Non-celiac siblings

[CeliacMommaX2]

How is everyone handling the non-celiac siblings?  Mine have 2 little sisters who have not had gluten (living in a strictly gluten-free household and go no where without us).  I know it would be easier when we are off visiting family or friends to just feed them the "gluten" food provided, but we just bring gluten-free food for the whole family.  I'm not sure when to "gluten challenge" them or just let them eat whatever when not at home.  Can they have a reaction the first time they eat gluten or would they need to eat gluten for a while to trigger celiac?

[ravenwoodglass]

Not everyone who carries the genetics for celiac develop celiac. Eating gluten isn't the trigger for celliac to develop usually there is a stressor or illness that then triggers the antibodies to activate. Some with the predisposition never develop celiac so personally I would let the other kids eat gluten outside the home. Making sure that if the kids have gluten cake, for example, that the celiac child also has cake of course. I think they reccomend celiac screening at about age 4, preteen and teen years or whenever issues arise. The timing may have changed since I last researched it so do double check that with the doctor that diagnosed your little one.  Hopefully the other two will never develop celiac but if they do they have a family that is doing a good job at keeping celiacs save.

[pschwab]

Celiac can be triggered by anything if your kiddos have the gene. We have one sibling with the gene but he hasn't developed celiac, one sibling without the gene, and one sibling (4months old) that we don't know yet. My husband has the gene but not celiac and I don't have the gene. Our home is completely gluten free. When we go out anywhere, my husband and the siblings eat gluten while my celiac superstar and I eat gluten free. I'm the adult who helps him (he's three) so I refuse to consume gluten around him out of worry of cross contaminating him. The gluten eaters wash their hands before we leave the restaurant, wipe down hands and face with baby wipes in the car, and then wash faces and hands and brush teeth and rinse mouths once we get home. I'm not sure if that's overkill or not but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Our two oldest consume gluten at school. They wash and brush everyday when they get home. I figure celiac will strike as it will so we are very vigilant with watching for symptoms but let them consume gluten outside the house. We are hoping to get the baby tested for the gene when she turns one. Until then our gi dr recommended exposing her to gluten through breast milk around 4-6 months. I haven't yet because I'm anxious.