What Next?

[kwiehl]

Hey everyone..I'm new here, and have a squirming toddler on my lap but I need help with my very rebellious and defiant 12 year old. Here is what I posted on a local board. I'm hoping someone will give me some good advice on what to do next.

"Kayla's test came back as a weak positive and the doctor's assistant called yesterday to give us the results and said "The Dr. think's it would be a good idea to start a gluten-free diet now" Sure, I can do that, but without hard evidence that gluten is harmful to her, Kayla will not comply, and neither will her dad when she is there this summer. They both think I'm nuts most of the time. I did mention it to him yesterday on the phone and told him to read up on it so he knows what is and isn't gluten free, but I could tell by the way he talked to me he thinks I'm full of it.

Kayla is so miserable all the time that she says she doesn't care and won't stick to a diet even if gluten is harmful. I can keep it out of the house, but at school or friend's houses there is only so much I can do.

Does anyone have experience with this? If so, how would you proceed with a weak pos result? My current plan is to get her in to see a specialist, have them do more testing so that we get an accurate answer about whether or not she does have celiac disease. She is leaving on Sunday for a two month visit to Pittsburgh and I'd really rather not have her dad take her to a specialist there, so I'm inclined to find a doc here who will see her quickly or wait til she returns home. She wants to wait, she says her summer will be ruined if I make her start a diet now. Of course what's 8 more weeks of gluten when she's been having it her whole life, and she may not even have celiacs disease anyway.

See? I'm crazy. I need to talk to someone with a kid...preferably a rebellious kid, who has celiacs disease."

[spunky]

It might help if she could make friends in some local celiac support group...or even if she would be interested in making friends on the teenage forum here. Kids that age are often more into doing stuff with mutually-minded friends than family...makes them feel more independent.

[gfgypsyqueen]

I would take her to the specialist your self. If that means wait until the end of thr summer, then wait. She may et sick enough during the summer that she and Dad will both see that somethign is really wrong after all. I know you don't want to wait to go gluten-free, but that might be the best if she is resistant. Otherwise, she will cheat on the diet no matter what you do or say. You need solid proof, that she fully understands, and a intro to some teens with Celiacs on this site would probably help.