<<Disclaimer:  Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

My 3.5 year old son was diagnosed by blood test one year ago.  His GI Doctor
said that when he turns 4, he'll have a test done where a pellet is dropped
into his stomach on a string.  I never questioned it, though did not know
what it really meant.  I was wondering why I have never heard anything
remotely related to this until now.   Is my son's doctor in the past???  If
it is still a good method, will a four year old be under anesthesia for it?
I cannot imagine him being awake through such a procedure.  Do they go on a
gluten challenge first, as he has been gluten free for quite some time with
simply remarkable results.

>I found the following post in a newsgroup. Is this still how they are done?
>Are today's methods more sophisticated? What sort of response should I post
>as a follow-up? Don Wiss. (P.S. I've not been biopsied.)>
>
>From: [log in to unmask] (JD)
>Newsgroups: alt.support.crohns-colitis
>Subject: Re: Barium enema exams - dangerous?
>Date: Sat, 13 May 1995 18:46:13 GMT
>
>Leon Heller <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>>BTW, has anyone had a Carey's capsule investigation? I had to swallow
>>a steel thing about the size of a small egg with a very long plastic tube
>>attached. When this had gone from the stomach into the small intestine the
>>tube was pressurised with water at intervals, and a small cutter on the
>>capsule collected a biopsy of the gut lining. When they got the biopsies
>>they needed the doctor pulled the thing back up again. The first time they
>>did this the tube got a kink in it, so they had to try again a few days
>>later. I had to jump up and down for about half an hour to get the thing
>>down into the intestine. This was over 25 years ago, perhaps they don't
>>do this any more.
>
>God! I hope not. :)
>
>jd