Mother pasted HepC during child birth

[Luvbug77]

I just wonder if there were. Any women that passed their hep 2 there child during broth, I feel like a piece of crap that my son. Has 2 live w this,I luv my son wish this I could change 4 him

[Shyrlgame]

Lovebug,
  I have a lot of empathy for your situation. My comment is only from my heart and my personal experience, not expert;

When I found out I was positive for HCV I immediately told my partner, then I also had to tell my 2 older, over 16, (legal concent in Ontario) children that I had hep C.  Wow that was hard.  I insisted that they be tested and one did and one didn't (he's 25).  But my youngest I had tested unbeknownst to him.  When his test can back negative.  Then, I told him, as I would have either way. . . But the relief was undescribable.  

I could barely live with myself for those few weeks, knowing that I could have passed this on to my youngest, however remote (5-10%), while pregnant.  My older two are now in control, and I don't think I had hep when I gave birth to them, but not a fact. . . I still struggle with the unknown with my oldest boy.  His doc knows about my condition and I'm sure will encourage him as I do to get tested!  My partner of 18 yrs, also got tested, and he's negative. Whew!

I know your question was about finding someone that could relate to you, but I just wanted to comment on how important it is to know your status and all family members status.  As you know now about your young child, you have some control over his diet and just knowing what to look for in his health and you have the help of your medical team.  You have at least the advantage of knowledge. . .

I have read that young children have been treated successfully on current, but modified dose, soc and even better, new treatments that may be easier for children to tollerate are on the horizon.

I can't imagine the guilt, as a mother,  that I would feel, because I know myself, and I know that everyone else would absolve me, as I do you and everyone does, because you didn't know, it was not intentional.   But I know your heart will still pain, because you love your child so much.

  As a mother I can relate to having a sick child, as my youngest has had a few medical conditions and some such as being tired all the time and itchy rashes, along with other issues, but anything that I could relate to Hep C suddenly played on my mind while I waited for his results as he was 12 ( not 40) and he could very well have been exhibiting symtoms.  Although he has other issues,  but I thought wow if I had known I could have been more dilligent with his diet, no sugars, less red meat, more veggies, and careful about meds. . . Just being kind to his liver, which I now try impress upon my family anyway.  But the thoughts drove me crazy while I waited.  Ah the joys of being a parent.

Try not to be hard on yourself and go forward in your life knowing that you and you precious child can be cured! You have control over his diet and medications, so you can help prevent damage.  I would want to inquire with my health care about Hep A & B vaccines.  There are many things through his life that you will be more diligent about, such as putting stuff in his mouth and keeping all any anything poisonous out of reach.  You have the advantage of knowledge.

I checked on the internet while there is not a lot, there are some sites available that discuss children with Hep C.
Shyrl

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/717069_2

http://www.hepns.ca/Downloads/PDF/Hepatitis%20C%20in%20Children.pdf

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/hepatitis.html

[dontworry_behappy1]

Why would you not have your minor children tested? Your the parent.  You don't have to tell your children if you don't want to.  This is about the importance of documenting your child's medical history.  You don't have to tell anyone else that your child has hepatitis C.  The only one who will know is your and the doctor and the public health department.  Its not reported to the school.   This is not about you....it's about your minor child.  

[can-do-man]

Sticking you head in the sand when it comes to HCV is why we have such a major problem now

[BoceprevirGal]

  Well, I think the fact that the older son, who had a positive AB(this stands for antibody?) does NOT have a genotype or a viral load, is a very good sign.
  I agree with you; I think it would be psychologically disturbing, for a pre-teen to find out they had Hep C. Their brain doesn't have the same developement as an adults. It could trigger a major depression.

[his3707]

I was diagnosed in 2009. I have  2 sons aged 13 and 10 at the time.  I had them tested right away.  My 13 year old tested + AB.  they could not get a VL or Genotype.  My 10 year old tested Neg AB. Believe me, I was horrified at the time all this was happening.  I felt so bad about it.  But I never intentionally did anything to hurt anyone.  If anyone should feel bad about people dying from HCV it should be our Government, insurance companies and the medical doctors for not giving us the option when they knew it was out there but ignored it and were just plain ignorant about it. Unbelievably   A lot of them still are. and so is the public in general.  
I did not do the followup 6 months later which they recommended to me to have them both retested.   My oldest   he is 17 now and I am going to have him retested in 2014.  He is a senior in  highschool this year.  There was no recommended treatment at the time anyway for someone under 18.  Depending on the individual child, I believe there can be a tremendous negative phycological effect to know that you do have a communicable disease at that age.  Especially one like HCV.  Im going with he doesnt have it for now but he knows to act like he does as far as sharing personal things etc.  He knows not to share anyway regardless.  Also if he bleeds to be careful not to let anyone get into it. He should do that anyway regardless.  everyone in my family follows those rules now. Everyone should follow those rules.  About knowing if you are in an accident or something, the medical community treats everyone like they are pos for everything.   I dont know if I exposed my son to HCV.  He has had one surgery for tonsil removal.  But it is a coincidence isnt it?  I asked my OB doc to test me for anything that could be passed to my son from me.  17 year old was born in 1996 by cesarean after 19 hours of labor. He had a scrape on his head from trying to get into the world.  the AB testing was available when I got preg in 95.    My doc is dead now so I cant ask him why I wasnt tested for that when I was tested for everything else under the sun.  My youngest son was planned cesarean and was not exposed as much maybe.   It is a scary thing to think that I could have given my son a disease like HCV and it may  have been prevented if that was the cause of him testing positive.  Heck, I could have found out 13 years earlier that I had it and started lifestyle changes like not drinking alcohol way back then.  Thank God I quit in 2005 anyway.  This whole thing with the testing just aggravates me to no end.  They say babyboomers should be tested.  Well my son is not a baby boomer and he tested Pos.   Everyone should be tested.  I liked the every six years if you are neg.  Since Im pos AB for life Im not sure what would be best   But I am not immune just because Im SVR.  I should cut and paste this somewhere on my computer so I can repost as necessary.  Im not even sure if all docs are testing pregnant women as i write this.  I dont think they do.  My current Gyn. does not.  I have gave her a what for about it.  Its a money thing.

[belle19]

i've had 2 boys while i had hep c and neither one of them have it.  thank god.  belle