ran ppd and are re-running blood work at 6 months post home so we know that nothing funky has come up in 6 months. Since babies can take some time to develop things.
I think I might write a post on how you NEED to take your kid to an international ped, or at least have the required tests that should be run. We did about 10 and this time with the immunopanel we will do about 14.
Absolutely the best recommendation for all adoptive parents of foreign children. Have a friend who can name a gamut of parasites and diseases that can plague children from foreign countries. When she asked if my grandson had been tested for this… and then that, I had to cringe. Definitely a good idea to see a specialist who is familiar with all of these conditions. The relief is well worth the trip.
Yeah, I agree with you completely. Our pediatrician wasn’t an international doc, but she had lots of patients who were adopted from other countries. When we got home with the two kiddos, she read the Russian medical reports, did all kinds of tests for parasites, and then referred us to specialists for things she couldn’t test for (i.e. Clyde’s heart condition, which turned out to be nothing). Its so nice to hear what’s going on from a doctor who knows what they’re talking about.
Sounds like you’ve been busy! I’ve been moping due to Blogger losing my blog (and no, I didn’t back it up, and yes, I’m pissed at myself for not backing it up), and haven’t been checking blogs recently. Sounds like the ocean was a ton of fun! I can’t wait to take our kids there!!
My dad is a TB carrier, and all it meant for us (growing up) was that we got the prick test done a lot. Like every month, a lot. I know they’ve updated the test since we were kids, but hopefully knowing about it before hand will help the boy if his kids have to be tested for it frequently. Good luck with the medication! I know everything will go smoothly for you!! 🙂
Oh yeah, we are TB positive too, though we opted out of the 9 months of Rx. She had the Rx in Russia.
Bummer, I have a few friends who’ve also had to do the year of pills for TB.
Yes, I always say good idea for the IA doc. I miss them up here.
Hi, My 2 year old daughter is just finishing up her 9 months of pills. She had the BCG vacine in Kaz, the same vacine your son prob. had. The PPD just shows a reaction to that shot not that they had TB. Just remember he cannot get a PPD again, get a chest xray. Now that we are just about done is wasn’t too bad, she took it in any food. Good luck to you!. Kathy
So glad to hear the xrays came out negative. But it so sucks that the boy has to take meds for 9 months – what a drag.
I guess I better find me an int’l adoption doc before I bring Sprout home… must get on that.