My 5 1/2 year old has been taking enzymes since he was dianosed at 6 months. He has always taken Cotazym, typically 4 with meals and 2 with snacks. We where initially told to take the enzymes at the beginning of the meal and then you had 1 hour to complete the meal. We have been doing it this way since day 1 with good success (weight and height above 75 percentile, soild poops, no stomache pain). We recently went to clinic and the new dietician informed us that we have been doing it wrong all this time. That each enzyme lasts 20 minutes, therefore you take 2 at the beginning of a meal, 1 more at the 20 minute mark and the last one at the 40 minute mark. To say we where shocked was an understatment! He has been on the new regimen for over 2 weeks, since then his poops have never looked right, and he has awoke twice in the middle of the night with severe stomache pain and diarehea. My question is, how do you give your kids their enzymes? Staggered, or all at once? I can't believe we have been doing it all wrong this whole time and still he has done as well as he has. Now we are supposedly doing it the "right way" and he is having problems????????
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Enzymes
- Thread starter anonymous
- Start date
My daughter, 6, has always taken her enzymes at the beginning of the meal, before anything else. She then has 1 hour to eat. The only time we add another pill is if she eats a lot more than usual. Then halfway through we will give her 1 more. She does very well with this. I would talk to her Doctor, not the new dietician, and ask what they want you to do. Sounds like it's not working as well as before. Does he swallow the pills?
Thank you for the response. Actually, we have confirmed this with his doctor. As for whether he swallows his enzymes, yes; He has been swallowing his enzymes since before he was three and swallows all four at the same time (he has swallowed as many as six at one time)! This is something he decided to do on his own and, definitely not something we encouraged! It is so amazing!
My daughter usually takes them all at the begining of a meal unless we are out at a restaraunt where we are being served. It usually takes much longer to get each part of the meal when they serve you so we spread them out then. I have heard all sorts of things about enzymes. There is a woman who is in her 60's with CF who has always taken them at the end of her meal and thatis what works best for her. I know many people who take them all at once and some who spread them out. I think that you just have to do what works for your child. If he is having pains this way go back to his old way and tell clinic that it did not work out well for you to do it that way. I was told that we have about 1/2 hour if the enzymes are given at the begining and if it takes longer for my daughter to eat I should give her another enzyme or 2 towards the end. I hope this helps.Andrea
I just want to say that you have NOT been doing them all wrong, because it has worked!! I think sometimes dieticians and even docs in that case can be insensitive. I have been told to take them in the begining of the meal because it can be hard for enzymes to "catch up" with food if its taken later. Do them the old way if it worked! You know your childs body better than the dietician because if he has a tummy ache you are the one he is going to come to and you know whether his stools look normal or not and if you see him struggling with the spaced enzymes then don't do it. Take care.
sounds like the old way was the right way <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">everyone's body is different, somebody needs to take their enzymes before meals, somebody after, somebody during. i always took mine after the meal, although my doctor told me that i should do that before the meal, but my weight was good and no stomachaches or diarrhea. that's the criteria. as long that everything's right in the weight and bathroom department, that's the right way.
We always give enzymes prior to or in the beginning of a meal. Sometimes we let her eat a little while we are settling in to the table, but we make enzymes a priority. Since she still gets them in applesauce or yogurt, we sometimes don't give all the enzymes at the start of the meal. If she may not eat all of her dinner or is figety we may give her a partial dose. That way she wont get too many if she eats a couple of bites and runs off.Do what works regardless of what doctors tell you. I am not sure anyone knows for sure. Do you think 10-20 minutes make that a big a deal when the digestive process takes 4 hours? Don P
Hello,I agree with the one post, if it works then you are doing it right... for one thing each case is unique... if you are concerned about his enzymes not working anymore when he is done then get him to eat fruit (but not bananas) for desert, fruit has its own enzymes and helps me a lot. It sounds like your son is doing great, keep up whatever you are doing, i am lucky now if i make the 10th percentile for weight (i am at the 15 for height)... I also have a very small family though, so i think that might also be a factor in my being small. BUT I LIKE IT! So yeah, just keep him "normal"!Love Julie