Question About 10 Month Old

[raea2002]

So I went on a gluten free diet with my son about 2 weeks ago. I also have a 10 month old whom Im nursing. I didn't realize that I had cut gluten/wheat out of her diet as well. She has had chronic diarreahia since I can remember(prob since crackers have been introduced). The past week she has had firmer stools and I had a realization that maybe gluten/wheat is a problem. I gave her some ritz crackers yesterday to see how it would effect her. Low and behold she had diarreah again today. :/ celiac does run in both sides but neither my husband nor I have been diagnosed. None of my other kids have had food allergies before. Has any one else had similar experiences? Do I call the dr? How would they test her? Thanks!

[nvsmom]

Infants and toddlers tend to test with less reliablity than adults too - there's a higher chance of a false negative. Getting tested is probably a good idea though; better to catch it earlier rather than later!

 

This is the full celiac blood test panel:

• tTG IgA and tTG IgG (tissue transglutiminase antibodies using immunoglobulin A and Immunoglobulin G) - the most common celiac tests run
• DGP IgA and DGP IgG (deaminated gliadin peoptides) - a newer test that is the best for detecting celiac disease in children
• EMA IgA (endomysial antibodies) - tends to pick up more advanced damage and is not positive as often as with adults
• total serum IgA - a control test to see if the patient makes enough IgA to have accurate cdlic tests that use IgA, 5% of celiacs do not
• AGA IgA and AGA IgG (antigliadin antibodies) - older and less reliable tests

 

To have accurate tests, one must be eating gluten (about 2 slices per day) in the two months prior to testing. You may not need to go back on gluten for 8 weeks since you were only gluten-free for two weeks, but the longer you go back on gluten, the more accurate the test will be.

 

Also, a minority of celiacs have negative blood tests but a positive endoscopic biopsy (and vice vers) so that may be something to consider too.

 

If the tests are negative, there are two possible reasons: 1. false negatives and 2. non-celiac gluten intolerance (NCGI). NCGI has all the same symptoms as celiac disease but there is no intestinal villi damage. It can really negatively impact a life so going 100% gluten-free, and avoiding cc, is important.

 

I wanted to add that celiac disease is not an allergy. It's an autoimmune disorder like hashimoto's, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or diabetes. If there are family members with AI disorders, your family will be at greater risk. There is genetic testing for celiac disease now too although its not fool proof. Doctors will look for the DQ2 and DQ8 genes.

 

Good luck with the testing!