Oh No--Our First Big Setback

[ljgs]

Our 13-year-old daughter was diagnosed 6.5 weeks ago and had been doing great on the gluten-free diet ever since! Then two nights ago she had a setback. I take partial responsibility. We had company, and I mentioned to her that I was serving that great gluten-free pasta I had found the other day (Bi-Aglut). But I neglected to mention that I also was serving wheat pasta. She saw a big bowl of rigatoni out on the counter and plucked two pieces and ate them, thinking it was the Bi-Aglut. Needless to say, we were both bummed out when we realized what had happened. My question to you all is: After 6.5 weeks gluten-free, is it possible that this transgression has sent her right back to where she was at diagnosis? She had severe villous atrophy. Thanks!!!

[psawyer]

No, you are most certainly not back to square one.

Severe villous atrophy takes a long time to develop, and time (less) to heal. The setback will be minor in comparison. Pick yourselves up and resume the journey.

[WheatChef]

Heck, I think the only shocking part of the story is that you've managed to keep her from slipping up until now this early since the diagnosis. Most people have quite a few slip ups in the beginning and even later on. It's just so easy to accidentally get contaminated that everyone ends up developing their own way of coping with the occasional glutenings.

[Skylark]

She'll be fine. There are studies on gluten challenge, and it takes a lot more than eating two pieces of pasta once to do a lot of damage. I imagine she's not feeling well because there is certainly a little immune reaction. As Peter says, it would take a lot more than what she ate to set her back to square 1.

It sounds like you and your daughter are doing great if this is the only time she's gotten gluten!

[ljgs]

Thanks, everyone. Actually, I have no real way of knowing if she's gotten gluten before because she doesn't have bad reactions. She got kind of tired after eating the pasta, and a bit bloated, but that was it. Actually, there was one other little incident about a week and a half into her gluten-free diet....at camp they served ice-cream sandwiches, and without even thinking she opened one and had it halfway to her mouth before her counselor caught her. She had completely forgotten they were off-limits!!! But then she decided it would be okay to drag her finger through the vanilla center and just have a lick. We had a little talk after that. But otherwise, unless there's been contamination somewhere, she's generally been gluten-free. I knew a mistake would happen sooner or later. It's good to know you all think this will just be a little setback and we'll see real improvement in her numbers in January. Thank you!!!!