Cheek Swab Testing

[clh]

Has anyone had experience with the cheek swab test offered by Kimball Genetics? I have Celiac disease and want to have my 4 year-old daughter tested for the genes. She is asymptomatic at this time. I wasn't diagnosed until my early 20's presenting only with anemia. Also, if anyone has any advice on testing his/her child I would love to hear it. Thanks!

[hathor]

I didn't go there. I used Enterolab. You might to a price comparison. I recall someone saying Enterolab was cheaper than some other places.

I don't have celiac genes so I saw no reason to have my children tested. Since we aren't of Asian heritage, they will have gluten intolerance genes (or maybe a celiac one if my husband is asymptomatically packing one). Of course, they are adults & were able to decide for themselves if testing made sense.

Given your history and genes, though, you might want to test your daughter. Perhaps even periodically do some stool testing to see if she is creating any antibodies or has malabsorption -- that way you could nip any problems in the bud.

[azmom]

Sorry I don't have any advice for you, but I also am curious how others will answer. My husband has celiac and I suspect my son does. Would like to get both of my children tested, but don't want to put either one thru the endoscopy. But, on the other hand, I am concerned about the validity of the cheek swab and the Enterolab testing. They are both relatively new and, as far as I can see, have not been scientifically proven. Even the blood tests are not a fool proof method, so what's a mom to do?

Good Luck!

[deesmith]

Has anyone had experience with the cheek swab test offered by Kimball Genetics? I have Celiac disease and want to have my 4 year-old daughter tested for the genes. She is asymptomatic at this time. I wasn't diagnosed until my early 20's presenting only with anemia. Also, if anyone has any advice on testing his/her child I would love to hear it. Thanks!

Hi,

I can't answer you the testing your child part. My children are 24 and 19 and I have talked to them about doing testing, but we have to figure out insurance stuff first.

But on the Kimball Genetics, I can tell you that Dr. Peter Green from the Celiac Center at Columbia Univeristy uses them. They have a 1 day turn around time (but it took me a few days to get them from Dr. Green)

I think that if Dr. Green uses them they are very reliable and probably one of the best.

Oh, also additional family members get a discount. It was fairly expensive, but Dr. Green gave me a sheet from Kimball that states they will help to try to get your insurance company to pay for the testing. If the claim is denied, they will help fight it. And they are willing to accept payment arrangements.

That's where I would want my kids to get tested.