Has your child tested positive for Giardia?

My four year old has just been tested for Giardia, and it came back positive! The doctor said its fairly common in kids. I am freaking out, and want to know how common it really is.

Don't freak out it's fairly common in young kids in certain areas. It's very contagious so your doctor may put the rest of your family on meds just to prevent an outbreak in you home. It's a parasitic infection that can be cleared up with a round of pills. My dogs contracted this about a year ago from drinking (contaminated) water at the park while on a walk and then my husband caught it from them since he was the one cleaning up after them. It caused a few days of diarrhea but after a couple days of meds in they're system they were all better. Although mention the "G" word around my husband and he still turns a little green!

Not sure why you would be freaking out about an illness that is fairly common....
Read this.... http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/...

Causes

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Digestive system
Giardia parasites have two forms: an active form that lives in the intestine of an infected animal or human and an inactive cyst form that can survive for months in the environment. When you ingest the cysts, their hard shells break down in your stomach, releasing the parasites. The parasites then attach to the wall of your small intestine, eventually reproducing themselves millions of times and damaging the intestinal wall. This interferes with your ability to absorb food, leading to diarrhea and weight loss.

In time, the parasites detach from the small intestine, transform back into cysts and are shed by the millions in your feces. They can survive in soil or water for long periods until they're ingested by another host. You're likely to pick up the parasites in one of three ways:

In water. This is the main source of giardia infection. The parasites are found in lakes, ponds, rivers and streams worldwide, as well as in municipal water supplies, wells, cisterns, swimming pools, water parks and spas. Giardia parasites have even turned up in touch tanks in aquariums and museums. Ground and surface water can become contaminated from agricultural runoff and wastewater discharge. Because giardiasis affects beavers, muskrats, small rodents and a variety of birds, reptiles and fish, water can also become contaminated from animal feces. Children in diapers and people with diarrhea may accidentally contaminate pools and spas. You can become infected if you drink from streams or lakes that contain the parasites, drink contaminated tap water at home or abroad, or accidentally swallow water from a tainted pool or spa.
In food. Giardia parasites can be transmitted through food 鈥?either because food handlers with giardiasis don鈥檛 wash their hands or because raw produce is irrigated or washed with contaminated water. Food is a less common source of infection than water is, especially in industrialized countries, but outbreaks have been traced to contaminated ice and infected food service workers.
By direct contact. You can contract giardiasis if your hands become contaminated with fecal matter 鈥?parents changing a child's diapers are especially at risk. So are child care workers and children in child care centers, where outbreaks are increasingly common. The giardia parasite also can spread through anal sex.