Odds Of New Baby Having Celiac?

[holdthegluten]

I am having my first child in Nov. I was curious what the statistical odds are of my child having celiac. My wife doesnt have the disease, just me. (%)

[tarnalberry]

On average, 1 in 20 of those with first degree relatives with celiac will have celiac themselves.

[gfgypsyqueen]

I know I was told not to have the baby tested for Celiacs immediately since I have it (Mom) she would also test positive for it as a newborn and probably while nursing.

I have two pieces of advice: One is for mama not to eat anything excessively while pregnant and while nursing. Watch the baby's reactions to different foods mama eats while nursing. Both of mine had colic and would get really irritable after tomatoes, milk, etc. I had diagnosed celiacs with the second baby. She flipped out everytime I was glutened before she was born. The items I ate to excess, the kids have allergies to. I have no idea why, but I have talked to other parents with the same issues.

Two, watch the baby's height and weight chart and percentages. As long as the growth is consistent and going up, you are doing well. My second child plumeted at 1 yr and it took a solid year to get the doctors to pass us on the gastro and allergists. They said she was just petite and was too young to have celiacs. After testing she was inconclusive for celiacs, but she has food allergies. She is finally growing now after a year

Best of luck with the baby

[Karen B.]

When Dr. Michelle M. Pietzak spoke to our Celiac group, she mentioned that when you feed an infant wheat is critical to the odds of whether or not they will develop Celiac. Unfortunately, since I have no children, I wasn't paying much attention. I just remember it caught my attention because my Mom had told me that the pediatrician had her start all of us on cereals early so we could sleep through the night.

I found the following links by searching Google on "Celiac" and "infants". Maybe they'll help?

-----

Celiac Disease Autoimmunity Linked to Timing of Gluten Introduction in Infants

JAMA. 2005;293:2343-2351, 2410-2412

Celiac.com 05/31/2005

[kbabe1968]

gfgypsyqueen - that's so interesting. When pregnant with ALL THREE of my kids I ate peanut butter to extreme excess, milk, tomatoes, every thing. (I actually used to have a PB & Tomatoe Sandwich like 3 times a day - each time with a glass of milk!). NONE of my kids have any allergies at all. I guess that doesn't meant they won't develop them later in life, but as of now (7, 5 and 2) none of them have them.

We are getting the older two tested for Celiac - they said it was really still too early for the 2 year old if she's not reacting. Of my 3 kids though, she is the smallest, and most "average".

[gfgypsyqueen]

Hi Kbabe1968,

I think food allergies are just a really weird area. No one in my family or extended family has food allergies. We have some environmental allergies, but who doesn't. I had never even considered food allergies as something to learn about "just in case". But my oldest had a first reaction to pb cookies be an anaphylactic reaction. We had no idea what was going on. Luckily she was ok. I didn't even know to call 911. While nursing her, I ate tons of pb&j, granola bars, etc. I thought it was healthy. Her allergy I thought was just odd. Then I started running into people and talking to people whose kids had food allergies and the majority of people that I spoke to (random) all said they ate a lot of somefood either while pregnant or while nursing or both and their kid is now allergic to that food. I do not think that eating a food to excess while pregnant will give your kid a food allergy, I think some babies are just predisposed to have a food allergy and then eating excessive amounts just sets everything off.

We followed every food timing and introduction list with the kids and it did nothing to help us out. Ear tubes from chronic ear infections, medicine allergies, food allergies, inconclusive celiac for one child,

[Jennifer W.]

Hi Kbabe1968,

I think food allergies are just a really weird area. No one in my family or extended family has food allergies. We have some environmental allergies, but who doesn't. I had never even considered food allergies as something to learn about "just in case". But my oldest had a first reaction to pb cookies be an anaphylactic reaction. We had no idea what was going on. Luckily she was ok. I didn't even know to call 911. While nursing her, I ate tons of pb&j, granola bars, etc. I thought it was healthy. Her allergy I thought was just odd. Then I started running into people and talking to people whose kids had food allergies and the majority of people that I spoke to (random) all said they ate a lot of somefood either while pregnant or while nursing or both and their kid is now allergic to that food. I do not think that eating a food to excess while pregnant will give your kid a food allergy, I think some babies are just predisposed to have a food allergy and then eating excessive amounts just sets everything off.

We followed every food timing and introduction list with the kids and it did nothing to help us out. Ear tubes from chronic ear infections, medicine allergies, food allergies, inconclusive celiac for one child,

I have a 9mo old who is being tested for celiac disease. We should know the results within the next few days or so. I'm still nursing him and my question is; if he does have celiac do I need to have a gluten free diet too since I'm still breastfeeding? Can gluten be transfered from my breastmilk?

Thank you in advance.

[lovegrov]

Nine months is WAY too early to be tested for celiac. At that age, the tests mean nothing.

richard

[Jestgar]

And yes, gluten can be transferred through breast milk.

[Ahorsesoul]

Two children, two celiac. Both showed signs during the time I breast feed because I tried to eat with the current food guidelines.

Not sure if their Dad had celiac or not. I know my Dad has it but has never been tested. My mom may have had it (can't ask since she is no longer with us).

[ravenwoodglass]

Nine months is WAY too early to be tested for celiac. At that age, the tests mean nothing.

richard

I agree with this. The exception would be if the child is very ill and then most times it would be found with an endo not with blood testing. It is not that very young children don't ever have celiac but that the blood tests are very often a false negative. In countries where they screen for celiac they test at age 4 and again at puberty.

Watching the growth charts is very important. Celiac requires a trigger of an illness or stressor in most of us. The growth charts can clue us in that something is going on. My DS had menigitis at one month of age, that was likely his trigger. He went from the 65th percentile to the -10 in his first year. That should have clued in the doctors but it didn't. Not that they didn't test for problems they did, just not for celiac. Not everyone who carries the predisposition for celiac will develop it. I would just enjoy the baby and be alert for signs that something is wrong.