Getting Child Tested For Celiac

[Avasmom12]

Hi,

I am new to this board. What a wealth of knowledge. I just got diagnosed with Celaic. ( Well with a blood test, my ttg was 37). I don't see the GI Specialist until the 20th. I have been Gluten Free for 1 week. I feel sooooo much better. There is no way I can eat the gluten ever again, so I don't think I will have the Biopsy.

Now, getting to my daughter. She is 18 months. She is growing well.(50th percentile for weight. 75th percentile height.) But has a milk allergy/sensitive. Since 4 weeks old. I read on another board that one symptom was round belly and cirlces under her eyes. She has that. What are other symptoms in children?

Her next appt is the 20th. I just want to know what other test could I have her tested for that would confirm a diagnosis of celaic or wheat Intolerance. I read about gene testing. I really do not want her to have a Biopsy. That seems pretty invasive.

Thanks for any info

[wsieving]

As a relatively new person to this, I know you will hate hearing this, because I know I did. At your DD's age, the tests are EXTREMELY inaccurate. My DD is 14 1/2 months, had the blood work, allergy tests. Everything said she was fine. But she was obviously NOT fine. She had all classic GI symptoms (diarrhea, constipation, bloating). She was in less than the 3% for height/weight. She had swollen lymph nodes, never had an appetite. She had dark circles under her eyes. It was pitiful. After getting no answers from the docs and them all saying she did not have Celiac (they SWEAR the tests are accurate.... yeah RIGHT) we put our daughter on a gluten-free diet. She has already shown a dramatic change. She ate her first full plate of food on day 3 and hasn't stopped since.

If you think DD has Celiac, I suggest just trying the diet instead of putting her through all of the tests. If it works, you have your answer. This is frustrating and the hardest thing to hear, but it is true, and I wish I had listened to all of the others before me who told me the same thing.