What Does A Lab Result Of "barely Positive" Mean?

[itsallgood]

My 11 year old was recently tested (all 5 screens) as requested by me. Dr. said his "ratio" was barely positive, and that the lab ratio was 1 to 5. His was 1 to 10. What does this mean??

I keep leaving messages to ask what particular test was positive and their messages back are always too general, so I don't know exactly which screen it was.

When I first learned of it, the nurse called and said result was 34 and the top of the range was 30. I will call them today and ask for them to give me exact numbers for all 5 screens.

Does anyone have any advice about what to ask them? They seem reluctant to say it's an indicator of Celiac. BTW, his symptoms are more mood oriented and he sleeps for hours after school and still needs sleep through the night. He's been diagnosed with anxiety and ADD. I went ahead and put him on gluten-free diet three weeks ago. He slipped one day when he forgot his cold lunch and looked like he'd been hit by a truck for 2 days. After all I've read from you folks, it seems silly NOT to keep him on the diet. The doctor said "I'm not sure that's the way to go." I declined a referral to a gastro. I figured why subject him to a biopsy when the only treatment is gluten-free diet?

Worthy of note: his 15 yr old brother recently tested negative after 3 years of fatigue and nausea, and is a year and a half into being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. We put him on gluten-free diet anyway and it is miraculous!!! He says he hasn't felt better in three years.

[shayesmom]

I can't answer as to what more you need to ask in terms of the tests (besides asking for the printout of the lab results). But I have to scratch my head a bit on the "barely positive" answer you've already received. Is that like being "barely pregnant"?

I guess that I interpret such results as the disease has been caught early....before a lot of damage has been incurred. And I have to question any doctor who would look at those results and then state that they "aren't sure that's the way to go" as far as beginning a gluten-free diet. The diet cannot harm your child. Not adhering to it when tests are indicating a problem....well that, to me, is ignoring the elephant that's trying to squeeze its way into the room. Does the elephant really have to be already inside the room before it will be recognized? What if it stays in the corner? Do we ignore it then as well?

You may want to push the doctor into giving his/her reasons why this "isn't the way to go". What else could these test results indicate? If there could be another health issue at work, then what needs to be done to rule it out or in? Or is this a canned answer given to everyone who tests positive prior to a biopsy being performed to further confirm? Is it a standard CYA response?

I think you may be dealing more with procedural policy as opposed to diagnosis. Asking the doctor why he/she is hesitant to diagnose will probably yield more insight as to what the tests are truly indicating. HTH

[Ahorsesoul]

"barely positive" answer you've already received. Is that like being "barely pregnant"?

Exactly. It isn't so bad it's showing damage yet.

[lovegrov]

In my book, "barely positive" and a good response to the diet equals celiac. BTW, you have a right to a copy of those test numbers. You paid for it.

richard

[Xina]

Also agree. Request a copy of the numbers and I know you don't want to put him through tests, but the best kind of doctor to correctly diagnose is a gastroenterologist and the only way to confirm is an endoscopy. You can also do a genetic test to confirm, but genetic alone si not conclusive.

If he is IgA deficient the initial testing will give you a FALSE Negative result. Something to consider.