When To Test Kids

[Luisa2552]

Hello all.

Mine is a long story that I will shorten by saying that I have had positive anitgen tests and a positive response to a gluten free diet. I am awaiting results of biopsies but really don't care what they show because I will be going gluten-free because I feel so much better.

My question is the kids. I had never heard of celiac disease before a few months ago when this all started for me. So I of course read everthing I can and see quite a few symptoms in one of my daughters. I keep thinking I will just go have them tested, but what if my biopsies come back clean? Is my positive blood work enough to have them tested?

The symptoms my 8 year old has are slow weight gain (she is normal height, slightly below average weight) occasional tummy aches, occasional huge, soft stools, very irritable child, always tired. She has had more cavities than I can remember despite a diet low in sugary foods. The last 6 months she has had an itchy rash that comes and goes on her upper back/neck area. All these things I have easily explained away before- picky eater, doesn't brush well, etc. But now I wonder about celiac disease. My oldest (11) has no signs other that her 12 year molars are coming in and they have holes in the enamel. Dentist says this just sometimes happens??

Should I take them to their pedi or directly to a GI doc?

Thanks for your help

[Guest j_mommy]

You could just take them to their Pedi and ask for the blood tests. It's short and fairly invasive. And you would have a starting point.

[cruelshoes]

Hello all.

Mine is a long story that I will shorten by saying that I have had positive anitgen tests and a positive response to a gluten free diet. I am awaiting results of biopsies but really don't care what they show because I will be going gluten-free because I feel so much better.

My question is the kids. I had never heard of celiac disease before a few months ago when this all started for me. So I of course read everthing I can and see quite a few symptoms in one of my daughters. I keep thinking I will just go have them tested, but what if my biopsies come back clean? Is my positive blood work enough to have them tested?

The symptoms my 8 year old has are slow weight gain (she is normal height, slightly below average weight) occasional tummy aches, occasional huge, soft stools, very irritable child, always tired. She has had more cavities than I can remember despite a diet low in sugary foods. The last 6 months she has had an itchy rash that comes and goes on her upper back/neck area. All these things I have easily explained away before- picky eater, doesn't brush well, etc. But now I wonder about celiac disease. My oldest (11) has no signs other that her 12 year molars are coming in and they have holes in the enamel. Dentist says this just sometimes happens??

Should I take them to their pedi or directly to a GI doc?

Thanks for your help

All first degree relatives of celiacs should be tested regardless of whether or not they are showing symptoms. All the symptoms you mentioned about your children can be linked to celiac disease. They can be due to other things too, of course. We screened my son and daughter after I was diagnosed even though they did not have symptoms. My son was positive.

As far as going to their peditrician or straight to a GI, if your insurance is anything like mine (assuming you have insurance) you have to go to the ped first to get the referral to the GI. Our insurance wil not allow us to self-refer or just call and make the appointment with the specialty docs. We visited our kids normal doctor, said I had been diagnosed with celiac disease and that we wanted to test the kids for it. She wrote the order and we had the bloodwork and then she filed a referral for my son.

Good luck!