How to introduce gluten to gluten-free 3yo

[Klady80]

My son has been gluten free since birth. I have Celiac's and the recommendations I/pediatrician (with very little experience with celiac's) found were that children with a gluten-free family member should be gluten-free until 3, and then they need to eat 1 serving of gluten every day for 3 months before testing. Does this match anyone else's research? Is it harmful to do it before 3? (He turns 3 in Sept and that is the start of flu season; I'm worried about potentially crashing his immune system that time of year.)

Also, if anyone has been in this situation, did your children have reactions immediately? Did it take a while to build up? We are unsure what to expect from a possible positive reaction.

[kareng]

7 hours ago, Klady80 said:

My son has been gluten free since birth. I have Celiac's and the recommendations I/pediatrician (with very little experience with celiac's) found were that children with a gluten-free family member should be gluten-free until 3, and then they need to eat 1 serving of gluten every day for 3 months before testing. Does this match anyone else's research? Is it harmful to do it before 3? (He turns 3 in Sept and that is the start of flu season; I'm worried about potentially crashing his immune system that time of year.)

Also, if anyone has been in this situation, did your children have reactions immediately? Did it take a while to build up? We are unsure what to expect from a possible positive reaction.

I don't think that's is what the research shows.  I believe it says to introduce gluten very early.  I don't see any reason not to give him gluten.  It appears to be that about 5% -10 % of first degree relatives have Celiac - the odds are he isn't Celiac.

 

1. "Children older than 3 years of age and adults, regardless of symptoms, if related to a close relative with biopsy-confirmed celiac disease. A close relative is considered to be a parent, sibling, or child. An aunt/uncle, grandparent, or cousin with celiac disease may raise an individual’s risk for celiac disease somewhat, but not much higher than the risk of the average population.
2. In children younger than 3 years of age with symptoms, antibody testing may not always be accurate. However, young children with symptoms (especially failure to thrive or persistent diarrhea) should be evaluated by a pediatric gastroenterologist. It can take up to a year for children eating wheat or barley-based cereals to generate an autoimmune response to gluten that will show up on a blood test"

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"...the prevalence of celiac disease in first-degree relatives (such as children, parents, siblings) has been reported by numerous studies around the world to be significantly higher than in the general population. The actual prevalence varies among the published studies, between 4 and 16%. Our own experience when testing for celiac disease in first-degree relatives is a prevalence around 5 to 10%,.."

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[cyclinglady]

Unfortunately, the most recent study about when to give gluten to babies did not pan out.  ☹️

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I too,  delayed gluten (due to my hubby back then), milk and eggs when my daughter was a baby per the advice of my allergist.  I fed her a Whole Foods diet rich in fruit and veggies.   Did it work?  Who knows?  She does not have celiac yet and she is 16.  

Looking back, I think that if you have the gene designation and the trigger (virus, stress, whatever), occurs, you are going to develop celiac disease.  There is no stopping it -- just like an earthquake.  You just have to move forward, plan, and hope for the best. 

So, we test our kid periodically for celiac disease, keep an eye on her thyroid and other AI issues that run like crazy in our family.  It is all that we can do.

Your son?  I would start to introduce gluten slowly and build up to a daily amount as recommended by celiac centers -- three months.    I would suggest keeping a journal to monitor symptoms.   I would do it now, before he hits kindergarten.  Life  gets pretty complicated then and learning could be impacted.  My kid needs to be re-tested.  But we have a gluten-free house and it is summer.  She will get tested in December after going back to school.  She gets plenty of gluten at school and I give her gluten on the weekends....yes, on the porch if it is a gluten-loaded crumbly croissant!  

I hope other parents respond who have actually walked in your shoes.    Take care.