3 Year Old - Celiac Or Virus?

[peppyking]

My three year old recently had a celiac panel with high levels of antibodies and has an endoscopy scheduled for this coming Wednesday. GI said that with such high levels, he thinks it very likely the biopsy will confirm the diagnosis.

 

Previous symptoms were mild and chronic complaints of her stomach hurting, but it would pass quickly. Her appetite and energy levels were fine. A few weeks ago, she was up all night with stomach pain, which led to her dr visit where the celiac panel was ordered.

 

For the past five days she has had vomiting and diarrhea off and on, along with fatigue and tummy pain. Could this be an unrelated virus or could it be related to the likelihood of celiac? It seems acute, not chronic, but I'm wondering if it's a flare up. In the confusion between instructions from the pediatrician before meeting with the GI, she was off gluten for almost a week and then back on for a week. Symptoms started a few days after "re-glutening" but I don't know if a week off would make any difference.

 

Does anyone have experience with this? Her ped thought celiac, but the on-call GI thinks a stomach virus. I'm new to learning about celiac and just want her to feel better. I'm also worried that by thinking this week's illness is related to celiac, I might be missing something else serious.

 

Any advise would be appreciated.

 

 

[cyclinglady]

It could be both. My kid is recovering from a cold that had just two days of sniffles, but she has been coughing for three weeks. No fever, feeling okay, but I want her to stop coughing! ER doc neighbor informed me that she will live! Ha!

Keep your child well hydrated and give her lots of hugs! Keep feeding her gluten until all testing is complete (from the GI) and that is hard, but necessary.

[SMRI]

There is a bad stomach virus going around.  It could be that.  With his scope in just a few days, cutting back on gluten now should be ok.  With high blood test results, there is no doubt that he is Celiac.  The scope is just a back up--and just keep in mind, if his damage isn't all that severe, they might miss it in the biopsy, but the blood work is pretty conclusive.

 

Either way, going on a BRAT diet would probably help.