Meaningful relationships as a driving force in the experience of parents of a child living with polyposis conditions.

While much research has been conducted on the experiences of individuals with inflammatory bowel diseases, there remains a dearth of research conducted on those affected by polyposis conditions. As a result, little is known about the lived experiences of those with polyposis conditions, especially in the cases of parents of pediatric patients with these conditions. Using a hermeneutical phenomenological qualitative research approach, this study sought to explore the lived experiences of parents of children with polyposis conditions, with specific attention paid to the processes in which parents engage in order to adapt to their realities. In total, three major themes were revealed from the experiences of seven participants. Parents discussed the importance of building collaborative relationships with family physicians, building reassuring relationships with other parents, and building educative relationships with their child. These findings demonstrate the need for family-centered care practices by physicians, and role of relevant relationships as a driving force in helping parents in the management of their child's illness.

Celiac disease and anorexia nervosa: a case report.

The relationship between anorexia nervosa and celiac disease remains an area of ongoing research. Identification of celiac disease in patients with restricted nutritional intake can be challenging since abdominal complaints are a common comorbidity associated with eating disorders and since diagnosis of celiac disease requires a duodenal biopsy while on a gluten containing diet. In this report, we present a 12-year-old female who developed anorexia nervosa and was thereafter diagnosed with celiac disease. The latter diagnosis occurred after a 2-year period of persistent abdominal complaints and duodenal biopsies on three separate occasions. Our case highlights the diagnostic challenge, which may include initially missing the diagnosis, associated with celiac disease in patients who are restricting their nutritional intake, and also the importance of re-testing in patients where gastrointestinal complaints are persistent for extended time periods after refeeding.

Histologic analysis of eosinophils and mast cells of the gastrointestinal tract in healthy Canadian children.

Many gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, including GI eosinophilia and inflammatory bowel disease, can be characterized by increased mucosal eosinophils (EOs) or mast cells (MCs). Normal mucosal cellular counts along the GI tract in healthy children have not been established for a Canadian pediatric population. To establish a benchmark reference, we quantified EO and MC from 356 mucosal biopsies of the GI tract obtained during upper and lower endoscopic biopsies of 38 pediatric patients in eastern Ontario. Mean total counts of EO varied for the 11 tissues we examined, from a low of 7.6±6.5/high-power field (HPF) (×40 [×400, 0.55mm(2)]) in the body of the stomach to a high of 50.3±17.4/HPF in the cecum. The lower GI tract (ileum, cecum, colon, sigmoid, and rectum) generally had higher total EO counts than the upper GI tract (antrum and body of stomach, duodenum, and duodenal cap) (combined average of 32.1±20.6 versus 19.3±15.8, respectively). Similarly, the number of mucosal MC was different in the various regions of the GI tract ranging from 0.04±0.2/HPF in the duodenal cap to 0.9±2.6/HPF in the ileum. Total counts for EO and MC in the lamina propria were not significantly different between sexes when adjusted for multiple testing. EO polarity was absent in many cases, irrespective of the GI region. These numeration and localization of EO and MC will provide normative data for upper and lower endoscopic GI biopsies in the pediatric population of Eastern Ontario.

Short-course ondansetron for the prevention of methotrexate-induced nausea in children with Crohn disease.

OBJECTIVES: Methotrexate (MTX) is an effective treatment for Crohn disease (CD); however, its application may be limited by the occurrence of nausea. We assessed whether a short course of ondansetron minimized this adverse event. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective case-control study of patients with CD who received MTX at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario between 2001 and 2009 was conducted. RESULTS: Sixty-four patients received MTX during this time period. The mean age of diagnosis was 12.0 ± 3.0 years (± standard deviation), and the mean age when MTX was initiated was 13.6 ± 2.6 years. Those receiving only 1 or 2 doses of MTX (N = 4) and stopped for reasons other than development of nausea were not included in the analysis. Fifty patients received ondansetron premedication using a 4- to 8-week tapering schedule with MTX, and only 1 patient (2.0%) developed nausea within the first 3 months of MTX. In contrast, 6 of 10 patients (60.0%, P < 0.001) not premedicated with ondansetron reported nausea following MTX within 3 months. Four of these 6 patients subsequently received ondansetron and had no further complaints. Following ondansetron discontinuation, 5 of 50 (10%) patients developed nausea with subsequent MTX injections, but responded to reinstitution of ondansetron. Some children developed anticipatory nausea (6/60, 10%) and 3 experienced nausea relief after initiating premedication with ondansetron. CONCLUSIONS: Nausea following MTX is a common complaint in patients with CD. For most, this adverse effect may be prevented through the use of a short-course ondansetron as premedication. Ondansetron to treat MTX-induced nausea also can be successfully used but a proactive preventive strategy can be achieved.

Comparison of two common outpatient preparations for colonoscopy in children and youth.

Colonoscopies are often performed in children for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Our study compared two bowel-cleansing solutions: sodium picosulphate, magnesium oxide, and citric acid (Pico-Salax) with liquid magnesium citrate as preparations for colonoscopy. A retrospective chart review of all patients seen in the Gastroenterology outpatient clinic and who underwent bowel cleansing in preparation for colonoscopy from February to December 2006 was undertaken. Thirty-two children received Pico-Salax and 36 received liquid magnesium citrate. The tolerability of both solutions was similar. Most children in both groups had liquid stools and complete colonoscopies. Bowel preparation for a colonoscopy can be successfully achieved using either Pico-Salax or liquid magnesium citrate.