Advice About Two Of My Children

[Guest chetalrim]

I have 4 children, but I want to ask advice specifically on two of them. I am currently undergoing testing for coeliac disease, but both my doctor and myself strongly suspect I have it.

I have a 5 year old daughter who has had recurrent ear infections since birth, however these stopped at about age 2. She is stick skinny, but her height is fine. She bruises very easily, even when she hasn't really done anything, and has no idea where the bruises came from. She seems to be the first in the house to get sick with anything, and recently developed shingles, which is extremely rare in children, and usually only hits those undergoing chemotherapy or suffering from an autoimmune disease.

My other child I wanted to ask about is my 8 week old baby. He has had a stuffy nose (that's the best way to describe it, it doesn't run or anything, it's just snuffly and stuffy all the time). The last couple of weeks his poo has smelt sooooo foul, despite being fully breastfed.

Does anyone think they could be coeliac? It's just starting to ring alarm bells in my head, that's all. It will be very interesting when I go gluten-free to see if my 8 week olds symptoms clear up. I'll definitely be going gluten-free when all my testing is done, regardless of results.

Thanks so much for any advice anyone is willing to give!!!!!!!!!!!

[elle's mom]

I have 4 children, but I want to ask advice specifically on two of them. I am currently undergoing testing for coeliac disease, but both my doctor and myself strongly suspect I have it.

I have a 5 year old daughter who has had recurrent ear infections since birth, however these stopped at about age 2. She is stick skinny, but her height is fine. She bruises very easily, even when she hasn't really done anything, and has no idea where the bruises came from. She seems to be the first in the house to get sick with anything, and recently developed shingles, which is extremely rare in children, and usually only hits those undergoing chemotherapy or suffering from an autoimmune disease.

My other child I wanted to ask about is my 8 week old baby. He has had a stuffy nose (that's the best way to describe it, it doesn't run or anything, it's just snuffly and stuffy all the time). The last couple of weeks his poo has smelt sooooo foul, despite being fully breastfed.

Does anyone think they could be coeliac? It's just starting to ring alarm bells in my head, that's all. It will be very interesting when I go gluten-free to see if my 8 week olds symptoms clear up. I'll definitely be going gluten-free when all my testing is done, regardless of results.

Thanks so much for any advice anyone is willing to give!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, first of all welcome to this wonderful forum. I'm sure you will find it most helpful, as I have, as you embark on your gluten free journey (once your testing is done).

I would like to comment on our baby most of all. I have had two celiac babies (although only one diagnosed officially) and they both were "stuffy", kind of like what you're describing, whereas my other two were not, not the same way at least. It was a whitish color and not runny, but more globby and hard to get out, even with the nasal suction globes. My youngest daughter, most recent in my mind, had this until I went gluten/dairy free. Now she hardly gets anything in her nose. It's great! So, I'm assuming it's somehow related, even though I have no medical evidence for this; once you go gluten free you'll probably see improvement, if not total resolve.

Some would say to get the baby tested before you go gluten free if you are exclusively breastfeeding, but I personally did not as I do not feel we need a diagnosis at this point. Maybe later we'll pursue it, who knows; I'm not even diagnosed myself. Once you get your diagnosis, it is recommended that all first degree relatives (so that includes your kids) should be checked. Good luck to you!

[Guest chetalrim]

I'm not too fussed about getting a diagnosis for my bub. Not at this stage anyway. If my testing comes up positive, and he benefits from a gluten free diet then that's all that matters to me. I'm happy to assume he needs to be gluten free. We can always do a gluten challenge later for him once he starts to eat solids anyway. I will be looking into getting my 5yo tested because I think things will be easier to explain to her if she absolutely HAS to be gluten free for health reasons.

Thanks for your input. If anyone else has an opinion then I'd appreciate it, thanks.

[taweavmo3]

It could definately be a possibility. My last baby had problems from the beginning, mainly reflux. She is what prompted me to finally go gluten/dairy free myself, since I was breastfeeding. Some babies do have problems that early on from Celiac. I would for sure get your oldest dd tested.

We have four kids, and they all have problems with gluten. I know they get it from me, and just recently my husband finally went gluten free too. He has noticed that things he always thought were normal for him, have actually cleared up. So that explains why all of our kids have issues with gluten! If you think your husband may have it as well, then the chances are pretty good the kids may have at least gluten intolerance.

Good luck to you! Making the testing or diet change decision is hard, but once you do it....it quickly becomes just a way of life! Welcome to the board.

[Lost Scribe]

Testing for Celiac in kids really becomes important when they enter the public school system. I eliminated the gluten from my daughter's diet when her symptoms grew to include horrible headaches (sometimes with memory loss). I didn't worry about a diagnoses, just that she felt better. Then, when registering her for school I found out that they will respect our "gluten free preference" in the classroom, but she has to bring her own lunch every day. If we had a diagnoses she would be able to eat gluten free hot lunch every day. If I had to do it over, I definitely would have had her diagnosed before going gluten free.