14 replies to this topic

[Kujda]

One odd symptom my son has had when on gluten or if he accidentally gets any is he will have bowel movements that look like a pile of sand. Grainy and thick. He has also had the mucus ones but the "sand poops" as we call them are weird. He also gets a strange rash on his bottom that looks like he took a rake and scratched his bum. This happens with poops.
Has anyone ever had experience with this? Or have you heard of this as a possible symptom of gluten or any other food allergy?
The doc told me he did this to himself in his sleep. If that was the case he would have POOP all over him and his bed. Never happened.
KRISTIN

[mamaloca2]

One odd symptom my son has had when on gluten or if he accidentally gets any is he will have bowel movements that look like a pile of sand. Grainy and thick. He has also had the mucus ones but the "sand poops" as we call them are weird. He also gets a strange rash on his bottom that looks like he took a rake and scratched his bum. This happens with poops.
Has anyone ever had experience with this? Or have you heard of this as a possible symptom of gluten or any other food allergy?
The doc told me he did this to himself in his sleep. If that was the case he would have POOP all over him and his bed. Never happened.
KRISTIN

Yes. this is just like my daughter when she gets gluten. Doctors frustrate the heck out of me! if you do a search for "sandy poop" or "grainy poop" it will take you right back to this forum where other parents talk about the same experience w/ their kids. Unfortuanately you have to do a lot of your own research because doctors don't understand this disease and don't take the time to find out. Good luck with everything.

[Kujda]

Yes. this is just like my daughter when she gets gluten. Doctors frustrate the heck out of me! if you do a search for "sandy poop" or "grainy poop" it will take you right back to this forum where other parents talk about the same experience w/ their kids. Unfortuanately you have to do a lot of your own research because doctors don't understand this disease and don't take the time to find out. Good luck with everything.

Thank you. This is the first time I've been able to talk to someone about this who understands. Just hearing from you that this has happened to your daughter makes me think I am right and doctors don't know everything. Thanks agin for your support! kristin

[Momof2cuties]

Wow! I didn't realize that was normal for our little ones. Or at least part of the disease rather than normal. My daughter's poo has always been that way, too! I'm glad I'm not alone on that one.

[Kujda]

Wow! I didn't realize that was normal for our little ones. Or at least part of the disease rather than normal. My daughter's poo has always been that way, too! I'm glad I'm not alone on that one.

The sandy poops didn't even raise an eyebrow from my doc. Of course I knew from looking at them there was nothing normal about them. Since being gluten free for 3 months they are almost completely gone and it doesn't look like he ate a sand castle!
When she has a sandy poop is hard to wipe it all off? SOmetimes we had to put him in the tub because it was so much.
Glad not to be alone either!
Kristin

[JennyC]

My son's poop was always sandy before going gluten free as well. Thankfully it's gone now. When he gets glutened he has the gross floaty loose stools. I don't think that's much better though.

[Momof2cuties]

The sandy poops didn't even raise an eyebrow from my doc. Of course I knew from looking at them there was nothing normal about them. Since being gluten free for 3 months they are almost completely gone and it doesn't look like he ate a sand castle!
When she has a sandy poop is hard to wipe it all off? SOmetimes we had to put him in the tub because it was so much.
Glad not to be alone either!
Kristin

Yes! I felt like I'd go through about a dozen wipes sometimes. The poor child was so tortured by the painful diaper changes that she won't go anywhere near her changing table. We have to change her on the floor. Poor kid!

But, since being gluten-free her poos are much better. No more sandy appearnace, but they are still a little pale in color. We'll see how it goes.

[marlene57]

Hi,

Just thought you'd like to know....

I've had "sandy" stools for quite some time now. Since being gluten-free, it only happens when I get glutened.
I notice it when I wipe myself. It is terribly abrasive and makes me raw down there. A cool wipe helps make it feel better. Just hold the wipe on the sore area and your baby will feel better.

Marlene57

[mamaofmany]

Oh my goodness I am beyond words that your doctor said that! I have a 2 and a half year old little boy that is having the same kind of poops. Very sandy, grainy like usually brown and tan in color. He has had the mucous kind and those look disgusting but mostly it's the sandy kind. At the moment he has a horrible raw butt the same description you gave. I would probably look at a doctor if they had told me my child done that to himself and said "Are you kidding me! Can you come up with something better with that!" Doctors are so ridiculous sometimes. He has an appointment sit up to see his pediatrician on the 2nd of November. I want him tested for Celiac. I started yesterday evening stripping his diet of all gluten. And already his poop has changed to semi normal and he's pooping less. He usually has a good bit of 4 to 5 or more sandy poops a day. I know it has been several years since you posted this but whatever come about the problem. Was it a gluten issue causing it?

One odd symptom my son has had when on gluten or if he accidentally gets any is he will have bowel movements that look like a pile of sand. Grainy and thick. He has also had the mucus ones but the "sand poops" as we call them are weird. He also gets a strange rash on his bottom that looks like he took a rake and scratched his bum. This happens with poops.
Has anyone ever had experience with this? Or have you heard of this as a possible symptom of gluten or any other food allergy?
The doc told me he did this to himself in his sleep. If that was the case he would have POOP all over him and his bed. Never happened.
KRISTIN

[celiac-mommy]

Was it a gluten issue causing it?

I know in our case it was gluten. Horrible acid-type rashes around the anus and poo that looks like he's been eating fistfulls of sand.

[beebs]

I know in our case it was gluten. Horrible acid-type rashes around the anus and poo that looks like he's been eating fistfulls of sand.

I know this thread is old. But I read it and I just want to cry. I have been fighting the medical profession for exactly a year trying to get them to realise =I guess -that my son is likely celiac. I am almost sure of it - about 90%. His stools changed this time last year - and by far the most common one is that sandy looking one. I try describing it to our Paed GI and he just doesn't understand what I am trying to say. Because it isn't the "classic" celiac poo. He doesn't think he is. We are talking about a 4 year old - but he was 3 when he became so severely aneimic for no apparent reason that he developed a heart murmur. God I hate how this disease is so hard to diagnose - yes so easy to treat.

Boohoooo. My other son is about to have an endo and the paed GI is pretty sure about him being Celiac cause he has all the "classic symptoms", he had a cystic fibrosis scare last week - I just want a diag for my kids so we can move on and they can get healthy.

[kareng]

I know this thread is old. But I read it and I just want to cry. I have been fighting the medical profession for exactly a year trying to get them to realise =I guess -that my son is likely celiac. I am almost sure of it - about 90%. His stools changed this time last year - and by far the most common one is that sandy looking one. I try describing it to our Paed GI and he just doesn't understand what I am trying to say. Because it isn't the "classic" celiac poo. He doesn't think he is. We are talking about a 4 year old - but he was 3 when he became so severely aneimic for no apparent reason that he developed a heart murmur. God I hate how this disease is so hard to diagnose - yes so easy to treat.

Boohoooo. My other son is about to have an endo and the paed GI is pretty sure about him being Celiac cause he has all the "classic symptoms", he had a cystic fibrosis scare last week - I just want a diag for my kids so we can move on and they can get healthy.

If your GI is sure the other one has celiac disease, he must consider that all your children have it. It is genetic. I have it and my kids have been tested and will be blood tested every 2 years (that was the recomendation I saw).

[salexander421]

My girls both get the grainy/sandy poo that is so hard to wipe off. Does anyone know what causes this? Does it have to do with malabsorption??

[beebs]

If your GI is sure the other one has celiac disease, he must consider that all your children have it. It is genetic. I have it and my kids have been tested and will be blood tested every 2 years (that was the recomendation I saw).

Oh yeah - he is likely going to have an endo too eventually, its just that for some reason, this paed GI doesn't think he has it. He doesn't say deffo no - just that he doesn't think so. Whereas with my younger one he took one look and listened to the symptoms and said he thought it was very likely after the first time seeing him. Far cry from the full year it has taken anyone to take my eldest son seriously. This guy is one of the top celiac Drs where I am - so I am surprised he doens't think my eldest has it.

[KristenBogun]

Thank you for these posts! My 2 yr old daughter seems to show signs of celiac. I want to say she's constipated, but it's more or different than that. She has exactly this, sandy poops. It is so hard to clean off and painful for her because it's abrasive. I have be so gentle and use cold, wet paper towels to clean it. I'm glad I'll be able to explain this symptom better to my pediatrician when I go visit for her 2 yr check up next week.

I'm going to request the tests for her and I should probably get them too - have different symptoms myself. Even we test negative, I'm still trying out gluten free.