4 year old tested positive for ulcerative colitis

Hi, I'm new to this forum but i have a few questions that really need answers. My daughter is 4 years old and about a year ago she started having abdominal pains and she would run a fever only in her mid section though and she would be constipated sometimes and diarrhea with blood other times. I switched her pediatrician because i felt her pediatrician was not listening to me. Now she has a new doctor and he referred me to a pedi gastroenterologist. So on September 12, 2012 they did some kind of blood test and the lady said in her exact words "We tested her for Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis. The Crohn's was negative but the Ulcerative Colitis test was postive. It immediately turned the tube a different color." she also said that my baby pancreas enzymes were elevated. So yesterday October 12, 2012 (Friday) her gastroenterologist did a colonoscopy on her with a biopsy, but we wont get the results back until next week. I was told that the blood test for UC is not accurate and her diagnosis could be wrong. So My question is, Is the blood test for UC accurate and will the biopsy confirms if she has UC or will it tell whats wrong? My baby has been suffering for a year and she's so young, to young for this. This situation has really drained me to the core. Please answer if you have any idea or knowledge of what I'm saying.
Thanks,
Concerned Mommy

FeliciaS said:

We tested her for Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis. The Crohn's was negative but the Ulcerative Colitis test was postive. It immediately turned the tube a different color."

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Get a new doctor imo. You can't say if someone has crohn or not from taking a blood sample. You need a biopsy and endoscopic picture to know. I don't know enough about UC so I won't comment on that.

You can check inflammation in the blood and lymphocyte counts, which means absolutely nothing in terms of diagnosis, it just means there is inflammation, this could 10 different intestinal diseases, I made a list once, many diseases show inflammation in the blood and have intestinal inflammation but are not crohn or even UC.

You can do ASCA tests, which again can mean didly squat because controls can be positive for them, you can check for specific immunoglobulin reaction which again mean nothing on their own.

All of the blood tests together with a biopsy and an endoscopic picture is the only way to accurately show if someone has crohn or not.

I am strictly talking about crohn, not UC. Maybe they can better diagnose UC through blood screening but I doubt it.

Right!!! He did do a colonoscopy with biopsy. I don't know if he did endoscopic pictures or not. Even though she tested positive for ulcerative colitis, he didn't diagnose her with it yet, he went ahead and did the biopsy so we can have a definite answer! I just wanna know whats going on because we been dealing with this for a year on and off and no one could tell me anything until now..then to hear that blood test isn't accurate. I was like OH NO not again not another dead end. I was assured that the biopsy will let us know what's wrong with her. It's a waiting game now..

If they did a biopsy during the colonoscopy then if granulomas are present then they can diagnose Crohns but sometimes there won't be granulomas present in the area biopsied for whatever reason so Crohns still can't be ruled out. They would also look at the visual pattern of inflammation, UC generally has a continuous pattern of inflammation where as CD presents with a skip pattern. Hope you get answers soon.

Thanks Clash. That was really helpful !!

I second what Clash said. The biopsies will give you a more accurate diagnosis and the pattern of what they see with the scope during colonoscopy. Blood tests after those two things have been done are very important to help with treatment, but the biospies and colonoscopy are the biggees for a positive diagnosis.

God bless you both!!

I have an update on M'Kensie she's doing well. They started her on two medications. Prednisone and prevacid. She does have Ulcerative Colitis but its not bad, so they say, but she has been feeling better. Thank God!!

Felicia----was the name of the blood test: PROMETHEUS IBD sgi Diagnostic?? Please let us know and let us know which parts of it were abnormal. Then we can comment further and in more detail. Thanks. And prayers for the health of McKenzie. ps: any family member with IBS or IBD?

I have to find out what was the name of the test we go back to the GI Wednesday and I'll ask then. I do not have any diagnosed family membesr with Crohn's or UC in my family BUT, I have had stomach problems since I was a child, I had to miss school alot and my doctor never did a colonoscopy. I've never got it checked but I want to now. My mom also has stomach problems (not diagnosed either). So idk if anyone has it or not.

request copies ALWAYS of lab results

Please get a full copy of the tests ( all)....you have this right and it is most important for the future---to all readers----to do this. And keep it up with all future testing.

It's been a couple of weeks since starting prednisone and Prevacid...how is M'Kensie doing now?