Gluten Free Trial Diet & Enterolab Results

[DianeByrd]

I've been reading this board periodically for the past year, wondering the entire time whether our now two- and-a-half-year-old daughter has gluten intollerance. We're in the last stretch, hopefully, of coming to a definitive conclusion. We finally turned to Enterolab after the pediatric gastroenterologist exhausted her efforts at getting to the bottom of our daughter's failure to thrive. The results were:

Gluten Sensitivity Testing

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 32 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 20 Units (Normal Range <10

Units)

Microscopic Fecal Fat Score: 42 Units (Normal Range < 300 Units)

HLA-DQ Gene Molecular analysis: HLA-DQB1*0501, 0301

Food Sensitivity Testing

Fecal anti-casein (cow's milk) IgA antibody 21 Units (Normal

Range

<10 Units)

Since our doctor won't accept these results as valid (blood tests and biopsy were both negative), and I have some doubts myself, we plan on putting her on a gluten-free diet for a six-week trial to confirm the results. Last time we put her on a six-week gluten-free diet was exactly a year ago, at 18-months of age, with a significant two-pound gain. She had gained less than two pounds from ages 12 months to 18 months and gained 4 pounds in the 10 months since being off the gluten-free diet trial. What amount of growth should we expect this time around as a measure of success, now that she is older?

Also, with the new labeling in effect, I'm confused about what is safe. Last time, we gave her items that had no suspicious ingredients. Those same products now have warnings such as "processed in the same plant as wheat". Where should we draw the line? I really stressed out about avoiding gluten last time, and limited her contact with others who might accidently give her food.

Lastly, the positive anti-casein IgA antibody results from Enterolab have thrown me for a loop. I suspected milk as a potential allergan when I noticed what looked like blood in her stool within a couple days of introducing her to Pediasure, a milk-based formula, at twelve months. I stopped the Pediasure, but the doctor could not confirm my observation, so the issue was dropped. I later introduced milk again with no noticeable change. When and how should I consider eliminating casein without complicating the gluten issue and potentially restricting her caloric intake too much?

I welcome any and all advice, as I'm overwhelmed and want to move beyond continually trying to figure out if I'm feeding my daughter well enough for her to grow properly.

Thanks in advance,

Diane