Testing Question

[anna34]

My DS's doctor wants to test him for Celiac even though I took him off gluten 2 years ago.  His test 2 years ago was negative (blood and biopsy) but I took him off gluten anyway because it reduced his number of diapers per day from 8 down to 1 or 2.

 

I told the doctor that he doesn't eat gluten and that I didn't think a blood test for Tissue Antigliadin Antibody would show anything for that reason.  She insists it will and that the biopsy is the only test that requires the patient be eating gluten at the time.  Am I wrong?  I thought one had to be consuming gluten for the blood test to show a reaction.

 

Thanks in advance for any insight.  I'm keeping him off gluten regardless, but I'm curious as to who's right regarding this testing business.  

[Scarletgrrrl]

Look up the university of chicago celiac centre's website. They have lots of FAQ about the whole testing procedure. If your son has been gluten free for 2 years nothing will show up on the blood test or biopsy. It is recommended to be consuming gluten for 12 weeks prior to the blood test and 6-8 weeks prior to the endoscopy (though different doctors will have different recommendations).
Why does the doctor want to test him now?

[Mdhriggin]

My pediatrician does do a blood test every year just to make sure the kids aren't getting gluten from someplace - but we don't do it to confirm celiac but to make sure they aren't having any antibodies from food we may not realize has gluten. This is important for my son, who has few gastrointestinal reactions to consuming gluten even though he has celiac.

[anna34]

Thanks.  I knew I was right!  I'm not going to bother with the test.  

 

I think she just heard me say that I've CHOSEN to remove gluten from his diet based on my instincts and feels that he deserves to know for sure whether he has celiac or not.  It's funny how people think a gluten-free diet is a punishment for kids.  Trust me, he'd rather be without gluten than having diarrhea 8 times a day at school!  Plus, we have a family history of celiac.  My daughter (his sister) has it confirmed through biopsy as does my mother.  My blood test was elevated so I took myself off gluten and feel SO MUCH BETTER in so many ways.  

[powerofpositivethinking]

you're absolutely right in that if he hasn't had gluten, it will come back negative.  I would give your doctor these links:

Open Original Shared Link

 

Open Original Shared Link

 

 

 

I told the doctor that he doesn't eat gluten and that I didn't think a blood test for Tissue Antigliadin Antibody would show anything for that reason.  She insists it will and that the biopsy is the only test that requires the patient be eating gluten at the time.  Am I wrong?  I thought one had to be consuming gluten for the blood test to show a reaction.

 

Thanks in advance for any insight.  I'm keeping him off gluten regardless, but I'm curious as to who's right regarding this testing business.