food allergy blood test

[LavenderPeach]

Can anyone tell me the exact name of the food allergy blood test? The one that a some autistic kids get done?

DS3 has an extensive medical history and is now delayed in several areas (speech, eating, socially). We're trying to figure out if he has any neurological issues that are causing these delays (like autism, for example) or if it's solely caused by his medical history. All of his autistic-like symptoms have other possible explainations so it's hard to know for sure. We also think he may have Apraxia of Speech, but again, hard to tell yet. Anyway, I know that some autistic kids (and apraxic kids) have an intolerance to certain foods that worsen their problems. After reading a little about it, it sounds like you need to get the blood test in order to see the more slow-moving food allergies. The allergy doctor dismissed the idea of the blood test and only did a scratch test for a couple of foods (milk, wheat and nuts, i think) which came back negative. He suggested eliminating milk from DS's diet to see if it helps or not but later I realized that DS's formula is milk based and he needs to remain on the formula for part of his food because it has the extra calories he needs so i can't just stop giving it to him.

Anyway, so I want to know exactly what I should ask the doctor for, in terms of a blood test, so i can insist on getting it. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BeckyScott]

There's two, IgG and IgE. You'd want them both. I always get confused which one does which. (and I'm the only one awake right now and don't want to start turning on lights to find DS's paperwork)

I will tell you, too, our ped balked at them because the lab the dr's office uses, to do both of those tests, I guess required a pretty substantial amount of blood, at least for a child.

After doing some reading, I had ours done thru Great Plains Lab. The blood draw is much smaller. However, your insurance might not play nice with them. You still have to have a dr sign off on the labs, but for our doc, she was willing to go along with it since the draw was much smaller. GPL has a website and if you call them they're very good about answering questions. If your doctor balks at signing the labs, tell the GPL people, they'll have suggestions.

You might also consider the OAT, which checks for yeast overgrowth. It's a pee test so it's easy. (except I know in our case I had to hold the jar while DS peed all over my hand)

We did quite a bit of testing on DS and those were the tests that were most valuable to me personally. The food allergy ones were easy to interpret, no science degree necessary, and it was something I felt like I could do something about. The OAT was similar, DS came back very high on one yeast, which you can get rid of if you're very actively controlling gluten, dairy, and yeast products, or if you get the right dr they can rx stuff to help that too.

 

[mechurchlady]

There are the big 9 or 10 allergies like nuts, legumes/peanuts, shellfish, wheat and corn. There are so many allergies out there that blood work is the best answer. Rule one of doctors, as far I think, is always know your rights, possible tests, and go to another if they are not taking care of the matter properly. Some will tell a person they are diabetic and not do the myriad of things that a diabetic needs like education. I had a lady doctor who was more interested in my dandruff than my lack of medical history or myriad of ailments.

In the mean time do a food diary so that you can look for patterns. It is not always easy but it will possibly show triggers. A trip to grandmother that ends with a sick kid may mean the kid is allergic to her lilac perfume or the dog. A trip to Aunt Bess where the kid gets better may mean that at home he is allergic to something. Allergies are a puzzle waiting to be solved, still working on mine, lol.

 

[LavenderPeach]

Thanks for the replies!

Becky, can you explain more about the Great Plains Lab? I looked at their website but was a little confused about how it works. You order the test and then take it to your doctor to do? Do you need an Rx to order the test? Or does the Dr's office order it? Do you think a pediatrician would do this or would I have to do it through an allergy doctor?

It sounds interesting but it also sounds like one of those things that I read about, mention to the doctor and then they shoot the idea down because it's not the way they usually do things. Grrr.....doctors....they drive me crazy. (sorry to any doctors out there who might read this but it does get frustrating having to deal with this stuff all the time)

I'm not sure about the pee test though. DS isn't potty trained - at all - so i bet they would have to put a catheter in to do it and I'm not sure i can put him through that torture again. He has to go through so many traumatic medical procedures that i hate to add another one but I will keep that one in mind since you thought it was helpful. Maybe it's something we can do later sometime.

The only reason I'm even thinking there could possibly be a food allergy is because I saw it mentioned in context with both apraxia of speech and frequent sinus infections which DS does get every once in awhile. And of course, it is totally possible he could be diagnosed with autism so he has several things that could indicate a food allergy. I can't say that i've noticed any difference with any different foods he eats but he eats so little (small stomach capacity) and he's just learning how to eat so he can get off his g-tube so he's only getting his high calorie formula plus some pureed baby food right now.

 

[BeckyScott]

Becky, can you explain more about the Great Plains Lab? I looked at their website but was a little confused about how it works. You order the test and then take it to your doctor to do? Do you need an Rx to order the test? Or does the Dr's office order it? Do you think a pediatrician would do this or would I have to do it through an allergy doctor?

You can order the test supplies without a script. You just call them and tell them what you want and they send the kit. And that's free. And they send paperwork to fill out, which includes a place for the dr signature. You don't pay until you send the test back.

There have been many stories of parents whose dr wouldn't authorize. Now, our ped did it, but it was because of the whole idea of it taking less blood. And even then, her lab people did the draw and the spinning and all, but I was the one that packaged it all back up and mailed it back. (the kit comes with a prepaid UPS overnight bag, and it's not hard to do) Great Plains apparantly realizes this is a problem, because if your doc won't sign off and do the draw, you can call them, and they will give you the names of docs in your area that will. (I suspect they're DAN's) The problem usually is with the lab, not the doc. The labs are owned either by a lab company or a hospital or both, and as such don't want anything to do with another company. So even if you get the doc to sign off, you have to find a lab to cooperate with you.

Their website is confusing. You're better off calling them. They're very nice on the phone and you get a real person right away.

I'm not sure about the pee test though. DS isn't potty trained - at all - so i bet they would have to put a catheter in to do it and I'm not sure i can put him through that torture again.

They have a non-invasive way to do it-- I'm trying to remember how because DS didn't need it-- there was an insert put into the diaper? Something they had come up with. It sounded messy to me, but probably not any more messy than you're used to dealing with. Since they have so many kids w/ autism, they have dealt with the not-potty-trained thing plenty of times.

 

[jamesmommy]

They have a non-invasive way to do it-- I'm trying to remember how because DS didn't need it-- there was an insert put into the diaper? Something they had come up with. It sounded messy to me, but probably not any more messy than you're used to dealing with. Since they have so many kids w/ autism, they have dealt with the not-potty-trained thing plenty of times.

There is a little plastic bag that "sticks on" with adhesive that we used once with DS before he was potty trained. You just put it on for a while until they use it (ds would not go the whole time it was on though). They made him sit still at the office, not sure if that would be required at home or not.

 

[BeckyScott]

The OAT is supposed to use first morning pee. So I'm guessing it's something you'd prepare for at bedtime?

I remember because for some reason the morning I had planned to do it, DS woke up at like 4 am and I heard him walking into the bathroom. I got up in a panic thinking that was the pee I should collect, went running in there, grabbed the cup, and between him being half-asleep plus his questionable aim... yikes. It was not a good wake-up for the mommy.