Gluten Allergy?

[Bridy]

I have a question about my daughter. I have posted here a few times before but this is a little history.

She is 2.5 years old and has always had constipation/bowel issues from birth, things got worse with food introduction.

We have had her tested for Hirschsprung's Disease/negative.

She had a blood test for Celiacs/negative

But she had a blood test for allergies and it came back that she was allergic to gluten. Wheat was high but it was still negative, barley was negative, buckwheat negative.

How is this possible?

I don't see how she could be allergic to gluten and not wheat. Can anyone make sense of this?

We are seeing a different specialist in March for a second opinion on the allergy tests.

But I do have concerns about her. We were told she was allergic to dairy, so we took her off dairy. Saw some changes in her BM's for a few months but now she is back to having issues again.

Her ribs stick out, she does have a extended tummy and she is small for her age, 23lbs

I am just very concerned about her. She is extremly moody as well. Its not funny, but we joke around that she is Bipolar because she can be one way one minute and telling us "I happy now", I happy now" and then start crying a moment later. She is okay when we are out and she is busy, but she does have temper tantrums so easy. Her moods are very hard to manage.

Any thoughts?

[Jestgar]

Poor baby!

I don't see how she could be allergic to gluten and not wheat. Can anyone make sense of this?

An allergy is an antibody response (IgE). Your body makes antibodies to pieces of proteins. If your daughter has antibodies that recognize a piece of wheat that has a different shape when it's cooked, a test that uses raw protein will register as negative. The gluten peptide may 1) not have a different shape when cooked, or 2) be recognized by an antibody that is sequence specific, not shape specific.

[Bridy]

Poor baby!

An allergy is an antibody response (IgE). Your body makes antibodies to pieces of proteins. If your daughter has antibodies that recognize a piece of wheat that has a different shape when it's cooked, a test that uses raw protein will register as negative. The gluten peptide may 1) not have a different shape when cooked, or 2) be recognized by an antibody that is sequence specific, not shape specific.

So do you think that she is allergive to wheat as well but the test just couldn't detect it?

We have to wait till march to see the other specialist, it will be a long few months.

[Jestgar]

Well, if she's allergic to gluten she's allergic to at least one part of wheat.

The tests are not very good. The best way to test her is to take her off wheat and gluten (wheat and also barley and rye) and see if she feels better. Most people stop eating oats as well, at least initially.

[Bridy]

Thank you for being online!

She LOVES oatmeal, its her favorite food.

So should I just take out wheat, barley, and rye and see how she does. if she isn't okay in a few months then take out oats too?

[Jestgar]

At least find gluten free oatmeal. I can't offer any suggestions, because I've never been an oatmeal fan, but maybe someone else will chime in.

You could also try quinoa as a breakfast food, or cream of rice.

I went my entire life not realizing that your tummy wasn't supposed to hurt after eating. I only discovered it when I stopped eating gluten. Maybe your baby loves oatmeal because it's the only food that doesn't make her uncomfortable. ( I say this to suggest that she might be open to new foods, if they don't make her tummy hurt.)

[Bridy]

thank you.

I make Quinoa but she wont touch it. I am going to try and make it with other flavours and maybe mix it into things.

But I will buy cream of rice as well and see how she likes it.

is gluten free oatmal labeld that way?

There is a gluten free store in my City, I should probably call them to see what they have for oatmeal.

Thank you for all the suggestions, I really appreciate it.

[Jestgar]

Gluten free oatmeal should be labeled as such.

I hope you find what's making things so difficult for her. Feel free to ask questions here. There are a lot of people with multiple food intolerances, and chances are you'll find someone that can help you.

I'm kinda hoping that taking away gluten will make everything better for her

Jess