Can Anyone Help?

[tj1604]

Hi there - boy, am I glad to find this site...I have an 8 month old son whom I suspect may have celiac (my maternal grandmother and an uncle both have celiac, and my husband's cousin also does).

The reason for my suspicion...my son started having darker green, almost black bowel movements shortly after introduction to foods (he began eating rice cereal at 4 months and progressed through the other cereals shortly thereafter). With a voracious appetite he began eating 'real' foods by about 6 months. Since that point the bowel movements changed. He would have some gas and mild cramping occasionally, but I really noticed that any pasta definitely caused indigestion problems.

Upon doing some research about the dark green, nearly black poops I found that may be indicative of bleeding in the intestional track. Also, he started out at 75% percentile for weight, and by 6 1/2 months was down to 30-40%. He has still gained weight, but much more slowly (and he is a very active kid...at 8 1/2 months he is already on the verge of walking which could account for the slowed weight gain too).

Last Sunday we decided to cut out all breads, pasta, etc to see if it made any difference and within 1 day his poop had changed to a more 'normal' shade and the odour wasn't as bad as before. We cannot get in to see our doc for 2 more weeks...what kind of tests will they do? Can they even test anything at his age? Does the change in poop colour really indicate anything?

Any feedback is much appreciated - thanks!

(This site is awesome...some of the reading I've already done makes me suspect that my husband may be gluten intolerant as well...guess we'll have to do some more investigating!)

P.s....we're in Canada if that makes any difference.

[mouth]

Hi there - boy, am I glad to find this site...I have an 8 month old son whom I suspect may have celiac (my maternal grandmother and an uncle both have celiac, and my husband's cousin also does).

The reason for my suspicion...my son started having darker green, almost black bowel movements shortly after introduction to foods (he began eating rice cereal at 4 months and progressed through the other cereals shortly thereafter). With a voracious appetite he began eating 'real' foods by about 6 months. Since that point the bowel movements changed. He would have some gas and mild cramping occasionally, but I really noticed that any pasta definitely caused indigestion problems.

Upon doing some research about the dark green, nearly black poops I found that may be indicative of bleeding in the intestional track. Also, he started out at 75% percentile for weight, and by 6 1/2 months was down to 30-40%. He has still gained weight, but much more slowly (and he is a very active kid...at 8 1/2 months he is already on the verge of walking which could account for the slowed weight gain too).

Last Sunday we decided to cut out all breads, pasta, etc to see if it made any difference and within 1 day his poop had changed to a more 'normal' shade and the odour wasn't as bad as before. We cannot get in to see our doc for 2 more weeks...what kind of tests will they do? Can they even test anything at his age? Does the change in poop colour really indicate anything?

Any feedback is much appreciated - thanks!

(This site is awesome...some of the reading I've already done makes me suspect that my husband may be gluten intolerant as well...guess we'll have to do some more investigating!)

P.s....we're in Canada if that makes any difference.

Hi for starters, being in canada doesn't make any difference.. In fact, you will be able to identify

gluten-free foods easier than in the US..

I am sorry to say this, but dont take the gluten away from him!!! Because if you do they can not test him-- the results will be wrong!!!!!

The most basic is blood work, then an endoscopy that is what was done for my daughter. DO NOT LET THE DR SAY NO.. IF THEY DO THEN FIND ANOTHER DR. my daughter had the green bowls when she was a baby also, but it went away on its own.. in her case, it was they think the extra iron that was in the formula that caused it.. but she never had the black. also, she was cronically constipated very badly, to the point of anal fissure, and hemmroids as an infant. scarey.. let me tell you.. my daughter was below the 5% until after diagnosis.. now she is above the 25%. they are not worried, because i am a small person. but after diagnosis and diet she has gained 25 lbs and 5 inches in 1 year..

I hope this has helped a little.. next step a peds gastro visit and soon.. vvvvvglglgl

lynn

[tj1604]

Hi for starters, being in canada doesn't make any difference.. In fact, you will be able to identify

gluten-free foods easier than in the US..

I am sorry to say this, but dont take the gluten away from him!!! Because if you do they can not test him-- the results will be wrong!!!!!

The most basic is blood work, then an endoscopy that is what was done for my daughter. DO NOT LET THE DR SAY NO.. IF THEY DO THEN FIND ANOTHER DR. my daughter had the green bowls when she was a baby also, but it went away on its own.. in her case, it was they think the extra iron that was in the formula that caused it.. but she never had the black. also, she was cronically constipated very badly, to the point of anal fissure, and hemmroids as an infant. scarey.. let me tell you.. my daughter was below the 5% until after diagnosis.. now she is above the 25%. they are not worried, because i am a small person. but after diagnosis and diet she has gained 25 lbs and 5 inches in 1 year..

I hope this has helped a little.. next step a peds gastro visit and soon.. vvvvvglglgl

lynn

Thank you for your reply...I never even considered the iron...he started on formula at about 4 1/2 months which coincides with the changes...constipation hasn't been a problem with him...also no diarrhea...so I guess we'll stay with the more 'normal' diet until we can see the doc in a couple of weeks. Thanks!

[mouth]

Thank you for your reply...I never even considered the iron...he started on formula at about 4 1/2 months which coincides with the changes...constipation hasn't been a problem with him...also no diarrhea...so I guess we'll stay with the more 'normal' diet until we can see the doc in a couple of weeks. Thanks!

Hi,

It could also possibly be something in the formula.. other than the iron. Her bowels smelled bad till about 5 or 6. Even when she went off the formula, she ocassionally had it.. She still does on ocassion, but not like b4. My daughter was never symptomatic- except the chronic constipation. Good luck .

LYnn