Litter box making my kids sick?

Question:

I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old. They have been getting sick on and off for about a month now. Their symptoms are vomiting and diarrea. They don't have a fever ever. They have been tested for allergies, infection, bacteria, and paracites. We have cut tons of things from their diet and nothing has changed. We have also had the house tested for carbon monoxide. We thought it was the new vitimins they were taking but neither of them have taken one in weeks. My brother in law suggested that it could be our cat. The cat liter box is right by their room. If anyone has heard of kids getting sick from being exposed to the cat liter box or the cat in general please let me know. We have had the cat for years (long before the kids were even born). She is a indoor cat and not exposed to other animals. Any ideas?? Thanks!

Answers:
I ought to be registering for med classes right now, cause I'm not a doc yet, but your question provided me with a bit of a quandry because of the information you've included. Now if there's another doctor on here who disagrees with my opinion, go with him, okay?

The first thing that I thought of when I read your kids presentation was something caused Giardia which is a protozoa(n) that is contracted through animal fecal matter (can I say that I have a standing objection to keeping any kind of animal in a house that defacates in an open box?) but Giardia sits down in the lower bowel and the symptoms don't fit (for example, there is no vomiting that I know of caused by Giardia).

Then I noticed all the tests you're putting the kiddies through...allergies, infection, bacteria, and parasites...all good things to test for, but something occurred to me that hasn't (according to your account) been tested for.Heavy Metals. Now, I'm not suggesting you go through your record collection and see who's been listening to Black Sabbath (I'll bet the 1-year-old is a huge fan) but the symptoms of heavy metal poisoning are so simple as to seem benign, though with how prolonged the persistance has been, it certainly raised my eyebrows.

Some of the symptoms are...nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, headache, sweating, and a metallic taste in the mouth.

Now depending on what kind of metal they might be poisoned with, there may be blue-black lines in the gum tissues...but not always...

Metals (and there are many that can poison you, so the tests vary) can be tested by hair, urine, blood, and I've even heard of skin testing, and nail scrapings...trust me, if you haven't taken them in for a metal test, I highly recommend it...soon cognative and neurological effects may take effect.

The next thing to do is figure out where the poisoning is coming from, and because I don't know what kind may be poisoning them, I won't speculate where to look...but that's where I'd look next.

And tell the cat not to pack his bags just yet, though I'd urge you to teach him to potty outside...yuck.

Get well soon, younglings!

-JMB

yes , kids can get sick from that. that is gross. move it!

I have heard of people getting sick from germs and viruses from catbox. Sorry, but I would lose the kitty.

keep the litter box clean or buy a litter maid litter box.move the litter box to an area you children don't frequent.also you can buy a litter box with a cover and swinging door i have one and you can also use the filters that come with it and it will help a lot.they sell for around $20.00 at walmart

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Hi! I have to agree with the other person, it is NOT the cat box as the three and one year JUST started with the issues and this is an indoor cat. I think you should go with his feelings and with all the lead paint on toys from China and the other undisclosed heavy metals in the toys, my guess would be the toys. I have already had 3 patients under 5 test high for lead poisoning and the parents had lots of toys from China. The kids had the same symptoms as yours. So don't punish the kitty, get out the toys and any from CHINA, get rid of and get the kids tested for lead poisoning, they have the right symptoms and is will get worse. The head of China's toy manufacturing committed suicide last week rather then be executed for all the lead and cheap metals in the toys that are illegal. I would bet on this, not the cat box for sure! M

Litter box making my kids sick?

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