Teens In The "honeymoon" Period

[chrissy]

i know that they used to think that celiac was outgrown because so many kids went through a "honeymoon" period through their teens where their symptoms diasappeared----and then often different symptoms started so that celiac was not recognized as still being the problem. i've also heard that the damage contiunes even thought there are no longer symptoms----so technically, blood work should still be positive. i am wondering if it is possible that a celiac teen might show up with negative bloodwork during this time even if they are eating gluten.

i don't want to become paranoid and start to see celiac everywhere i look, but i worry just a little about my 17 year old son that has the celiac gene. since he is IgA deficient, we have to do different testing on him. the doc says that he does not have active celiac, but the test reports also say that the tests are inconclusive, they don't say negative. he has always been extremely small for his age, very anemic as a young child for no apparent reason. he cried for the first 2 years of his life, did not have normal looking diapers, and was a very late talker----we actually thought he might be autistic---he did have a feww autistic behaviors. he seemed to outrow all these things, though, over time.

there is NO WAY he would ever be willing to try gluten free without a medical diagnosis----it might might even be difficult to get him to do it WITH a diagnosis.

i guess i am just kind of rambling some thoughts i have had, not much i can do about them right now.LOL!

[Guest nini]

whenever the blood tests are "negative" it only means not positive, so in anyone it could be innacurate, especially since he's IgA deficient... I'm sorry that he's not willing to try the diet without a definitive dx, I don't know what to tell you.

[KaitiUSA]

Symptoms may come and go but celiac will not come and go. Some people just never get symptoms with celiac. A full celiac panel should be run because all of those tests together are pretty accurate. If he has the celiac gene and is IgA deficient, from what you have described, it sounds like he has it. I am not a fan of biopsies because they can rule celiac in but not out but if he needs a medical diagnosis to follow the diet that may be the way to go.