Completely Confused About My Toddler's Labs And Symptoms-Scoping In 1 Week

[kendall9]

My 2.5 year old is in the process of being diagnosed with celiac.  I am so confused.

She has had recurrent frank blood in her stools off and on since she was about a year old.  We had a workup done with a pedi gi, who said she most likely had a milk protein intolerence that she would grow out of.  She was suffering from anemia at the time that resolved with iron supplementation.  He ran labs at that time for celiac to rule it out, and all came back normal.

 

3/7/12 reference ranges in parenthesis

Deamidated gliadin abs IgA 3 (0-19)

Deamidated gliadin abs IgG 11 (0-19)

t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA <2 (0-3)

t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgG <2 (0-5)

Endomysial Antibody IgA-Negative (negative)

Immunoglobulin A, Qn Serum 52 (20-100)

 

Now, 3/28/13

tTg IgA >150 (<20)

Immunoglobulin A 113 (19-109)

 

Her Albumin, CBC and Auto sedimentation rate are all normal, but she is anemic again (previously resolved as of 9/12. 

 

She is getting a colonoscopy (originally to look for polyps as the source of the gi bleed), and endoscopy to rule out celiac, which now, with the labs back, looks more like to rule IN celiac. 

 

My daughter has been having blood in her stool daily since the begininng of the year, and the regular pedi kept blowing it off as a fissure.  When there was an increased amount of blood two weeks ago, I asked to be seen again by the gi pedi, who found these new results, including the bad anemia (Ferritin is less than 2 (11-307), and iron is less than 10 (35-180))  hematocrit is normal, hemoglobin is slightly low at 9.8 (10.5-13.5)

 

How can she have been negative a year ago and then double her values suddenly?  Can the elevated tTG be from anything other than celiac?  Wheat allergy? Intolerance?  I'm just totally confused.  Thanks.

[kareng]

You might want to print these out and share with the doctor?

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Young kids don't always make enough antibodies to show up in blood work. Looks like he is making enough now?

Open Original Shared Link

[kendall9]

You might want to print these out and share with the doctor?

Open Original Shared Link

Young kids don't always make enough antibodies to show up in blood work. Looks like he is making enough now?

Open Original Shared Link

That makes sense about it not showing up a year ago, when she was only 18months old.  She didn't start eating solids until well after 6 months of age, and definitely no large quantities of gluten containing foods until more like a year.  Ok, that settles me a bit on that issue.   Thanks.  I'm still feeling totally lost about if I need to start accepting that she is most likely celiac.  Could anything else give a tTG off the charts?

[kareng]

That makes sense about it not showing up a year ago, when she was only 18months old.  She didn't start eating solids until well after 6 months of age, and definitely no large quantities of gluten containing foods until more like a year.  Ok, that settles me a bit on that issue.   Thanks.  I'm still feeling totally lost about if I need to start accepting that she is most likely celiac.  Could anything else give a tTG off the charts?

I think Celiac is the preferable and most likely cause.

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[kendall9]

I think Celiac is the preferable and most likely cause.

Open Original Shared Link

Ok, that eases my mind a bit more again, thanks.  Next question.  If she isn't symptomatic in the typical ways of bloating, belly pain, diarrhea, etc... What happens once we go gluten free if she gets glutened?  Will she most likely show a reaction?  The only symptom she has is the anemia with blood in her stool- no growth or developmental issues.  No other apparent nutritional deficiencies. 

[kareng]

Ok, that eases my mind a bit more again, thanks.  Next question.  If she isn't symptomatic in the typical ways of bloating, belly pain, diarrhea, etc... What happens once we go gluten free if she gets glutened?  Will she most likely show a reaction?  The only symptom she has is the anemia with blood in her stool- no growth or developmental issues.  No other apparent nutritional deficiencies. 

Who knows? It's different for everyone. I bet it will be different as she grows, too. It will be a " lovely" surprise. Open Original Shared Link