I have been off the blog for a while, a ton of new info with Lucas that I need to disseminate, however one huge thing I want to inform you about is iron levels. Lucas's iron level is very high, come to find out many children with T21 have high iron levels. (My brain starts thinking of all the things we are trying to avoid like viruses - use iron for energy, leukemias - ditto, also high level of unbound iron can damage mitochondria via oxidative stress - we know this tends to be high in children with T21 and older adults with Alzheimer's). It seems there are answers to commonly seen features of "the syndrome."
There is a condition known as hemochromadosis, it is a genetic disorder which results in faulty iron metabolism and can be seen in children with T21 because the gene is carried on the 21st level. Lucas is having a simple blood test to see if he has the gene. If he does there are methods of correction, if he does not, we need to take another look at his supplements to make sure we are protecting his mitochondria.
Regardless of how old your child is, ask your pediatrician the last time an iron level was taken. There is total iron which is high, but then there is the saturation level. (In Lucas the saturation level was well within range. This means that although there is excess iron in his system it is bound up at this point and is not roaming free to damage his cells' mitochondria. Good time to find the problem!) Ask your child's doctor to check both. I have so much to tell, but this is critically important to health.
As long as you have your little one at the lab for a jab ask your doctor to get a gluten sensitivity test done. We know celiac problems are common to children with T21 and therefore celiac disease is checked for routinely, but Gluten sensitivity is not. Lucas tests for sensitivity came back very high, clearing the gluten out of his diet was a good move.
Talk soon!
