Red Blood This Morning, Went To The Ped.

[brendab]

I don't know which way is up anymore everybody but my son had a bit of red streaks in his poop last evening and this morning was more. I saved it in a baggie and took him promptly to the ped. and nothing came of it. My son has his 2 year check-up on Friday and I was simply instructed to keep an eye on his movements until then and see what happens. He will refer me to a ped GI if he has more issues so I don't feel like we got anywhere. I told him about my sons gluten related GI issues since he was a nursling and he did ask me if Celiac's ran through the family and that I don't really know but I know I have issues with gluten but untested. So for now, nothing new to report.

I was hoping to get started with finding a good ped. GI

[lucia]

Well, you definitely did the right thing, since blood in stools can be serious.

[brendab]

Well, you definitely did the right thing, since blood in stools can be serious.

He didn't seem concerned at all even with my sons 19 month history with abnormal GI issues. We are searching for a ped. GI doc and may just go straight to the Children's Hospital to find one.

[brendab]

I'm not waiting to "see what happens next", I just contacted Children's Hospital in DC and am making an appt. with the Ped. GI doc there, I am hoping they will see him soon as this bleeding worries me sick!

[Skylark]

Good luck finding a good pediatric GI. I will have my fingers crossed.

[Gardening]

Good for you! I totally gave up on my ped. I hope you get an appt soon. Make sure you tell the receptionist he is having black stools and there has been visible blood in his stool. If there have been any weight gain issues, mention that too.

And if it's still a while before your appt, ask if they have a last minute cancellation waitlist, or if you can periodically call to see if anyone has cancelled.

[kareng]

If for some reason they don't give you a quick appt, they have a great ER. If the red blood keeps up, just go straight there. If you go Monday - Friday during the day, you should be seeing a GI in the ER.

[brendab]

If for some reason they don't give you a quick appt, they have a great ER. If the red blood keeps up, just go straight there. If you go Monday - Friday during the day, you should be seeing a GI in the ER.

He had another poop today with more blood in it and I am waiting for them to get back to me but I don't expect this evening it will happen so cross your fingers that they will get back to me tomorrow!

[brendab]

Good for you! I totally gave up on my ped. I hope you get an appt soon. Make sure you tell the receptionist he is having black stools and there has been visible blood in his stool. If there have been any weight gain issues, mention that too.

And if it's still a while before your appt, ask if they have a last minute cancellation waitlist, or if you can periodically call to see if anyone has cancelled.

Great advice! I'm glad I am a part of this group! I need help and support like this.

[brendab]

Good luck finding a good pediatric GI. I will have my fingers crossed.

Thank you, I appreciate all of the advice and support you have given me!

[kareng]

Did you see a doc yet?

[brendab]

Did you see a doc yet?

Yup, then was off on a few more adventures and came home to company and now I have nothing to do so I checked in here I took my son back to the ped. this morning and told him that he had 3 poops with blood in them total since Tuesday night so he has given me a referral to a Ped. GI; I haven't heard back from Children's in DC yet. Should I wait or should I call this other one that he recommended (and is closer) and then go with the one that is sooner? How do I know they are even better? I am not sure how to tell.

My son has not had a poop today so I cannot tell if it's any better today or not though.

[kareng]

Yup, then was off on a few more adventures and came home to company and now I have nothing to do so I checked in here I took my son back to the ped. this morning and told him that he had 3 poops with blood in them total since Tuesday night so he has given me a referral to a Ped. GI; I haven't heard back from Children's in DC yet. Should I wait or should I call this other one that he recommended (and is closer) and then go with the one that is sooner? How do I know they are even better? I am not sure how to tell.

My son has not had a poop today so I cannot tell if it's any better today or not though.

Childrens has a Celiac program. You might check where the closer GI did his residency and how old he is. If he was recently at someplace with a Celiac center, he would probably have a clue. Also, call Childrens again if you want to go there. It's been so long since I worked there, I don't know who to tell you to go to or how appts work. Looks like you can make them on line but I don't know how fast that appt would be.

[TrickyMama]

You could also try to see an IBD specialist. Blood in the stool often indicates the possibility of IBD...and the likelihood of having both is not as small as you would think.

[ravenwoodglass]

Yup, then was off on a few more adventures and came home to company and now I have nothing to do so I checked in here I took my son back to the ped. this morning and told him that he had 3 poops with blood in them total since Tuesday night so he has given me a referral to a Ped. GI; I haven't heard back from Children's in DC yet. Should I wait or should I call this other one that he recommended (and is closer) and then go with the one that is sooner? How do I know they are even better? I am not sure how to tell.

My son has not had a poop today so I cannot tell if it's any better today or not though.

There is no reason not to make an appointment with both. If when you get to the first appointment you feel comfortable that this doctor is knowledgeable you can always cancel the later appointment. Or you can keep it as a second opinion is not a bad idea. Make sure that you mention the black stool you have seen also. If you can get hard copies of his records to take with you or make sure they have transferred them if they do them all electronically that would be good. I hope they get this figured out soon.

[brendab]

You could also try to see an IBD specialist. Blood in the stool often indicates the possibility of IBD...and the likelihood of having both is not as small as you would think.

Can you tell me a bit about IBD? It seems like you are saying it's common to have IBD and celiac disease? Yikes!

There is no reason not to make an appointment with both. If when you get to the first appointment you feel comfortable that this doctor is knowledgeable you can always cancel the later appointment. Or you can keep it as a second opinion is not a bad idea. Make sure that you mention the black stool you have seen also. If you can get hard copies of his records to take with you or make sure they have transferred them if they do them all electronically that would be good. I hope they get this figured out soon.

This is really my first time bringing up the posibility of Celiacs or some other issue in the bowels for my son, there really aren't any records besides this past Wednesday when his Ped. saw the poop I took in to him to see. Is this what you are wanting me to do? I also had the thought of making an appt. with both for now and play it by ear after that.

I wonder why the black stool and then the red? One is upper intestines and the other is lower.......strange isn't it?

[Gardening]

Just noticed you were in the DC area. I am too, but we went to the Celiac Research Center in Baltimore and saw Dr Safta there - she is the pediatric GI who works with Dr Fasano, who is a top celiac researcher.

She was knowledgable and really great with little kids.

[brendab]

Just noticed you were in the DC area. I am too, but we went to the Celiac Research Center in Baltimore and saw Dr Safta there - she is the pediatric GI who works with Dr Fasano, who is a top celiac researcher.

She was knowledgable and really great with little kids.

Hmmmmmmmm..........I wonder if I should be going there instead? I honestly don't mind the travel if it's for somebody who's specialty is what I believe my son has. I wonder if they have a website I can visit, do you know? Thank you for this tip!

[brendab]

I found it

Open Original Shared Link

[kareng]

We don't know what the kiddo has yet. Children's does research in all specialties and happens to have a Celiac center so presumably any GI would know about Celiac if that is the issue. They also, train doctors there. Blood in stools could be a lot of things, some fairly minor & some very major. I thought I would take my kid there because they should know about Celiac as well as other diseases. They also have different specialties if they want another body system looked at.

[Gardening]

The Celiac Research Center is part of the University of Maryland hospital/medical school. It is not a stand-alone facility. They have all specialties there, and they have a children's hospital within the big hospital. Dr Safta is actually treating a 19 mos old who was diagnosed with Crohn's at 12 mos, which is quite rare, so she is not exclusive to celiac.

Just an fyi - I didn't realize all of that until we went there.

I would try both Children's and the Celiac Research Center - see where they can get you in the fastest.

[ravenwoodglass]

This is really my first time bringing up the posibility of Celiacs or some other issue in the bowels for my son, there really aren't any records besides this past Wednesday when his Ped. saw the poop I took in to him to see. Is this what you are wanting me to do? I also had the thought of making an appt. with both for now and play it by ear after that.

I wonder why the black stool and then the red? One is upper intestines and the other is lower.......strange isn't it?

I would either bring any records that you have for him or sign releases to have them transferred. You never know what may be significant. I think nowadays they do the transfers electronically so perhaps you can sign the releases as soon as you have appointments scheduled so the new doctor can go over them when he is first seen.

I hope they get him in soon. You must be so worried.

[Grace'smom]

I'm not waiting to "see what happens next", I just contacted Children's Hospital in DC and am making an appt. with the Ped. GI doc there, I am hoping they will see him soon as this bleeding worries me sick!

Good for you...trust your mom instincts. We really have to be our own medical advocates these days, esp for our little ones...will say a prayer for you that you find the right dr and get the answers you need. Keep us posted. Emily

[Grace'smom]

We don't know what the kiddo has yet. Children's does research in all specialties and happens to have a Celiac center so presumably any GI would know about Celiac if that is the issue. They also, train doctors there. Blood in stools could be a lot of things, some fairly minor & some very major. I thought I would take my kid there because they should know about Celiac as well as other diseases. They also have different specialties if they want another body system looked at.

Karen, I may have missed a post on this a while back, but I think you were waiting on biopsy results last time I looked...did you get them back? Hope everything went ok. Emily

[kareng]

Karen, I may have missed a post on this a while back, but I think you were waiting on biopsy results last time I looked...did you get them back? Hope everything went ok. Emily

No. no biopsy. My kids had blood tests for celiac disease that were odd. Trying to get some info on them. Don't seem to be positive but the Peditrician didn't know what they mean. Sent them to another doc but he has been on vacation & is backed up.