Is 9 nearly 10 year old girl too young to have blood tests?

[bobbyb]

I recently went to a drop in surgery as my daughter has been having stomach pains. I went because it is really difficult to get through to the local gp. Anyway after waiting for 3 and a half hours . I saw a gp who recommended that my daughter get a stool sample done and routine blood tests. The dr wouldn't fill any forms for me and told me to see gp. (The computers also weren't working that day). which was frustrating as that was the reason I was there ,as it was a nightmare getting through to gp. I eventually got a phone appointment with the drs surgery and the gp said he wouldn't inflict those kind of tests on a nine year old. So I made an appointment to see him, I told him there was a strong history of thyroid and thyroid related illnesses including addisons disease in the family. and he said it was difficult to tell from a blood tests . reading between the lines it sounds like he didn't want the expense of a blood test. Iv'e looked online and stool samples cost a fortune . Anyway I think I'll have to get private blood tests done which I can't really afford. I just want to know . Is 9 years old too young to get a blood test? I can't imagine it is. I know drs are rubbish with anything throid related anyway.

[humanbean]

Blue Horizon Medicals (BH) will do testing for children under 18 (at least for blood), but I don't know of any other company that will. Before parting with a penny you'll have to check each company's terms and conditions.

BH do some tests in partnership with Spire Hospitals, including a faeces test :

privatebloodtests.co.uk/pro...

This link gives you info on discounts available from BH and other companies but I don't know if that applies to every single test they do.

thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...

I found this company :

healthpath.com/products/tests/

but I should point out that

a) I know nothing about them at all,

b) their prices are eye-watering, and

c) I don't know if they will do testing on anyone under 18. (This applies to all the companies I'm listing.

The thyroid UK link above mentions two companies that might be worth looking into :

a) Cambridge Nutritional Sciences

b) Smartblood

Other companies I found that do gut and faeces tests are :

smartnutrition.co.uk/digest...

gutscharity.org.uk/

I'm not sure if the above link leads to actual testing.

I don't know how useful this test is but it is really cheap:

lloydspharmacy.com/products...

And a few more :

smartnutrition.co.uk/digest...

privatebloodtests.co.uk/pro...

I got most of the above links by googling for "private stool sample testing uk". I didn't go through the whole list so there could be more to find.

[bobbyb in reply to humanbean]

thank you so much. That's so helpful.

[Anthea55]

I had stomach problems, indigestion etc for years, certainly in my teens. My father (a doctor) sent me to be tested in case I had a grumbling appendix, but I hadn't. Forward 50 or 60 years until I was tested for food intolerances for arthritis. The main problems found were wheat and oats. After 2 or 3 months on my revised diet my joints were much improved, but then I realised that I hadn't had indigestion for months. At last I had discovered why I had been so unwell over the years. My bad breath improved as well. School food (boarding school) had certainly not helped.

What I am suggesting is that your daughter might have food intolerances. Very few GPs have an understanding of nutrition - they wouldn't recognise intolerances. It could be worth getting her to a nutritionist.

Go to the website for BANT - The British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine

at bant.org.uk/

where you can look up qualified nutritionists near you.

Can you notice any pattern to when her stomach problems happen?

Can I also say that in my opinion she should be seen by a doctor just to rule out the possibility that her appendix is playing up. I'm not a doctor, so that is my personal opinion. My appendix played up when I was about 70 and afterwards several people expressed surprise that I'd had it at such a late age as they thought it usually afflicted younger people.

Good luck to you and your daughter. I hope you get sorted out.

[KellyInTexas in reply to Anthea55]

Good thought- a chronic appendicitis as opposed to acute. Had one of those kinds myself! It never really became a dire thing, but out it came nonetheless.

[Anthea55 in reply to KellyInTexas]

Another thought - nutritionists can do stool tests. My daughter's did one recently and mine did one a few years ago. You would then have advice on interpreting the results.

A nutritionist will also highlight deficiencies. I've often read on here that thyroid medication may not work well if you have deficiencies.

[HowNowWhatNow]

not too young, no

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to HowNowWhatNow]

My son had symptoms and was tested from age about 18 months / 2, at long intervals.

9 is old enough to have a blood test.

important thing is that the right things are tested - ie. T3 as well as TSH

[Kit_Monster]

Hi Bobbyb..... Young people can get migraines which show themselves as "stomach migraines" and lots of tummy pain. A colleagues son had it. It might be worth investigating that.

It's just a suggestion for you to look in to and not a diagnosis or anything.

[BeePurple]

i think a second opinion is vital. See a different Dr if you can. Never discount your mother's instinct. Keep bothering them until they do something.

[SecondAngel in reply to BeePurple]

I second this, that GP was clearly biased.

[Yostie]

No it is not. My granddaughter suffered on and off with stomach pains last year was given blood test at local hospital emergency service. She was 8 last Tuesday so last summer was 6 and 3/4.

[Happytiredbunny]

I agree my son had blood tests at 2 due to autoimmune symptoms and recurrent illness, he was severely anaemic and after 18 months of asking my GP finally did bloods for my other son, now 7 as I was so sure he has iron deficiency, only to be told all was normal, even tho his Ferritin is 10, the bottom of the range for children and his lymphocytes are abnormally low… 🤦‍♀️ trust your instincts and try another doctor! You know your children! Still waiting for a follow up to get a prescription to treat the low iron but getting there!

[Polski in reply to Happytiredbunny]

I suggest you stop waiting and try Floradix for Kids. The kind of iron that doctors prescribe can be very difficult to absorb. In Floradix and similar, the iron is combined with other vitamins etc from food sources and so it is a much more natural form of iron which the body should absorb much more easily. Also you can access it from your chemists now, so he starts getting treatment right away!

[Happytiredbunny in reply to Polski]

thank you! I’ll get him started today 😁 I wanted to give him ferrous fumerate because it made me feel so good but not for under 12’s apparently 😅

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Happytiredbunny]

Happytiredbunny

Both your sons need testing for coeliac disease and hasn’t if they have unexplained vitamin deficiencies

[HiloGal in reply to SlowDragon]

I agree, check for Celiac's Disease:

The classic symptom is diarrhea. Other symptoms include bloating, gas, fatigue, low blood count (anemia), and osteoporosis. Many people have no symptoms.

When my son was 10 he started eating ice like it was going out of style. He had low iron, ice eating is a form of pica. I asked his doctor why he would be low in iron, also his platelets were elevated. We are not vegetarians, and eat red meet (wild caught deer) several times a week. He was getting frequent migraines, fatigue, brain fog and respiratory infections, even after iron supplementation. I finally got tired of pushing his doctor for more tests/answers. I found a new doctor that tested autoimmune markers and then when those were positive, tested for celiac. His results were very conclusive, we are now working on re-building his gut and have eliminated all gluten. On a side note, his T-3 was high, as well. It took us 4 yrs to get answers! Trust your gut instinct!

Hope all works out well.

[Purple-moon]

Could it be Coeliac Disease? I have Hashimoto’s and my daughter was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease around the age of 8. There is a strong link between Thyroid problems and Coeliac Disease. Just a thought but it might be worth seeing if you could get a blood test done? Prior to diagnosis my daughter had persistent stomach pains.

[Hidden]

it’s never too young x

[Partner20]

Children can most certainly have blood tests carried out by the NHS. Many children have thyroid levels checked, but these tests are normally done under the guidance of a paediatric specialist, as juvenile ranges and requirements differ from those of adults. It is important not to pass your worry onto your child, as health anxiety can be a real danger. Too much exposure to testing and appointments can mean that a negative attitude develops. Make a clear list of symptoms, present it to your GP, and ask how they intend to proceed. Have another list with conditions you would like to be considered in case you are asked, or you hit a brick wall. Take another adult with you if possible to support you and take notes. Refer the matter immediately to the Practice Manager if the outcome of the appointment is negative. Hope you find the solution soon.

[Horse12345]

Hi bobbyb... I took my 4 year old grandson to see the G.P yesterday as he hasn't been well , the G.P gave me forms for thyriod blood tests, and 2 other different ones, and a number to call at local hospital to have the test done, as the G.P don't do bloods on young children at our surgery. we are in Wales . I Hoe this helps .

[Blearyeyed]

If you were told to get these tests by the hospital you would be best to contact them and request for them to look up your notes from the examination and send a letter or email through to your surgery confirming that they want these tests done and that your daughter needs them.

If the computer was down during your appointment there will still be a written record of the appointment or at least when you were seen and who you spoke to.

In which case , you ask for their contact details , Secretary or Department , and send them an email , or phone, explaining the problem and requesting either a call with you to organise the tests there or for them to contact your GP and request they do the tests that were recommended.

If they GPs are still unwilling , ask to be referred to the right Department for your daughter to get another examination and these checks. Also request a referral to the Nutritionist.

You can see another GP at your surgery to request the tests and you can politely point out that these tests were requested by a hospital and that although you would prefer not to you will have to submit an external complaint about the Surgery and unwillingness to order these tests for your daughter

This has nothing to do with not wanting to put your daughter through the stress of testing and all about costs , not wanting to do more expensive tests unless it is an emergency or they feel it's worth doing.

[bobbyb]

Thank you all for advice. I agree it is all about not to spend money on tests.