Parents of little girl with mystery illness welcome partial diagnosis

8:38am Friday 9th November 2007

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The mother of a little girl struck down with an illness that baffled medics has spoken of her mixture of relief and fear after the youngster was given a partial diagnosis.

Doctors say Holly Callinan, who is five on Monday, has a rare condition called eosinophilic enterocolitis.

The condition is caused by having too many eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, in the intestine which leads to initial problems with digestion and a lack of tolerance to certain foods.

Holly is now on a special diet and has to avoid milk, eggs, wheat and soya.

She also has different nutritional drinks on prescription to replace normal meals as she cannot eat enough solid food to maintain her weight.

Her mother Christina, 33, of Bloomsbury Court, Brighton, said: "On the one hand I am please because we have finally got a diagnosis but on the other it is pretty scary because it is a nasty illness and difficult to look after.

"It is very complex and there is no cure so there is a lot to take on board.

"It has explained a lot of Holly's symptoms such as the pains she was having in her legs and it is good to know about these things but unfortunately we are not the whole way there yet.

"More serious illness can arise from it and affect the lungs, blood and other organs. A child with this type of disease will probably have a lower immunity than other children and will pick up infections easily.

"A simple cold can go on to cause nasty chest infections and any viral infection can cause a deterioration in many of the symptoms.

"It has been a mixed situation getting this diagnosis as we only know half of what is causing Holly's symptoms.

"It does not explain her enlarged stomach bowel and bladder which cause her so many distressing problems and so there is still a long way to go yet."

Holly will be admitted to Great Ormond Street over the coming months to have a number of tests to help doctors gain a full diagnosis.

Ms Callinan and Holly's father Peter Moore, 49, are continuing to do all the 24-hour nursing care for Holly themselves.

Ms Callinan has already set up a website appealing for parents of children similar to Holly to get in contact and is hoping those with children who are living with an eosinophilic disease will also come on board.

She said: "Now that we've got a name for some of her problems it makes things a bit easier and we are looking forward to celebrating Holly's birthday.

"This time last year things were looking very bleak as we didn't know what was wrong. This time round things seem much more positive and we are grateful for that."

For more details visit www.myspace.com/helpholly.

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