Pre Testing Advice

[Dace]

I am taking my 7 yr old in tomorrow to talk to the Dr about serum testing. I KNOW that she has a gluten intolerance based on her response to eating wheat. We have been dealing with these symptoms for a while and I finally got confirmation that her sister is gluten intolerant. I am actually worried that this little one has celiacs, based on her response to eating wheat.

Near constant belly aches of varying degrees based on what's been eaten, alternating diarrhea and constipation, leg fatigue, very slender, trouble eating because she does not feel good. When we get her off of all gluten for a few days, the symptoms drastically reduce. Back on wheat a couple times a day and the symptoms skyrocket.

So I read that the best tests will be :

Total serum IgA

IgA -Gliadin

IgG- Gliadin

IgA- (tTG)

But I have also read that kids don't produce a lot of IgA....or I misunderstood! Is there a better group of tests for children?

Our appt is tomorrow morning...I hope they draw her blood then because I have got to get her off gluten!

Any advice would be very much appreciated!

Dace

[mushroom]

I am taking my 7 yr old in tomorrow to talk to the Dr about serum testing. I KNOW that she has a gluten intolerance based on her response to eating wheat. We have been dealing with these symptoms for a while and I finally got confirmation that her sister is gluten intolerant. I am actually worried that this little one has celiacs, based on her response to eating wheat.

Near constant belly aches of varying degrees based on what's been eaten, alternating diarrhea and constipation, leg fatigue, very slender, trouble eating because she does not feel good. When we get her off of all gluten for a few days, the symptoms drastically reduce. Back on wheat a couple times a day and the symptoms skyrocket.

So I read that the best tests will be :

Total serum IgA

IgA -Gliadin

IgG- Gliadin

IgA- (tTG)

But I have also read that kids don't produce a lot of IgA....or I misunderstood! Is there a better group of tests for children?

Our appt is tomorrow morning...I hope they draw her blood then because I have got to get her off gluten!

Any advice would be very much appreciated!

Dace

There are two additional tests that can be performed, the Endomysial Antibodies (EMA) and the Deaminated Gliadin Peptide (DGP). This last one has been used with fairly good success on children by Dr. Rodney Ford, here is New Zealand, who is a world recognized child celiac pediatrician. I heard him speak a couple of years ago and he thinks this is the best test for children. But that does not mean that if it is negative your child does not have celiac, because celiac testing in children is not especially reliable. It is better if they are over five, which is good for you. I would definitely ask the doctor to do the DGP. I hope the lab he uses can do this test, or have it sent out if they can't.

Good luck tomorrow.

[Dace]

Had the blood drawn today...Dr. was great about my requests although said they could not to the DGP as it is still 'experimental'.

I should hear back middle of next week! Yay, things are finally underway!

[carecare]

Good luck Dace! I'm calling on Monday to request bloodwork on my 8 yr old. He told me this evening he had to lie down on the ground while outside playing because his stomach hurt so bad. I have to get to the bottom of this.

Hope you get some results that help you figure out what's going on in your family.

CC

[Dace]

Good luck Dace! I'm calling on Monday to request bloodwork on my 8 yr old. He told me this evening he had to lie down on the ground while outside playing because his stomach hurt so bad. I have to get to the bottom of this.

Hope you get some results that help you figure out what's going on in your family.

CC

Aww, poor kid! I hope you get some answers too!

Hubby and I were talking last night about how much better he feels since going off bread and pasta (obvious gluten products) etc. I asked him some more detailed questions, like what about hidden gluten like in beer? He had a beer the last two nights and it did not seem to affect him. His response was that he has spent his whole life feeling sick, so he doesn't notice an 'upset' stomach anymore because it is just normal. That is just wrong and I don't want my little one to grow up thinking that being sick is normal!

[Marlie]

Had the blood drawn today...Dr. was great about my requests although said they could not to the DGP as it is still 'experimental'.

I should hear back middle of next week! Yay, things are finally underway!

My child just had the DGP test and I haven't read anything about it being experimental. However I can say it was a positive on the DGP and negative on the tTG and EMA.