Fever And Gluten Accident?

[kaylee]

Hello to all,

we had been doing remarkably well in terms of avoiding gluten accidents for quite some time, but last night my 2 1/2 year old woke up screaming and writhing in pain, and this lasted for two hours before he started to settle into a lower grade restlessness. This morning he had diarrhea for the first time in recent memory. I'm 99% sure that he somehow got gluten, as this reaction is one I know all too well.

Anyway, whether he picked a cookie crumb off the floor at daycare or in the park I will never know (he said he ate something that hurt his tummy but wasn't any more specific)...

The question I have is this: this episode was accompanied by a rapidly rising fever (which went back down in a few hours), and I'm very interested to know if anyone else has had this association? It is not the first time I've noticed this, but this time the relation was quite striking. Thanks for any input.

Best,

Kaylee

[minibabe]

Anytime I get a reaction my stomach gets all bloated. I have chest pains and really dont get any sleep because I am really un comfortable. I have noticed an increase in my body temperature and feel as if I do get a fever but have never checked. Next time it happens I will def. let you know. But my symptoms last for about 2 weeks depending on how much gluten I ingetsted.

Hope that I was of help

[CMWeaver]

We had a situation about 2 weeks ago where one of my daugthers spiked a fever of 105.6. Diarrhea as well. We finally ended up in the ER and they "claimed" that both ears were infected. Apparently infected enough to cause vertigo type symptoms (although she never complained of being dizzy). She did get antibiotics and the diarrhea subsided but not until about 4 days later.

I've spoken with her GI specialist twice about fever/diarrhea and possible gluten accidents. He claims that while gluten accidents can cause a wide variety of symptoms, some of which are severe.....the gluten will not "induce" a fever.

[kabowman]

I run a fever when I eat something I shouldn't by accident, usually yeast, but not always.

I ended up in the hospital for days with all kinds of tests that didn't show anything wrong. They finally let me out when my fever went away on it's own. I used to run a fever for weeks at a time.

[aili]

that's my daughters (3.5yrs) reaction from both naps and when she goes down for the night. it would be impossible to get her temperature but i'm sure it would be high because if the screaming and the fact that her pillow is soaked from sweat.

This reaction always occurs one hour into sleep. What was the time your son woke up?

i'm still trying to figure out if it is gluten or gluten + something else (positive in IgG test and elim diet). Also thought it could be reflux (caused by gluten or sugar intolerance). its interesting to note others with this reaction as well.

aili

[kaylee]

Aili,

what you're describing is closer to what was going on with my son BEFORE he went gluten and dairy free - I mean, the regular bouts of screaming when lying down. Somehow that position did seem to be worse, and my guess is that it was something to do with reflux, maybe gluten triggered? He was way too young at the time to be able to give me any verbal info, so it was all guesswork based on interpretation of signs. This particular recent incident was isolated and I don't think it had anything to do with lying down or sleep, just the amount of digestion time that went by from when he probably ate something with gluten in it. I did manage to take his temperature - in fact he asked me to take it, he was so aware that things were not right (and he has never before done that, quite the opposite!). After the screaming set in the temp. was just over 38 (celsius) and an hour later it was past 39 degrees, so pretty high. In the morning his temp. was back down to normal.

With regard to your daughter, does this reaction happen every day, twice a day? How long does it last? DOes she scream like that at other times too? My son certainly did, screaming fits came apparently out of nowhere and could last for an hour, plus he was basically irritable all the time - this is why I had no doubt that something was really wrong, that it wasn't just temperament. I kept hearing myself say "this is not normal behaviour, there's something going on here" even if the pediatrician just kept telling me "oh, you know, babies cry" Or, "it's his teeth." She was all for dishing out the Tempra and making it clear that I was a particularly neurotic first-time mother ... I think it's probably often a good thing to follow that inner voice. I didn't act on it immediately, but what fabulous results came about when I did. I have a transformed, happy child now (apart from the gluten or dairy accidents of course)!

Anyway, I'm kind of getting off topic, but wonder if any of this fits with your experience?

Best,

Kaylee

[SofiEmiMom]

Yes! My daughters both spike a mild fever when they have accidental gluten ingestion. It goes away in 24 hours. Other symptoms are diarrhea, stomach discomfort, extreme lethergy, emotional outbursts. The next day they are completely fine. It's happened enough where I could trace it back to a gluten accident. Even though I can prove these things I still doubt myself because it seems so unreal. Now I don't feel as crazy hearing that someone else experiences the same thing.

[egardner]

I am a nursing student, so I'm no pro yet, but we recently studied fevers. A common cause of a high fever is pain. Yes, really, you don't have to have an infection, wound, just be in pain. Children frequetly spike fevers associated with pain(ie-his stomach pains) as it is a nonspecific body response, meaning it happens in response to almost anything as a defense mechanism. Hope that soothes your fears.

[aili]

Anyway, I'm kind of getting off topic, but wonder if any of this fits with your experience?

most definately yes! especially the part about being a neurotic mother!

to answer your questions: the reaction (screaming and not wanting me to talk, hold, even touch her) would happen during every nap every day if she was at home in bed. It would last about 20 minutes. If she naps in the car she will not have the reaction. Reactions became worse after she completely weaned (24mos). It happens at night too, but the severity varies: Very severe after a stressful day of playing with friends, less so after a normal day. She does not have similar screaming fits during waking hours. She did have sudden loss of bladder control. (The week we diet tested gluten she had two "accidents". none since we removed gluten.) I suspect either or a combination of these: acid reflux, gluten reaction, reflux caused by gluten, or reflux caused by lactose or fructose intolerance which was caused by celiac disease.

you know, i wonder why most people insist that screaming, irritability, temper tantrums, even having "accidents" is the result of temperment, personality or lack of discipline. If a 2 year old has a headache, lets say, how should she react? "Excuse me mom, but i feel a throbbing sensation behind my eyes. Could you hand me the tylenol, please?" How should a 3-year-old react when they wake from a nap and feel pain in their chest and/or the sensation of not being able to breath? How should they react when they have felt like that from waking from a nap every day they can remember? Yet i can't recall how many times i've been told that by trying to comfort my screaming daughter i am going to prolong the problem. I've even been told the she screams because i try to comfort her. I just cannot understand that reasoning.

anyway, sorry for the rant. i didn't mean to hijack this thread.

aili

[ianm]

Before going gluten-free I used to run a near constant low grade fever. Now my body temp tends to run a little below normal. A fever usually happens when your immune system is trying to fight something so I would expect a fever when most of us get glutened.

[kaylee]

Wow! All this input is great!

I had never heard of the fever/pain link, but it would certainly fit my son's situation. Thanks for the info.

Aili - have you tried taking your daughter off dairy? With the extra details, her situation actually sounds quite different in several ways from my son's, but for what it's worth, we only saw a complete improvement once all dairy products were completely removed from his diet. That seems to be the case for a certain proportion of people with celiac disease, not just kids. Some say they can go back to dairy once their insides have had a chance to heal.

In terms of others' opinions about your care of your daughter: I can fully relate to your description, and it's kind of nice at some level to hear someone else has been there, even if I'm not GLAD you have had to go through that too. My biggest trouble, unfortunately, was with my husband who doggedly assured me that my trying to soothe the screaming rather than disciplining our son for his outbursts was going to create a monster. Without going into the breadth and width of our arguments on the subject (they were intense to say the least!), I will just say that I am very glad I stuck to my sense that he (our son!) was in extreme distress and was not acting out. To his credit, my husband recognized he was mistaken once all the screaming and irritability disappeared with the gluten- and dairy-free diet.

Best to you all,

Kaylee

[beks]

I get a fever during my attacks. Lots of fluids and acetaminphen is the best thing...go see a doctor if it lasts longer than 24 hours