Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Stumped


LOney

Recommended Posts

LOney Rookie

I was hoping someone could help me out. My son, 4 last July, was diagnosed last Feb with celiac. He has been doing great, has gained almost 10 pounds, has energy and distended belly is gone. We stick to a gluten free diet for the whole family, usually. There have been instances when my son will have bathroom issues where his #2 will be similar to pre diagnosis times. However, no matter how much we wrack our brain, we can not find the culprit. Coinciding with those times he has had a bit of a cold - not major but just a stuffy nose and cough. I have wondered if the cold could give him those bm's?

My confusion is that there have been two times that I know he was glutened at preschool - once when a new teacher gave him a cracker without paying attention, and just the other day when a science visitor gave the kids one fruit loop each to teach about taste. The first instance my son only complained about a belly ache but no diarrhea happened, and the second time with the fruit loop cereal (just yesterday) nothing happened at all. Are there times when they just won't react and others (no matter how much you try to figure out what it is, and can't) they will react?

A few weeks ago he woke up with diarrhea, and the only thing we can come up with is that the preschool had a halloween party and had the kids put their hands in cooked spaghetti. I didn't find out until later - and she claims he washed his hands really well - but seriously - how well does a 4 year old wash their hands? Do you think something like that could cause a reaction of diarrhea, but a cracker or a fruit loop wouldn't?

Thanks for your help - this is so hard and confusing!!!!


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



kbtoyssni Contributor

My symptoms are so variable. Sometimes I get sick sometimes I don't. Sometimes it's more stomach pain and sometimes joint pain. So, no, I don't think it's weird that your son doesn't always get D when glutened.

  • 3 weeks later...
zeta-lilly Apprentice

honestly, I think you're worried than you need to be :) it doesn't sound like he's sick on a routine basis, just occasionally. It's possible he got glutened, but it's probably just a stomach bug or something funny he ate. Plus kids at that age don't wash their hands like they should. Prior to being gluten free, I used to get food poisoning all the time (it felt different from normal celiac symptoms). I think his intestines are probably more sensitive to bugs than normal kids intestines are because of the past damage and accidently getting glutened. I wouldn't worry about it.

medic8r Newbie

zetalilly makes a good point, that your child may be just picking up a bug. children at daycare facilities are constantly subjected to intestinal bugs, no matter how clean the facility seems.

also, i wanted to point at that you stated your child had the loose bowels at the same time as having a "cold". if there was any postnasal drip this would certainly explain the loose bowels.

it sounds like you are doing a great job of doing everything you are supposed to do to help your child!

RiceGuy Collaborator

I think I'd be concerned if the D lasts more than a day. As was stated, preschool can be a minefield of germs.

However, is it possible that he has other food intolerances or allergies? Perhaps dairy, or soy, corn, nuts, etc.

Anyway, does your son understand that he has a special diet? At his age, he should have no problem understanding it. If nothing else, he should know to inquire before ingesting something. But the spaghetti he should have known, IMO. Shame on the teacher for letting him participate. She should have contacted you at the very least.

mommida Enthusiast

One thing you could do is go back and teach the handwashing with the ABC's, Lord's Prayer, and any other 20 second time limit song or recitation reccomended for proper hand washing.

Pre-school is germ laden and a gluten mine field. If you are able to supply gluten free repacements for the classroom, ask the teacher to let you.

LOney Rookie

Thanks for all of your responses - I truly appreciate it. My son is very much aware of his food needs, and constantly asks when new people are around. I think I might have made a mistake, though, in telling him that I supply all of his snacks at school, so he can eat freely there. He always asks when other people give him food (grandparents, etc), but I think he feels comfortable at school because he knows I gave him the ok to eat snacks there. As for putting his hands in things, I have had the discussion with him regarding play doh - and honestly he rarely plays with that anyways, and never at preschool anymore. So that wasn't an issue. But never would I have thought they would have him stick his hands in spaghetti - I was very surprised and a bit annoyed when I found out. They said he washed his hands well, but I know what cooked spaghetti is like, and it gets under your nails etc if you put your hands in. . . so who knows. I don't want my son to be nervous around people he is supposed to think have his best interests in mind, and I also know most 4 year olds wouldn't speak out and say they can't do that because of wheat, when the rest of his peers are lining up to do it!!!! I guess this is just my introduction to what the rest of his school life is going to be like - yikes!!!! Thanks again!


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Juliet Newbie

Remember, too, that this disease has a cumulative effect. Sometimes one incident alone won't do anything, but little tiny bits of incidents on a daily basis might add up to one big "symptom" like diarrhea.

And Zeta_Lilly brings up a very good point. My son (and by default, me, recently found out I have two Celiac genes myself) has been gluten free for 3 years now. When he first was diagnosed, he was sick with EVERYTHING all the time, colds and stomach flus. And I seemed to get food poisoning 3 times a year. But this season, even with my son starting kindergarten, he's never had a stronger immune system, and I haven't been this healthy since probably high school.

So, continue to be vigilant and know that despite any small setbacks your child is getting healthier every day now.

AliB Enthusiast

Many don't get completely well on gluten-free - they think they must be getting glutened when in fact, they are actually reacting to other foods, usually carbs. gluten-free foods are typically much higher in carbs than even gluten foods and can sometimes actually make things worse rather than better, although there can sometimes be an initial improvement.

I see this all the time. It is a constant cry on the forum.

Many have been struggling with this issue for many years without any resolution. However, a lot of us are now discovering the benefit of the Specific Carb Diet (SCD). It is a healing diet - not for weight loss (although some lose excess weight - and those who need more sometimes end up putting it on!).

It removes the foods that are keeping the damage going. Yes, it is gluten-free, but it cuts out other antagonists including corn and soy, which are very common. Although the villi may heal, many are still suffering with Leaky Gut, which allows certain food molecules through into the bloodstream that shouldn't be there - triggering reactions.

Removing those foods allows the gut to properly heal. Although it can take a while, once the gut has healed, a relatively normal diet can then be resumed.

There is an SCD thread on the 'Other Food Intolerances' section, and 'breaking the vicious cycle' and 'Pecanbread' are the best websites for info.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      130,198
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    CallieTubin
    Newest Member
    CallieTubin
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Hi, @thejayland10, Do you still consume dairy?  Dairy can cause increased tTg IgA levels in some people with celiac disease who react to casein, the protein in dairy, just like to gluten.   You might try cutting out the processed gluten free foods.  Try a whole foods, no carbohydrate Paleo diet instead, like the AIP diet (the Autoimmune Protocol Diet by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, a Celiac herself). Processed gluten free foods can be full of excess carbohydrates which can alter your microbiome leading to Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).  SIBO is found in some people who are not responding to a gluten free diet.  SIBO can elevate tTg IgA levels.  The AIP diet cuts out sources of carbohydrates like rice, potatoes (nightshades), quinoa, peas, lentils, legumes, which starves out the SIBO bacteria.  Better bacteria can then proliferate.   I followed the AIP diet to get rid of my SIBO.  It's a strict diet, but my digestive tract had time to rest and heal.  I started feeling better within a few days.  Feeling improvement so soon made sticking to the AIP diet much easier. References: Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth among patients with celiac disease unresponsive to a gluten free diet https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7759221/   Luminal antigliadin antibodies in small intestinal bacterial overgrowth https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9260801/#:~:text=Luminal total IgA concentrations (p,response to local bacterial antigens.   Potato glycoalkaloids adversely affect intestinal permeability and aggravate inflammatory bowel disease https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12479649/
    • trents
      First, welcome to the forum, @boy-wonder! Second, a little clarification in terminology is in order. Granted, inconsistency is rampant when it comes to the terminology associated with gluten disorders, but it has more or less become settled in this fashion: "Gluten intolerance" is a general term that car refer to either celiac disease or NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity). "Gluten Sensitivity" is the shortened version of NCGS. Third, Celiac disease is not an allergy to gluten. It is an autoimmune disorder characterized by gluten ingestion causing the immunes system to attack the lining of the small bowel, causing damage to it over time due to the constant inflammation that wears down the "villi" (mucosal finger-like projections that make up the lining). Over a significant period of time as gluten continues to be consumed, this generally results in impaired nutrient absorption. There are specific blood antibody tests available to check for celiac disease but the testing will not be valid while on a reduced gluten diet or a gluten free diet. Those already having having begun a gluten free diet must go back to consuming generous amounts of gluten for a period of weeks if they wish to pursue testing for celiac disease. Fourth, NCGS shares many of the same symptoms of celiac disease but does not damage the lining of the small bowel as does celiac disease. There is no test for it. A diagnosis for NCGS depends on first ruling out celiac disease. It is 10x more common than celiac disease. Some experts feel it can be a precursor to the development of celiac disease. Eliminating gluten from your life is the antidote for both. Fifth, you state that you are convince you don't have celiac disease by are just "gluten intolerant" (aka, gluten sensitive). How do you know that? It seems to me you are making a dangerous assumption here. I suggest you consider getting formally tested for celiac disease.
    • AllyJR
      Has anyone found a gluten free parakeet seed mix? I can't find a single one! My doctor wants me to make sure all pet food in the house is gluten free but I'm not sure if that's even possible with parakeets. We love our birds so much! I'm wondering if anyone has ever made their own bird seed mix if gluten free ones are not available. 
    • boy-wonder
      Hi, new member. About me, I had been suffering with weight gain, bloating and irregular and extreme bowel habits for a year or so. For example, I went on holiday in 2023, then again I  2024 at the same time of year and every shirt I wore in 2023 didn't fit anymore, couldn't even do the buttons up. Being in my mid 50s I put it down to age and middle aged spread. I'd been lucky all my life having good metabolism and being able to eat anything and as much as I like without putting on any weight, it drove my other half mad. Over a conversation with a friend health and age Related stuff came up and he mentioned someone he knew who had recently found out they were gluten intolerant,  I looked it up and had every one of 8 or so symptoms listed. Bloating,  weight gain,  headaches, brain fog,  constipation, etc etc. I took the decision to give going gluten free a try. Within 1 week I had lost 4 lb, now 7 weeks in I've lost 13 lb. I feel much better in general,  the bloating has severely subsided, it used to keep me awake at night as I felt so uncomfortable.  So pretty much a success story, as everyone here knows,  going gluten free isn't always easy, and eating out can be awkward,  but I consider myself lucky that I appear to have an intolerance rather than an allergy or being celiac.  I can deal with most of the gluten free options at the supermarket but, the big one for me is bread, I love bread, and the gluten free options I've tried are pretty poor. I was at a posh black tie event last night and chose all the food options I thought would be gluten free,  however,  there was bread on the table and I couldn't resist it, I had I small piece of bread,  god it was good, I wanted more but I resisted. Today I feel a bit dodgy, my stomach is churning, and I generally feel a bit urgh.  So here's the question, is that really down to 1 small piece of bread or is it coincidence?  I'd be interested in hearing how other people have reacted to a similar situation,  as I was considering having a day off every now and then and enjoying some lovely fresh bread.
    • ValerieC
      Does anybody know of a guide that ranks reevaluates universities and colleges in terms of their accommodation of celiac disease or food allergies?   Thanks in advance for any leads! Valerie 
×
×
  • Create New...