Endoscopy and Celiac Disease

Hi Adla,
Ask your doctor if the procedure for the colonoscopy is a virtual colonoscopy. These types of new tests are not as safe as the conventional ones. Personally, I do not like any kind of invasive procedures, as they can sometimes cause problems. In the case of a colonoscopy, the colon could get ruptured. I would definitely do a lot of research before I would let my toddler have this procedure done, but I cannot tell you what to do. Ultimately, the decision is yours. Do your homework. What I would do, is replenish his beneficial bacteria with probiotics, and remove all foods that have gluten in them, i.e. cereal grains, wheat, rye, barley and oats. Gluten is a protein found in these foods that can cause a "toxic immune response" in many genetically pre-disposed individuals. Gliadin is now thought to be the toxin. It is a protein sub-fraction of Gluten. You will want to look for foods that are gluten free. Look at Whole Foods Market. Has the doctor done an Anti-gliadin Antibody test? If he has and the test is positive, then you would want to change your child's diet and ask your doctor to have an additional test done - Tissue Transglutaminase Antibody Assay (tTG). Additionally, you should consider retesting for gliadin every six months. If your doctor is unfamiliar with these tests, ask him to call for more information from Immuno Laboratories at 1-800-231-9197. You can call them yourself and ask for literature to be sent directly to you regarding these tests, including food allergy testing. I recommend to my clients, a probiotic from Natren out of California. It costs less to buy directly. The number is 1-800-992-3323. Ask for Dave Ausdale and tell him that C. Turner referred you. I don't get any kind of kick back, it's just that he is very knowledgeable about all of their products and I have been dealing with him for about 10 years. I A. a wellness consultant here in SA. If you have any more questions, you may e-mail me at ____@____.com of luck to you and your little one.

2 moms found this helpful

Hi Adla,
I thought I would send you this story about what these parents did when confronted with all sorts of maladies including Celiac.

Blood Cell Count
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author: Derrick B.
Title: Health turnaround with mangosteen!

When my youngest son, Ethan, was eight months old he was diagnosed with failure to thrive. He had some blood tests done and the results showed that his liver enzymes were elevated, but before any more tests could be done he was growing and gaining weight again. When he was about 10 months old he contracted RSV and had to use a nebulizer with steroid breathing treatments for about four weeks. When he was 15 months old he had a low-grade fever that spiked in the middle of the night and caused him to have a febrile seizure. He was taken to the emergency room where they gave him a breathing tube and performed many tests. The doctors discovered that his red blood cell count was extremely low and his white blood cells were virtually nonexistent. They gave him three blood transfusions that stabilized his red cell counts but his white cell count was still extremely low and falling. After a bone marrow tap they discovered he wasn’t producing any neutrophil cells, or baby white blood cells. They gave him a Neupogen injection. After a week in the hospital, he was allowed to come home. Since his bone marrow still wasn’t producing any white blood cells, Ethan had to be quarantined for several months. With a white cell count as low as his, he couldn’t be exposed to people. His immune system was so devastated that he could pick up a germ from a grocery cart that could be a death sentence for him. His hematologist started him on a Neupogen regiment. Neupogen is the miracle drug that helps build up one’s white blood cell count. We have had to give him Neupogen injections 1 to 3 times a week for the past two years. These injections run about $250 each. This would help stimulate production of the white blood cells but would barely maintain them at an acceptable level. The doctor had warned us that it might take up to three or four years for his body to recover––if it did at all.

During this time he had a high level of food allergies caused by poor absorption. This led the doctors to believe he also might have celiac disease, due to his gluten allergy. Along with all of these other problems he also had a moderate case of eczema.

I was introduced to mangosteen juice in mid October 2003. I looked all over the Internet for articles on the mangosteen. I couldn’t find a reason not to give it to him. I ordered two cases and started giving him the mangosteen juice around the first of November. Ethan had been on one ounce per day of the mangosteen juice for about three weeks when I gave him his last injection of Neupogen right around Thanksgiving. He has been on mangosteen juice for about 18 months and didn’t need another injection for the whole time. This mangosteen juice has been able to help elevate and maintain my son’s white blood cell count to an acceptable level. He has no more food allergies and his eczema is completely gone. In the beginning his doctor was totally baffled by this. Now he truly believes that mangosteen juice is doing something. At his appointment last week he still didn’t need a shot, and his hematologist said, “Keep giving him that juice!”

1 mom found this helpful

I A. in San Antonio as well. YOu may want a second opinion as I can guess by the quick desire to do "surgery" on your LO.

If it's the practice I'm thinking of, we left them b/c they were too quick to do procedures.

My DD has gluten sensitivity and not Celiac-we could tell this by altering her diet and NOT putting her under an unnecessary procedure.

I emailed you as well.

Blessings~C.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi Adla
My name is D. and I have 2 children that have had nummerous endoscopes . although my children were older . one had his first at age 14 Total about 10 or more in all.the other her first at age 5 She has had 3 times .Our son has eosinophilic esophagitus and food allegries and our daughter has gastroparesis (delayed stomach empting)and both have acid reflux. We have a great Gi and the endos were reallly quit simple . Both were put under light sedation and were allowed to go home the same day.The best advice I can give is for you to ask your Gi doc about all your concerns. No concern is a little concern when it comes to our kids. Also check out yahoo groups there are great support groups there with a wealth of information. I will be praying for your little one and you to have peace. God bless you.If you happen to be military Doctor Noel at wilford hall Peds GI is great Been my kids doc for years .

About me
I'm a SAHM of four with 3 still at home. 3 girls ages 12, 17, 19 and a son age 22. Married 22 years to my loving Husband.

1 mom found this helpful

An upper endoscopy is a quick, painless procedure. My daughter had one with biopsies, as well as a flexible sigmoidoscopy, when she was 12 months old. Your child will have to be sedated, but it's a very short time. C's procedures were over before we knew it, and we have lovely color pics of her innards from top to bottom!

Her GI found intraepithelial lymphocytes, which are one of the two markers for celiac, but the follow-up blood test was negative. Intraepithelial lymphocytes can be caused by all kinds of GI tract illnesses, including simple stomach viruses.

Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful