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Gluten Challenge For Mother Of Breastfed 15 Month Old

Reffinej

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Reffinej Newbie
Reffinej
Posted

Hiya. I am just starting a gluten challenge...my toddler (15 months) has never had gluten, and I was as gluten free as I thought I needed to be (before finding out I may have coeliac disease)...anyone have experience with signs that gluten was negatively impacting their breastfed toddler? ie: what symptoms? How soon did they appear? 
She suffered reflux as a baby, too. 

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StephanieL Enthusiast
StephanieL
Posted

It's hasn't been determined if/how much gluten protein would get through into the breastmilk.  It's hard to say what and when it could have an effect on a kiddo.  FWIW, I nursed my kid with Celiac Disease till he was a few years old and I was NOT gluten free.  He didn't show any outward signs of it harming him.

nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

Symptoms in a toddler may include changes stools (D or C), slowed growth and development, weight loss or slowing, fatigue and affected sleep, crankiness, stomach upset, rashes, headaches.... symptoms will mostly come back to a bad mood since they won't be able to say what is wrong.  Expect more tears if symptoms present themselves.

 

Symptoms can present minutes (about 15-30) to 3 days after exposure to gluten.

 

Be aware that many celiacs do not present obvious symptoms.  Anemia, opsteoporosis (slowed bone development), vitamin deficiencies, slowed cognitive development, etc. may not be obvious... I would not be able to see it in a toddler.  The bottom line is that it may be affecting him but he isn't showing it, or the symptoms are not extreme.

 

If you are positive, get him tested or keep him gluten-free.  He'll be at high risk of developing celiac disease himself.  If he tests negative, retest him every two years or as soon as symptoms develop.  It's a genetic disease that he could get at any time over his entire life.

 

He can stay gluten-free even without a diagnosis.  Gluten is not a needed protein for humans.

africanqueen99 Contributor
africanqueen99
Posted

My youngest was DX at 1.5 years and I immediately went gluten-free with her so she could continue nursing for another 1.5 years. 

 

StephanieL - I must have read different research than you, because everything I read told me to either wean or stick to a strict diet for her.  We never had any issues as I was crazy strict with what we all ate.

 

Pre-dx this kid would scream bloody murder all night long, couldn't sleep (in severe pain) and nursed all the time (way more than the average kid) to soothe her belly.  It was clear that her diet was hurting her.

Reffinej Newbie
Reffinej
Posted
  • Author

So tricky with conflicting advice, huh? 

My kids are usually gluten free - bar a brief spell for my eldest when I was pregnant with number 2 and we all had some artisan bread during my terrible morning sickness times. And Ryvita - I finally got hubby to stop giving it to her. 

Anyway, I guess with the 15 month old it might be more likely that it is the dairy I've had upsetting her tummy. I've been dairy free for a while before now, too. 


 

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