Just When I Thought I Was Getting My Act Together...

[africanqueen99]

my other two kids got DX with celiac!

 

Sheesh.

 

The youngest (1.5) was DX on blood work alone since her number was so insanely high (two separate draws with crazy high numbers).  Obviously this puts her siblings on high alert.  Their blood came back elevated, but since it's elevated with a DX sibling it's more of an alarm.  Come to find out that the oldest kid (7) hasn't gained ANY weight in the last year.  She's looking thin.

 

The doctor said that they're clearly both "latent celiacs" and if they don't have it today they *will* get it in the future.  She even said she would be happy to write up her celiac letter for their schools today based on this knowledge alone.

 

As a mom I want all the information since we're clearly never going back to gluten.  So I'm putting them both back on one (gluten filled) granola bar a day until their endoscopes in two weeks.  We are gluten-free for only 1.5 weeks, but she's hoping the added "insult" of putting gluten back in will give her all the information she needs.

 

So I'm batting 3 for 3 with my kids.  Good genes in this house!!

[shadowicewolf]

my other two kids got DX with celiac!

 

Sheesh.

 

The youngest (1.5) was DX on blood work alone since her number was so insanely high (two separate draws with crazy high numbers).  Obviously this puts her siblings on high alert.  Their blood came back elevated, but since it's elevated with a DX sibling it's more of an alarm.  Come to find out that the oldest kid (7) hasn't gained ANY weight in the last year.  She's looking thin.

 

The doctor said that they're clearly both "latent celiacs" and if they don't have it today they *will* get it in the future.  She even said she would be happy to write up her celiac letter for their schools today based on this knowledge alone.

 

As a mom I want all the information since we're clearly never going back to gluten.  So I'm putting them both back on one (gluten filled) granola bar a day until their endoscopes in two weeks.  We are gluten-free for only 1.5 weeks, but she's hoping the added "insult" of putting gluten back in will give her all the information she needs.

 

So I'm batting 3 for 3 with my kids.  Good genes in this house!!

I don't think thats long enough off it to see much change.

 

Look at it this way, now you can make the house entirely gluten free.

[africanqueen99]

The house is already gluten-free.  It's been scrubbed, new necessary kitchen items purchased, etc.  I told the big kids that they have to eat their granola bar outside to keep all the crumbs out of the baby's reach. 

 

All my kids were "sick" and I couldn't even tell.  I need a crappy mothering award...

[shadowicewolf]

The house is already gluten-free.  It's been scrubbed, new necessary kitchen items purchased, etc.  I told the big kids that they have to eat their granola bar outside to keep all the crumbs out of the baby's reach. 

 

All my kids were "sick" and I couldn't even tell.  I need a crappy mothering award...

No, no. None of that.

They were tested because you were dx'd right? Imo, you are a very good mother for getting them tested.

[africanqueen99]

Nope, they were tested because my youngest also didn't grow. Just having a pity party that two of my kids clearly weren't gaining weight and I blew it off.

I'll move on with that, though. We are on our way to healthier lives.

[cyclinglady]

A granola bar sounds like oatmeal which will have little or no gluten (except for cross contamination during processing).  Be sure that it's a cereal bar with just wheat flour or bags of pretzels or Goldfish.  

 

At least you won't have to worry about your older kids getting peeved at the youngest for having the household go gluten free!  

 

Hang in there!

[kareng]

I have 2 boys now 17 and 20 & 6 ft and 6'1. They had a couple of years where they didn't really grow. Its normal. It's also hard to tell, when you see them everyday if they are growing. I always bought their clothes a bit big and they often wore them out before they outgrew them. One bought the same size shoes for 2 years and then jumped 3 sizes. They are young and will catch up on their growth now.

At least you know where you stand. And it will actually be easier on them as they grow up. Some kids don't know anyone else with Celiac, your kids will always have someone else around that eats like they do. And family gatherings when they grow up will be soooo much easier. I am the only one in my family and I end up cooking all the food for family gatherings ( gluten-free of course).

[africanqueen99]

A granola bar sounds like oatmeal which will have little or no gluten (except for cross contamination during processing).  Be sure that it's a cereal bar with just wheat flour or bags of pretzels or Goldfish.  

 

At least you won't have to worry about your older kids getting peeved at the youngest for having the household go gluten free!  

 

Good points! I have this box of gluten filled granola bars for a friend that I just went through. It's just organic junk food, but I found "snack bars" and "cheese crackers" - both with wheat flour as the first ingredient. It would have burned me up to have to buy anything considering how much food I gave away!! The middle kid would have loved cheese-its, but I think re-introducing them and then re-stripping-them-away might send him over the edge.

Yeah, they were peeved at the youngest for a bit when we went gluten light. Now they're all in the same boat.

Right now we are the middle of the crankiness of gluten detoxing. Oh how I can't wait for this process again <sarcasm>.

[mommy2krj]

Hugs mama!

 

My youngest is the diagnosed Celiac in our house as well except his siblings are 15 and 19 years old. I thought it was going to be a much bigger battle with the 15 year old than it has been. I'm thinking that's because HE is feeling better too since we've gone gluten free. His grades are picking up and he's less angry.

 

My youngest was my smallest baby as well. He doesn't seem to grow like either of his siblings. And while I know every kid is different....it's just weird to me to have clothes fit for years at a time instead of having to replace them every couple months (nice on the check book though!) He just recently went up half a shoe size.....otherwise he's been in the same shoe size since he was 3. He's 6. His brother was the complete opposite and grew through everything so fast I couldn't keep up. We replaced shoes every 3 months until this year (really hoping it's a real slow down!) the kid is in a size 15 for shoes! Ack!

 

Anyway, no bad mommy awards! The previous poster who said it's hard to tell if your kids are growing because you see them every day is right. My son's doctor says he's still on the growing curve so he's fine. Um. Ok. Sorry that I'm worried that he is so tiny and not growing even as fast as his sister did. :/

 

We got everyone tested here before we went gluten-free as a household and we all tested negative. So, I'm thinking false negative where my older son is concerned but if nothing else it is probably NCGI. He's beginning to notice how his body feels if he eats gluten after not eating it for a while. Personally, I'm liking the grades he's getting.

[w8in4dave]

So many people find this stuff out so many years later!! Thank goodness you found out now!! Don't beat yourself up! Be proud that you have got it!! You have got it under control!! You are a great mom!! Thank goodness you found out!! Good luck on the challenge !

[tshep]

I can relate to how you feel, my three year old daughter was just diagnosed about a month ago.  I feel just awful wondering if that is why she has always been so so thin.  Since going gluten free, for the first time in her life, she will not stop eating!  Just to make a quick trip to the grocery store, I have to pack a few snacks because she wants to eat while we are out.  Once the older ones realize how much better their tummies feel after eating gluten free, I think the crankiness from having their foods "taken away" will dissolve.  My daughter proudly announces to everyone that she is gluten free, and she wont eat that bad gluten because it makes her sick! Smart little kids.  They are in good company in this generation, we have so many wonderful food options nowadays Good mama!