Please Help Me Interpret These Labs

[typhoontyty]

Hello. I was wondering if anyone could help me understand these labs. My son is 11 months old; and has had a month long stretch of mucousy diarrhea and irritability. His ped. did stool cultures that ruled out viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections. Since his ped. thought he had the rotavirus at first I was told to feed him all his favorite foods; since he needs the calories. So; he was eating waffles, crackers, chicken nuggets and toasted cheese sandwiches (loaded with gluten of coarse!!) Last week his ped. ran the celiac panel; and here are his results:

Anti endomysial IgA: negative

Anti gliadin IgA: 34 (positive)

Anti gliadin IgG: 110 (positive)

Anti tTransglutanimase: 2 (negative)

His ped. says she thinks he has celiac disease; and advised a gluten-free diet; and his symptoms have improved some (he has only been gluten-free for a week now). We go see a ped GI Dr. next week. I am wondering if based on these labs, and his response to a gluten-free diet - is that enough to make a celiac disease diagnosis? Or could it be that since he was on a 'wheat feast' just prior to his bloodwork - could that cause these results? Could he just be allergic to wheat...or 'sensitive' to gluten; but not have celiac disease? Any insights are appreciated! Thanks - Renee and Tyson

[3boyzmom]

Renee,

HIs blood work definitely comes back positive for a gluten intolerance. His body has recognized it as an invader and is at war. Those numbers mean he has developed the anti-bodies to gliadin.

This is why he is so sick... his body is trying it's best to rid itself of the gliadin. Whether or not it has reached the point of Celiac's disease (where his body has started attacking the villi in the small intestine) is unclear, but it either already has or he is on his way there.

The only way to stop the internal war is to remove the 'invader' by going gluten free. Either way, having a diagnosis of Celiac's disese or one of having a gluten sensitivity/intolerance, the only way to stop damage from continuing or occuring at all is to eliminate gluten from his diet.

You will probably be asked to make a decision on whether or not you want to do a biopsy to try to prove it has reached the stage of Celiac's. You will have to resume a gluten laden diet to invoke an attack on the body and incur damage to the villi just to 'prove' it. It's a tough call to make...

Or could it be that since he was on a 'wheat feast' just prior to his bloodwork - could that cause these results?

If he wasn't gluten intolerant, he wouldn't have any of the levels that your son showed, regardless of how much he consumed right before the tests. They are at that level because he is gluten intolerant.

Hope some of this helps!

(Personal disclaimer: I am NOT a doctor, nor do I play one on t.v.! I am just a mother of a gluten intolerant child who has read and chatted with others in the same boat. Please feel free to challenge me or point me towards any research and information, I'm always searching!)

Priscilla

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing." --Phyllis Diller

SAHM to 3 beautiful boys and one adorable girl

Kyle - 6

Matthew - 4 (Gluten Free since 11/03)

Andrew - 2 (Gluten Free since 7/04)

Abigail - 7 months (staying gluten-free until ?)

My hands are full, but my heart is not!