What You Need to Know About The Great Plains Laboratory Testing
Please note:
The Great Plains Laboratory does not currently offer testing in New York State but has applied for licensing in that state. Please check back on a monthly basis to determine when New York testing may be available in that state. New York State does not allow metals hair testing.
The information
presented here is in no way intended to replace the advice and supervision
of your licensed medical practitioner. Accordingly, you and your medical
practitioner must bear responsibility for any uses made of this material.
To find out more about a specific test, click on the test name. For help
selecting the correct test(s), see How to
Select a Test. For detailed information of what each test measures,
see Test
Descriptions. For price comparisons, see the price list.
Selecting the proper test(s) requires attention to both symptoms and
diagnosis. Use the table below to help you choose. If you need further
help, please
contact us and we will be happy to help you.
The Organic Acid Test can help identify
yeast overgrowth and inborn errors of metabolism that may contribute
to ADD ADHD symptoms.
Essential Fatty Acids Testing helps
identify deficiencies in fatty acids that can contribute to hyperactivity
and aggression.
Zinc Testing - Zinc deficiencies
are common in people with ADD ADHD and may be linked to some of the
ADD ADHD symptoms.
Metal Analysis - People with ADD ADHD
often respond favorably to the removal of toxic metals from their
body; essential elements are also measured.
Food Allergies - Food Allergies can have
an astounding impact on behavior, and Candida overgrowth common
to people with ADD ADHD can contribute to the development of food
allergies.
The Organic Acid Test helps identify
yeast and bacteria overgrowth, vitamin deficiencies and many other
problems often found in people with autism. The Yeast Culture with Sensitivity Test should be done in conjunction with the Organic Acids Test to get the most
accurate reading, and identify which antifungal agents are most
effective for the detected yeast strain. These two tests are available
as a combo as well. (Find out more about the
yeast problem in cases of autism from the Interview with Dr. Shaw.)
Metals
- hair - Hair is most useful for the detection of toxic
metals such as lead, aluminum, mercury, and cadmium extremely harmful
for the development and neurological functioning. With increasing
levels of pollution, toxic metals are constantly becoming more significant
factors in disease and developmental disorders. Mercury has in the
past been used as an additive in children's vaccines and is still
an additive in flu shots. Mercury has also been found to be high
in fish such as tuna and swordfish and may also be high in persons
with many mercury dental fillings. Treatment of heavy metal exposure
usually involves the removal of the heavy metal source and/or treatment
with chelating agents. Children with autism as a group also have
low values of essential elements like calcium, potassium, zinc,
and magnesium, which can also be assessed in the hair test.
The Gluten/Casein Peptide Test helps evaluate
problems with digesting wheat and dairy products, common in people
with autism and certain other conditions.
Food Allergies Testing is recommended
because food allergies can be a result of yeast
overgrowth, and can have a significant impact on behavior.
An Immune Deficiency Panel helps identify
inadequate immune functioning, a well-documented problem for people
with autism and related disorders.
Some additional
testing may be recommended based on the results of the initial evaluation
and your physician's assessment.
Metals
- blood, Metals - hair,
Metals - Urine, Metals - blood, Metals - fecal- Hair is useful for the detection of toxic metals such as lead,
aluminum, mercury, and cadmium. Lead may be found in dirt near roads
and is commonly present in paint from older houses. Children with
pica or who eat paint chips may develop toxic lead levels. Cadmium
is used in batteries, steel -belted tires, and plastics. The clear
plastics used to cover foods may be a source of cadmium and it is
also found in cigarette smoke. Mercury is used in batteries, dental
amalgam, vacuum pumps, valves, and seals. High amounts of mercury
from the dental fillings of the cremated deceased have caused contamination
of the surrounding neighborhoods. Arsenic is high in seafood and
may also be found in animals fed arsenic in their feed. Arsenic
is also present in wood preservatives, fungicides, herbicides, corrosion
inhibitors, and in lead and copper alloys. Children with autism
may respond favorably to removal of toxic metals. Children with
autism as a group also have low values of essential elements like
calcium, potassium, zinc, and magnesium. Treatment of heavy metal
exposure usually involves the removal of the heavy metal source
and/or treatment with chelating agents.
Food
Allergy Comprehensive (IgG-96 foods) - is recommended because food allergies can be a result of yeast
overgrowth, and can have a significant impact on behavior.
The Organic Acid Test and Comprehensive Stool Analysis can uncover potential
causes and/or provide information to determine suggested treatments
for frequent or chronic ear infections.
Food
Allergy Testing - (IgG-96 foods) - is recommended because food allergies can be a result of yeast
overgrowth, and can have a significant impact on behavior.
Metals
- > blood, - hair,
- Urine Hair is useful for the detection of toxic metals such as lead,
aluminum, mercury, and cadmium. Lead may be found in dirt near roads
and is commonly present in paint from older houses. Children with
pica or who eat paint chips may develop toxic lead levels. Cadmium
is used in batteries, steel -belted tires, and plastics. The clear
plastics used to cover foods may be a source of cadmium and it is
also found in cigarette smoke. Mercury is used in batteries, dental
amalgam, vacuum pumps, valves, and seals. High amounts of mercury
from the dental fillings of the cremated deceased have caused contamination
of the surrounding neighborhoods. Arsenic is high in seafood and
may also be found in animals fed arsenic in their feed. Arsenic
is also present in wood preservatives, fungicides, herbicides, corrosion
inhibitors, and in lead and copper alloys. Children with autism
may respond favorably to removal of toxic metals. Children with
autism as a group also have low values of essential elements like
calcium, potassium, zinc, and magnesium. Treatment of heavy metal
exposure usually involves the removal of the heavy metal source
and/or treatment with chelating agents.
The Immune Deficiency Panel helps
pinpoint concerns about immune system functioning, common in many
disorders and inborn errors of metabolism. (Find out more about
the importance of immune system functioning.)
The Immune Deficiency Panel helps
pinpoint concerns about immune system functioning, common in many
disorders and inborn errors of metabolism. (Find out more about
the importance of immune system functioning.)
We strive to your make testing experience as convenient and
simple as possible, with just a few steps until you have the results in
your hands. Then you can begin working on treatment. We also offer consultation
services and doctor referrals, and provide you with resources to get the
highest quality supplements for your condition.
Please note:Questions about specific
tests are answered on the page about each test. General questions
are answered here. More information on the discoveries that helped inform
Dr. Shaw's groundbreaking work in this area can be found in the Interview with Dr. Shaw.
Do I need to travel to your lab to get tests
done?
No, you do not have to come here. All you need to
do is order special test kits with sample instructions by phone, fax,
email , or on our web site and send samples
to us by DHL. It only takes 1-2 days, and test kits contain a special
ice pack to preserve the samples during the shipping time. You can send
us samples from all over the world, but to order test kits internationally
you have to pay a shipping fee since we also
send them to you by DHL. You will receive the results by mail 2-3 weeks
after shipping samples to us.
Do I have to have a physician's approval to
get testing performed at The Great Plains Laboratory?
A
physician's approval is necessary if you are a resident of the United
States, and recommended but not obligatory for residents of other countries.
In the United States, a medical practitioner who is licensed to order
testing in your state must approve the test order. Regulations vary from
state to state so an approved medical practitioner could be a medical
doctor (M.D.), osteopath (D.O.), nurse practitioner, chiropractor (D.C.),
naturopath (N.D.) or nutritionist.
My doctor does not approve of these therapies and does not want to provide
authorization for testing. What shall I do?
You can contact us and we can recommend a knowledgeable
doctor in your area. You do not have to provide an authorization from
your general physician, it can be any licensed health professional who
can order testing in your state, including chiropractors, naturopaths,
nurse practitioners, or nutritionist/dieticians.
Do most insurance companies reimburse for your
tests?
Yes, but we cannot guarantee how much (if any)
reimbursement will be given. PPO plans vary considerably as to which medical
services will be covered and at what percentage. We recommend contacting
your insurance company with detailed information, including diagnostic
codes from your physician and CPT or testing codes that GPL will be happy
to provide. We'll do our best to help you get reimbursed if it's possible.
For details, see the Insurance & Payment Information.
What about reimbursement for Medicaid and Medicare?
We can file for reimbursement with Medicare,
but we do not accept Medicaid in any state.
I already had the urine
organic acid test done earlier by another lab. Can't I get the information
from the earlier test?
No. No other laboratory routinely analyzes all the compounds that The
Great Plains Laboratory does. Most test for the inborn errors of metabolism
and that's all.
With every test, we provide a detailed report
and free consultation about the results. We encourage you to discuss the results with your
physician, and contact us with your questions or concerns about
the meaning of your test results if you have additional questions. We
can also provide consultations in Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese,
Japanese or German languages.
All the test kits are free of charge. Prices
for the processing of each test are listed on the price list. You can find out more about paying
for the tests from the Insurance & Payment section. For international
orders, we charge a DHL shipping fee. You
can also get test kits from distributors that we have in many countries,
please contact us for detailed information.
Can
I collect one urine sample and perform all the urine tests that you offer?
You can perform many of the urine tests with one urine sample (random
urine metals only). Each test has a specific volume requirement. The urine
collection container holds about 70 ml. You will need a special collection
kit to perform the timed urine metals test. The metals test requires at
least 40 mls of urine.
Can I test my child who is not potty-trained?
Yes. The Great Plains Laboratory provides tape-on bags to collect the
urine from infants or children who are not potty trained.
My child is currently
taking antibiotics or antifungals. Should I wait until after the antibiotics
until I get tested?
Antifungals are more important than antibiotics in this case. The bacterial
metabolites that appear in the urine and are measured by the OAT are usually
from bacteria with resistance to broad-spectrum antibiotics. If possible,
it is best to wait until several weeks after a course of antifungal therapy
before repeating an OAT, to see if the yeast is coming back. The exception
would be if the child's condition suggests that a strain of yeast has
developed resistance to the antifungal treatment.
When should I expect results from the tests?
All the tests have different turn-around times. Most test results are
mailed within 2 weeks. The physician you indicated on the test request
form will also receive the results. Once you do receive results, please
call to set up a phone consultation with our biochemist/nutritionist to
discuss them.
If the test results showed
problems with milk and wheat products, for how long does my child need
to be in the diet?
It depends on what test showed the problems. IgG food allergies can change
or disappear after a few months on a strict diet or a yeast treatment,
but gluten/casein peptide digestion problems generally do not go away
even after a very strict diet. If your peptide test showed high peptide
levels in urine, it may mean that your child has genetic enzyme deficiency
and problems will appear any time gluten and casein appear in the diet.
That's why it is beneficial to do both IgG food allergy and urinary peptides
test.
If my child is taking digestive enzymes, can
he/she possibly tolerate some gluten and casein?
Digestive enzymes are an excellent way to supplement the diet and help
improve the digestion in people who have a hard time eliminating these
opioid peptides even while staying on the strict diet. Enzymes cannot
substitute the diet; it can be compared with taking antidotes after poison,
but they are an excellent way to save the situation if your child has
inadvertently eaten any gluten and casein or you suspect that some gluten
and casein may be hidden ingredients of any foods your child has eaten.
Where can I get nutritional supplements that
are specially designed for children with special needs and food allergies?
I've looked over the information here, but
I still have questions...
Please contact us, and we would be happy to help
you select the appropriate testing for your individual situation or answer
any other questions you may have. (You can also learn more about us or our privacy
practices from our website.) You are also welcome to participate on
one of our free online
conferences with Dr. William Shaw where you can get detailed answers
to many questions.
