7yr Old Daughter Has Symptoms

[Wispyshadow]

I'm really concerned because my daughter just had a check-up and she has dropped from the 75th percentile in height down to below the 3rd percentile. She has always been very thin, she only weighs 37lbs. and has weighed that amount for a year now. She is 7 years old and I am really worried and her pediatrician is concerned that she isn't growing at a normal rate. She also complains of stomach pain daily and says her legs and feet are sore. Each thing has always been addressed seperately and just today I started putting the whole picture together. THey did test her at the pediatricians office for anemia and never called me back with results so I assume that it was normal. I feel that I should push the pediatrician to test her further to see if celiac disease is the culprit. My mother keeps pushing me to just forgoe the Dr. and just go gluten-free without a diagnosis. My insurance will pay for everything and it would be much more helpful to have a diagnosis but I'm really not sure if the Dr. will take this seriously if just blow it off. Any opinions or help would be appreciated.

[mushroom]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

I would definitely call the pediatrician and get the results of the test; you should always follow up on results, sometimes they are overlooked. If they were normal then I would request further exploration of why she is not growing because this is a serious issue; express your concern. If you get no joy from him, is there another doctor the family uses who could help? Maybe discuss it with the pediatrician for you. Is there another pediatrician in your area that your insurance covers? Do you have to get HMO referral? Before just going gluten free I think you should push the doctors further.

[Wispyshadow]

Thanks for the suggestions. It really is hard right now because due to the holiday all the Dr. offices are closed and she still never called me back yesterday. I started really piecing things together last night and thinking back to when she was a baby. I had another ped in another state where we lived test her stool for fat malabsorption but said she couldn't have celiac disease because she didn't have a big swollen abdomen and the only case he had ever seen that was what they looked like. I had never heard of celiac disease and really had no idea and just had to take the dr's word for it and we just wrote it off that she was just a small child. She has always had either loose stools or constipation and the dr's have just really written it off as just not a big deal. She has been on colace and had to take children's immodium off and on enough that I keep it stocked in the medicine cabinet and she is used to it and asks me for the one she needs when she starts having issues. From looking back and piecing everything together she has been dealing with this since she started eating regular food. I didnt' notice much when she was a baby I'm guessing because I made all of her babyfood from fresh fruits and vegetables at home. I feel so bad that I missed it.

Good news!! The pediatricians office just called me and wants to see my daughter. She has another appt on Wed next week. Say prayers that we get some supportive answers and help!!!

[ang1e0251]

I'll be thinking of you. Tell the dr you want a full celiac panel run. Listen to what he says but don't take no for an answer. THe old dr may have seen more celiac children, he just didn't recognize it.

[mushroom]

I am so glad that you got a response. I agree with Angle that you need to have him run the full celiac panel. I do hope that you get some help and answers.

[Wispyshadow]

We went and had blood drawn today and our new pediatrician is really taking this all very seriously. I feel really good about how we are being treated. She is running a full celiac panel, thyroid panel, liver panel, and some other blood tests. She told me she doesn't want to leave a stone unturned. We should have results back by early next week.

[mushroom]

We went and had blood drawn today and our new pediatrician is really taking this all very seriously. I feel really good about how we are being treated. She is running a full celiac panel, thyroid panel, liver panel, and some other blood tests. She told me she doesn't want to leave a stone unturned. We should have results back by early next week.

Great news!