Extra susceptible to stomach bugs?

[Helwilli]

Hello, my son is a diagnosed celiac, for the past 10 years.  It seems that he is extra susceptible to various enteroviruses, or "stomach bugs".  He is frequently ill with the standard nausea, vomiting, headache sometimes diarrhea or fever. I have always thought this was linked to the celiac; that even on a strict gluten-free diet, his gut is still "weak".  Has anyone else noticed this effect?

[cyclinglady]

Welcome!  

How old is your son?  Has he had follow-up celiac testing to help determine if he might be getting trace gluten contamination?   Have other autoimmune disorders been ruled out (inflammatory bowel Disease (IBD:  Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis)?  He could develop more than one autoimmune disorder, unfortunately. And then there is "leaky gut".   Research Zonulin.  This is considered the gatekeeper to the permeability of the small intestine.  Celiacs can have too many or faulty gates.   

[Helwilli]

Thanks Cyclinglady,  he is almost 13 now.  He hasn't had a recent follow-up blood test, but this issue has been going on his whole life.  I will ask our GI doc about the other issues and the zonulin.  I will need his involvement as we are currently being harassed by the school about his absences last year.

[cyclinglady]

 He is a kid.  Gluten may be still getting into his diet.  That is why testing is critical.  Now, more than ever, since he is a teen.  I read in one celiac book, Gluten Freedom by Dr. Fasano, that one teen patient was getting sick.   His parents  were perplexed.    Speaking to the doctor alone, the boy confessed that he ate pizza many times to impress a girl.  He did not want to make a fuss.  I have a 16 year old and I know that fitting in is critical!

 Based on current GI guidelines, all celiacs should be tested and monitored once a year. 

Open Original Shared Link

Rule out celiac disease as the culprit and then look to other reasons (e.g. Additional autoimmune disorders).  

Maybe I am on the wrong track.  I got the flu and a cold this year.  It has been 10 years since I had the flu too.  Was he ever diagnosed immune deficient?  That is sometimes discovered when testing for celiac disease.  

Open Original Shared Link

Finally, do you have a 504  plan in place at school?  If he is absent, the school should work with you  to see that he does not fall behind.  celiac disease is covered by the American Disabilities Act.  

Open Original Shared Link

My kid brother missed a ton of school one year due to chronic asthma.  The school sent a tutor to our home.