Help!

[celiac-mommy]

I don't know if I'm overly paranoid or what, but here's the last few weeks:

Norovirus is going around, I work in a hospital with critical care pts and ER, I'm always VERY careful, wash up, change clothes etc... but sometimes you bring stuff home. Anyway, DS (non-celiac...) started having the big D, it's been a week and a half, no solid BM's and a KILLER rash--looks like someone poured acid on his bum. 1x vomit, no fever, no other symptoms. He's been really crabby and throwing LOTS of fits--but he's 2....and he's not like this all the time. I just don't know if he just doesn't feel well. He's eating OK. Friday, DD school calls, she's vomitting and has mild temp. She vomits the rest of friday, no evidence of a glutening. Seems fine but weak sat and sun, yesterday she's in the bathroom every 15 min, horrible cramps, big D, Gave immodium x2, seemed fine all afternoon and PM, OK this morning. Again, I can't trace a glutening and we are VERY careful at home.

Question--If son's D isn't better by Thursday I will take him off gluten for a week and see what happens, DD seems better, will wait and see. Do you think it's a virus or the celiac?? I know I need to call the pediatrician, but I'm going to wait a day or 2 more to see what happens..... If celiac episode, I know DD will be OK, I just don't want to have to go thru the testing with a 2 yo, may just take him off of it and call it good... I don't know what to do

[dbmamaz]

I know when my kids are different ages, the same virus can give them different kinds of intestinal symptoms, so it could certainly just be a virus - and of course, if its going around, it could have come in your house from anywhere.

But i'm wondering why you dont want to go through testing w a 2 year old, i dont know much about it - i guess the first part is just a blood draw, but can be less reliable in babies?

[celiac-mommy]

He had the blood test in August when he turned 2. We had an appt with our GI, he told us at this point everything was OK, but if anything changed to call and let him know and we would re-test. He said in the results there was a number that came up (I'm not sure what it was)--he said that this particular # doesn't mean he will end up with celiac, but it is some sort of marker that he sees in patients that are diagnosed later. Does that make sense? Anyway, I don't want to have the blood test redone right now if it's not necessary-it was traumatic for both of us... I will talk to the pediatrician today and see what he says, but I'm thinking I will take him off gluten, see if he gets better and then reintroduce and see what happens. I will be home with him Thurs-Mon so I can keep him in a controlled environment, unless he has a solid BM in the next 2 days.... (fingers crossed)

[taweavmo3]

Since you daughter has similar symptoms, my bet would be virus. It's always a guessing game though isn't it???? Lol. I work in hospital too, and I'm always worried about what I'm bringing home. I try to change my clothes before they touch me, but sometimes they bombard me as soon as I open the door!

It's Rotavirus season too....that's a nasty one that can last for a while, and really contagious. One of my kids nearly died from it, and last year all four kids had it. The baby took the longest to get over it, and this was the mild form since she actually got sick from the vaccine, then it spread to everyone else. It's a nasty bug!

Hope your little guy is feeling better soon, keep us posted.

[celiac-mommy]

Thanks guys!

I spoke with the pediatrician yesterday, he said too that it's not uncommon for this virus to last 2 weeks and it will be a full 2 weeks tomorrow. I said if he hasn't had a solid BM by tomorrow, I'm going to go ahead with the challange thru the weekend and see what happens. They agreed that that would be a good thing and then they will see him next week. I get so worried about him because he's so tiny. He acts like a normal 2 y/o but he's skin and bones. I gave my DD 2 doses of children's immodium (he's too small for that one-so I've been giving him as many binding foods as possible) on Monday and she's been fine since. I think her immune system is better than his though, she never even gets the sniffles.... I'll let you know what happens after the weekend.

Thanks again,

-Rachelle