At 04:50 PM 3/9/97 +0000, you wrote:
>Hello, I am writing today to find another parent who has a child that has
>IgA Deficiency.
>  He used >a blood test.  There are 4 panels in the test, and he tested
negative to 3,>but positive to 1.  So, his md says he probably isn't Celiac,
but it may>indicate an immune system disorder called IgA Deficiency.
>an immune system dysfunction.  Also, it looks like we really are faced with
>the gluten free life (now he is dairy/egg free) - with 3 other kids, I am
>wondering if the whole house has to be gf/cf -  Thanks!
>
>Hi Carolyn:

I have celiac disease and my granddaughter had very suspicious symptoms.
When she was 5, she had the blood test--4 panels and only one (IgG) was
positive.  The GI where she lived said to disregard it--she was not celiac.
We had talked with Dr. Murray in Iowa who suggested testing for IgA
deficiency--not uncommon in the celiac population.  She was tested and was
IgA deficient.  This was then seen as further confirmation that she should
be scoped and biopsied for celiac.
The biopsy was positive (there was intestinal damage) and the gluten-free
diet was begun immediately.  Most of her symptoms were gone or lessened
within 2 weeks, and she has continued to do well.
She was treated at the U. of Maryland--children's hospital.  They felt the
IgA deficiency was nothing to be concerned about as an entity in itself.  We
did some of our own research--which confirmed this.
The other three tests in the panel depend upon a normal amount of IgA for
there to ever be a positive result, so in her case the doctor saw this as
another red flag to strongly suspect celiac.  We know with her (since this
is not expected to change during her life) that only the IgG test will ever
be significant to monitor the success of her diet and that is the only one
that ever will be done.
Hope I explained this in a way that makes sense to you.
She is the only one in the house on a gf diet--the others eat regular food,
partially because of the expense.  Her brother will be maintained on a
regular diet and tested at age 5.  It has worked out well for them, but you
do need to be very careful--knives in butter, peanut butter, separate
toaster etc.
Hope this helps some.  If you have any further questions, please write.
Good luck to you and your little boy.
Coralie