Are they going to run the thyroid antibody tests for Ellie? I don't know how common an elevated TSH is in a child, but I wouldn't be content to ignore that. What did they say in regard to this, or do you have to wait for an appointment to discuss it?
I had been very symptomatic for years when my thyroid disease was diagnosed. I was pretty much a lump of clay at the point I dragged myself in and asked to be tested because my sister had just been diagnosed. My TSH was something like 23,
but my T4 still within low normal range. My thyroid was enlarged. My doctor treated me, of course. Some ten years later I asked for the antibody tests to confirm my thyroid disease was in fact autoimmune (something like 90-95% is), but I wanted to be sure....because of the autoimmune thyroid disease/celiac association. It was, with an anti-TPO of 913.5 (is that a strange number or what?). Ref range Children and Adults less than 2.0.
So, low thyroid function could definitely be contributing to the constipation and failure to thrive. AND... if the thyroid antibodies are present...it just might be early enough to reverse that with a gluten free diet. There are reports of thyroid disease reversing on a gluten free diet, if done early on. I wouldn't think twice about putting Ellie on a gluten free diet...I'd just do it. It's just food...no harm, possible gains.
http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com...thyroiddisease
Did either of the girls have positive antigliadin antibodies (past or present testing?).
These doctors who think Celiac Disease is the end all and be all need to catch up with the research.... because I think the research is forging on to show that gluten sensitivity can cause problems in those who are seronegative with normal biopsies. And with your family history????
And with Kara... she is old enough that you might be able to explain the grey zone that the doctor's don't fully understand, and have her do a gluten free diet trial as well.
I suspect you knew this was the kind of response you'd get out of me.
I'd ask to have the thyroid antibody tests done if your doctor doesn't plan on doing it.
http://www.labtestsonline.org/unders...es/glance.html
Cara