If you could have any tests done, what would they be??

[FairyRae]

So, I've got this amazing opportunity. We've just switched over to a family care practitioner who is really open minded and fully believes that parents know their kids and their kids' needs better than anyone, and is totally willing to work w/ me on keeping ds as healthy as possible in the manner I feel is appropriate. So, not only has she acknowledged he has food sensitivities, but she said that she would request any tests I felt would be helpful in his healing (including hair tests, stool tests, etc etc etc.) AND she'll have them covered by insurance (unless for some reason they totally refuse and she can't convince them otherwise.) I'm blown away to have found someone so supportive and open minded who is covered by our insurance who will help us get any tests we want, again, *covered by insurance*!!!!

So, my question is, if you could have any tests done to help heal your child/put you in the right direction, what would they be, in order of importance to you? I'm thinking of things like hair tests, stool tests, and nutrient deficiency tests, but I'm sorely lacking in the knowledge about all these tests (and what they are called, where to order them)--I'd just love all of your input!!! Also, just fyi, my thoughts have been that ds's leaky gut issues are related in some ways to sulfation pathway issues. He is gluten, dairy, corn, soy sensitive, along w/ almonds, oranges, chocolate, strawberry and most nuts/seeds sensitive (rash reactions). We utilize traditional foods to encourage healing, which has made worlds of difference in both of our lives, but he has still lost foods, and I'm looking to get more proactive. Also, I was supping mag and zinc (am still supping bs through my milk), but he seemed to react negatively to that some of the time so I stopped it for a bit....

Anyhow, I'd love ANY input you all have to share!!

[mamafish9]

Hair elements test (for metals and minerals), comprehensive stool analysis (for gut bugs). There is something called an intestinal permeability test that will give you a measure for leaky gut (haven't done it, but it sounded cool, I think it's a stool test).

We've also just done a urine amino acids test and a metabolic analysis profile, both pee tests, both extremely useful for us, but not necessarily the easiest to interpret. The amino acids test will let you know if your child has low amino acids (we were very surprised to find out our protein loving child was).

[sbgrace]

Wow!

I'd start with Metametrix comprehensive Stool and Urine tests.
Organix Comprehensive - Urine
GI Effects – Stool Analysis
The links will explain all they evaluate (so much wonderful information) and the technology they use (superior to any lab I've seen).

But urine will look at metabolic issues (and will interpret it for her/you), nutritional deficiencies, yeast/bacterial issues, etc. Lots of stuff. It's been a while since I did that one but it picked up stuff that $$$$ and lots of urine, blood and skin biopsy tests also found in my son (via genetics/metabolics doctors) in a simple urine test. Unlike the formal labs though the diagnosis wouldn't follow a kid medically and the interpretation of the lab results doesn''t require a degree in metabolics. I wish we had done it so many years before and we could have helped my son much earlier.

The stool will look at digestion, allergy/inflammation/celiac/dairy/etc. issues, gut immune system (sIga...you can look at that on pubmed journal articles and etc) counts, parasites, yeast, bacterial counts (good) and infections (bad--and they'll test them for what will kill it as well), and on.

These are really, really great labs. And from there you'll know what other tests you need (if any). Our insurance did cover them out of network (didn't fight that battle but perhaps a person could successfully) but you do have to pay up front unfortunately--at least we did or it was going to cost a lot more. If you can, I strongly recommend them.

[FairyRae]

Wow--awesome info mamas! I also love that stool, urine and hair tests seem way less invasive than blood tests. YAY!!!!

I'm really excited!!

[kjbrown92]

There are tests that insurance just won't cover no matter what your doctor says, so make sure they'll cover them before you get them done. Just a word of warning. I would have the ALCAT test done for me (already did it for DS and DD2, but don't want to spend the money on me; our doctor wrote a prescription for it, insurance still wouldn't cover it). I'd also get traditional allergy scratch testing done for me, to rule it out. And I'd get the Genova stool test for DD2 and me (DS had it done and it told the doctor a lot of good information). What about the celiac gene tests? Any other genetic tests? Do you suspect MTHFR for example?

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by sbgrace

Wow!

I'd start with Metametrix comprehensive Stool and Urine tests.
Organix Comprehensive - Urine
GI Effects – Stool Analysis
The links will explain all they evaluate (so much wonderful information) and the technology they use (superior to any lab I've seen).

But urine will look at metabolic issues (and will interpret it for her/you), nutritional deficiencies, yeast/bacterial issues, etc. Lots of stuff. It's been a while since I did that one but it picked up stuff that $$$$ and lots of urine, blood and skin biopsy tests also found in my son (via genetics/metabolics doctors) in a simple urine test. Unlike the formal labs though the diagnosis wouldn't follow a kid medically and the interpretation of the lab results doesn''t require a degree in metabolics. I wish we had done it so many years before and we could have helped my son much earlier.

The stool will look at digestion, allergy/inflammation/celiac/dairy/etc. issues, gut immune system (sIga...you can look at that on pubmed journal articles and etc) counts, parasites, yeast, bacterial counts (good) and infections (bad--and they'll test them for what will kill it as well), and on.

These are really, really great labs. And from there you'll know what other tests you need (if any). Our insurance did cover them out of network (didn't fight that battle but perhaps a person could successfully) but you do have to pay up front unfortunately--at least we did or it was going to cost a lot more. If you can, I strongly recommend them.

Boy I would love to do that urine test on my DS but he is still in diapers so i guess that's out

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by Marnica

Boy I would love to do that urine test on my DS but he is still in diapers so i guess that's out

there's always a catheter...

[mamafish9]

Originally Posted by Marnica

Boy I would love to do that urine test on my DS but he is still in diapers so i guess that's out

I do pee tests on my diapered kid. Wake up in the morning, strip off the diapey, get in the tub, or hang out outside, or whatever, cup in hand, until they pee. It can take a while, and sometimes takes a couple mornings to work, but it can be done.

There are also pediatric pee collection bags you can stick inside a diaper, but DS seriously objects to a plastic baggie in his diaper .

[FairyRae]

Thanks for all the awesome info folks! I'm going to look into all of these very carefully. And I will go cautiously and not jump into anything, esp. if insurance may not cover some.

Oh, and as for getting a baby to pee in a cup, check out EC, 'elimination communication'. My son peed in a cup for us (and avoided catheterization) at around 4 or 5 months old. It was awesome. (Although today, at 3yo, he prefers to pee and poo in a diaper lol!)

[sbgrace]

Originally Posted by Marnica

Boy I would love to do that urine test on my DS but he is still in diapers so i guess that's out

We did several urine collections while my son was still in diapers. Boys are actually easier I think. You can get a collection baggy and attach it and you're pretty good to go. You can also add something to absorb that you can wring out if needed but with boys I think the urine collection bag works fine.