Possible Gluten Intolerance/celiac In 3 Year Old

[SLB5757]

Hello all:)

I just wondered if anyone could clue me in as to whether I should have my little guy tested for celiac. Or if I should try a gluten free diet with him. I am only on my second day of gluten free myself after having a positive allergy test to wheat. My Dr. told me to eliminate it and I feel so much better even after two days. I have had chronic tummy issues for 3 years. They did a scope and hidaa scan and gastric emptying scan - all with negative results. I do not think during the scope that they tested for celiac though - which is really not cool - because I do not want to have another one done

Anyhow - as far as my son goes - his main symptoms that I can tell are a distended tummy, he is short in stature, he has rough patches of skin....skin colored...that is like a rash on his lower back just above his bottom (can't tell unless you are putting lotion on him, this is not a red rash...but definitely very rough areas), and he hiccups alot after meals. he also frequently gets a cough and runny nose, and was on a nebulizer for his first year off and on for respiratory wheezing.

he is 3 now, and we do not use the nebulizer - but he gets wheezy after too much activity. I do not want to eliminate wheat if it isn't nescessary - and I do not want to assume that because me and my brother both have a wheat allergy that my kids may...but I also do not want him to be wheezing or sniffly and not growing because I keep giving him something that he may be allergic to.

Any ideas??

[bear6954]

Have you had your son the his dr recently or to a GI dr? My son had classic symptoms, but it took almost a year to get diagnosis. His blood work for celiacs was negative at age two, but dna positive and positive scope. He always had the bid d - very messy, smelly and burned his little bottom so bad. He started throwing up daily about 4 months before diagnosis. He was in the 50% tile for height at 12 months and fell off the chart by 2 yrs. He is still not on the chart. My son is now gluten free, but he sure does have a lactose intolerance. His belly will bloat, he gets grumpy, softer poops that burn his bottom. This happens with milk or yogurt, but not cheese like slices for mots. I opted for a biopsy because I wanted to be 100% sure of what he had. I did not want to limit his food choices if it was not necessary. Is there blood tests they can do to check for wheat allergies? I stated with the most non-invasive testing first and worked my way up. You might list your concerns with your sons family dr and have him begin doing testing - liver panel, cbc, celiac blood work up etc and go from there. A lot of us had to wait weeks to months to get to see a gi specialist. At least you could do something while you have to wait - it might make you feel better about the situation. I go nuts when I can not do something to help with the symptoms! Remember no everyong has the same symptoms to celiacs. I am dna positive and biopsy neg, but I feel much better being gluten free also.