Malabsorption Results

[annacsmom]

My enterolab results for my son showed the following: Antigliadin IgA 20, Ttg 10, but malabsorption totally normal. Does this just mean that he is gluten sensitive but doesn't have celiac?

[AndreaB]

Enterolab can only diagnose gluten sensitivity. Did you have the gene testing done?

According to enterolab he would still need to be gluten free for life and has just scored positive for an autoimmune reaction. It's a good thing that he doesn't have malabsorption but I don't know that you'd be able to say someone had didn't have celiac if they didn't have malabsorption.

[tarnalberry]

what this says is that he's producing high levels of antibodies (and hence is gluten intolerant) but his intestines are not so damaged that he's not absorbing the food he eats. that last one is a good thing, but he still should stay gluten free.

[annacsmom]

what this says is that he's producing high levels of antibodies (and hence is gluten intolerant) but his intestines are not so damaged that he's not absorbing the food he eats. that last one is a good thing, but he still should stay gluten free.

OK but here's the rub - he is virtually symptom free other than having some sinus problems such as a runny nose, but no infections at all. He is actually very healthy. I only got him tested because his older sister has had a history of autoimmune diseases and now we think we have figured out that it is celiac. He is 13 and constantly growing and very athletic, and right now we're not sure about the gluten free diet for him.

[Ursa Major]

There are lots of people with celiac disease who have no apparent symptoms. You might find that suddenly he'll realize that he actually DID have symptoms after going gluten-free, when those symptoms go away. They could seem completely unrelated to celiac disease.

He hasn't yet developed malabsorption, that is a good thing, the gluten-free diet will ensure that it stays that way. Many teenagers who have celiac disease feel fine, but will start getting very ill between the age of 18 and 20 or so, if they aren't following a gluten-free diet.

His test scores clearly indicate that his body is reacting to gluten, and that at the very least he is gluten intolerant. If you dismiss that now and allow him to keep eating gluten, you'll regret it a few years from now, when suddenly he won't be so healthy.

It's a lot harder to figure the diet out when you go to college, and feel too sick to attend classes at the same time. Now is the time to do it, while he is still a kid.

[AndreaB]

If he constantly has a runny nose/sinus troubles than I would tend to think he is mildly allergic to something. I get the same thing if I eat dairy. Have you had ELISA allergy/intolerance (IgE/IgG) tests run on him?

With the enterolab results he would still need to be gluten free for life though and maybe his allergy is also to gluten or wheat. I am both mildly intolerant and mildly allergic to dairy.

[aikiducky]

I think with a 13 year old, he really has to be on board himself, because it's too easy for him to cheat any time he's not at home. What I'd do I think is discuss the results with him, and see if he's willing to try the diet for a couple weeks at least. It might turn out that he does feel better on it.

If he doesn't feel any change at all I wouldn't really worry about it to be honest. I think even as Enterolab results go that is not a very strong positive, especially if there isn't any change in symptoms after he tries the diet.

There isn't a lot of a point to a gluten free diet if one is constantly going to cheat on it, so I think it's really important that it's his own decision.

Pauliina

[CarlaB]

My 18 year old daughter went gluten-free when my seasonal allergies COMPLETELY disappeared on the gluten-free diet. I was a miserable allergy sufferer. Her allergies went away, too!!! Now, the only sign for her that she has gotten glutened is that her allergies return immediately, even from cc.

Being gluten-free will not in any way affect your son's abilities to be athletic or continue growing. I have found substitutes for literally everything except those onions that go on green bean casserole at Thanksgiving. There are plenty of high calorie, nutritious foods that are gluten-free!

[suzven]

I had many problems with seasonal allergies and asthma prior to going gluten free. I've been gluten free for 2 1/2 years now and have not had any problems with my allergies or asthma since then. It is worth a try to get him to go gluten free. So many symptoms seem like they are not related to Celiac but improve after a gluten free diet is kept.

[annacsmom]

Thanks for all your replies. I should also mention that his gene tests showed HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ1. His older sister has suffered from autoimmune diseases since she was 4, and now is gluten free. She also didn't have any intestinal issues, but began developing neuropathies this year. I consider her a celiac, although she opted not to have the biopsy. She didn't need one when I think about her total life history and how many problems related to celiac. She was diagnosed by a naturopath in August - two weeks before going away to college. What a crash course in celiac! As far as my son goes, I just had a gut feeling about him. We have two other sons, but they are incredible healthy and show no signs of anything. I think we will go gluten free with this son and see how it goes. But he does feel totally well so it will be hard to see any change, except in his runny nose.