New Symptoms In 7 Yr. Old Are Confusing Me

[rysmom]

I have a 7 year old little boy who has been gluten free for 4 years now. Going gluten free was the best decision we made for him and he has grown and been successful ever since. I have also gone gluten free (and my migraines are much better controlled) and am keeping our 22 month old son gluten free for now as well.

My question is about a new symptom that has recently begun to bother him. He has been complaining of heartburn. A lot! At first, I was concerned that he had been "glutened." (My mom is also gluten free because she has suffered from reflux most of my life.) My 7 year old did not have reflux as a baby. His symptoms were classic intestinal symptoms. There were lots of diapers, an amazing crazy diaper rash that was hard to control, and he did not grow for 14 months. Once he was gluten free, he grew and gained weight during that first month. The only times he had any issues were when he was mistakenly glutened. We are 100% gluten free now and he is even careful when I'm not around. (At least for now, I realize this might change when he becomes a teenager).

I started keeping track and trying to figure out if he could have been glutened but there are a handful of times when I know he could not have been glutened and has had an intense case of heartburn. Can 7 year olds just get heartburn now and again and I am just being a worrywart? Or could it be another allergy? I always feel on high alert with him as he is my "sick one."

On a side note, he was just diagnosed with asthma after two long sick years of chronic ear and sinus infections. We are finally seeing that he may have fall allergies that are affecting this undiagnosed asthma. Now, that he has started new medicines (singulair, xopenex, and flovent) we are beginning to notice a difference with his chronic cold-like symptoms.

Thank you for reading and for any advice.....

[cassP]

he might (just like many many of us)- have additional food intolerances... (soy, dairy, corn, grains, sugars, fructose, etc... for example)... ??? chocolate & caffeine can cause reflux too.

i actually have a very strange immediate reflux & (near vomiting) reaction to: bananas (alone), green tea, & red onions.

do his new meds cause reflux or stomach irritation???

i didnt get allergies till i was 32 years old- and tho i have no idea what your son has-> i have definitely figured out that my allergies are directly related to my stomach. a chinese accupuncturist evaluated me for 2 1/2 hours, and he said that my energy was being used up just to make my stomach work right that my sinuses were just left completely undefended and vulnerable to everything.

another consideration to ASK YOUR DOCTOR- is does your son have H.Pylori? this could cause reflux

hope he gets better real soon

ps- has he ever been tested for Total Iga Serum? if he's LOWer than range- that could explain why he's more vulnerable- and it would even suggest he's more vulnerable to h.pylori

[rysmom]

Thank you for your suggestions. I've never heard of h. pylori. I'll be sure to look it up.....

I did think about his new medicines but he began this heartburn before he started them. Since it comes and goes, I think my best plan for now is to keep a journal and write down anytime he is having this new symptom.

He came home sick from school today but I think we've narrowed it down to an accidental gluten. I think it was hand sanitizer??? It would have to be a hidden ingredient I am not aware of but that's the only thing we can think of. Maybe tocopherol acetate? Does anyone know about hand sanitizers? or hidden ingredients in beauty products that are not in food items?

Just when I think I have this figured out, something new comes up....

Thankyou!

[MTSmom]

My 7-year old is newly diagnosed with Celiac Disease. He also was diagnosed (from the same endoscopy), with eosinophil esophagitis - EE Disease. It is described as an allergic inflammatory disease in the esophagus. Although he had no symptoms for either, we are about to go down both paths to get him better. As I was researching EE, I came across this website: www.apfed.org. Some symptoms are what you have mentioned about your son and I thought you might like to read. May be totally wrong, but might be worth checking.

[mommida]

My daughter was diagnosed with probable celiac disease when she was about 17 months old and then with eosinophilic esophagitus when she was 6. (I you research this, don't panic. We are managing it very well with diet restriction of "trigger" foods.

Most cases of EE are diagnosed from a "flare up" of symptoms in August, September. There is a possible link to airborn allergens.

Keep working with your pediatric gastroenterologist. Another endoscopy with biopsy would probably be helpful to rule out or in several possible conditions.

H. Ployri

parasites

Gerd

another food intolerance

congenital defect or injury defect

possible hernia

Eosinophilic Esophagitus (Make sure this test is ordered for the pathology report)

Celiac damage that is from cross contamination, or just not healing

I can't remember all the possibilities.

Keep us posted.

[T.H.]

Another potential issue if the others don't pan out is that he IS getting glutened. It may be more likely than you think.

1. Getting more sensitive to gluten (aka reacting to lower levels now) is not unheard of. It has happened to both myself and my daughter, where foods that were safe for her in the beginning now give her symptoms. And her symptoms have changed over time, too.

2. The amount of gluten in gluten-free foods that you usually eat might have changed. Ingredient changes, processing changes, etc... As an example, a chocolate company we bought chocolate from added a new product and a previously gluten-free line now processed gluten free and gluten products on the same line. It was still listed as gluten free as far as the company was concerned, but it caused us problems.

Also, tests of gluten free flours and grains are showing that many of them are contaminated with gluten, some with levels as high as a few hundred ppm of gluten. But since they are 'naturally' gluten free (before processing), they can still call themselves gluten free. That's caused us some issues a few times now, too.

And fruit, veggies, etc... - pesticides and coatings often use gluten as a binder. It's unlikely that your little one would be sensitive enough to react to this, but if he was having a significant amount of fruit or veggies with this on it? Could have an effect.

The reason I bring up the gluten, honestly is because most of the symptoms you have mentioned are ones that myself or members of my family suffered from when we were still consuming gluten. Sinus problems, acid reflux, breathing trouble, congestion and cold like symptoms, ear infections and problems. Worse hay fever allergies.

And I don't think you are being too worried about your little one. Things that you mention are so often indicative of something systemic. Not necessarily serious, but something affecting his whole body wouldn't be unusual.

It couldn't hurt to cut out processed foods and go even more gluten free and see if it helps, yeah?