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Do Your Kids Have It, Too?

GlutenNoMore

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GlutenNoMore Newbie
GlutenNoMore
Posted

I am still waiting on my results, but my doctor has already put me on a gluten free diet two weeks ago today. She's certain. Since then, I found out my sister does have celiac and now my mom and grandma are being tested. The majority of the immediate family members have 'stomach problems.'

I took my son in today to get tested, and I guess I was the 'paranoid' parent. Whatever. I'd like to know if he's gluten intolerant so he doesn't get as bad as I or my sister did. The doctor names of the 'typical' symptoms (limp, underweight, etc), and I explained to her that both my sister and I didn't have the typical symptoms. I am overweight (so is my son). She only drew blood for the one test, I forgot which one, and refused to draw for the vitamin deficiencies, as my doctor did for me.

After reading how unreliable just doing one blood test is, I am certain it's going to come back negative. Do many of you guys that are celiac/gluten intolerant have kids that are the same? I don't know how far to push it with this doctor, but, it may come down to just taking him to my doctor, a wonderful lady I found a month ago that actually listened to me. It is sad, as he has been seeing this doctor since the day he was born in the hospital, 13 years ago..

It would be easy for me to feed him gluten free and forget about all the tests, except his father won't follow it on the weekends unless there's doctor's orders.

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kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Go to the univ of Chicago Celiac ct web site. They have Fact sheets you can print and show the doctor. They recommend every first degree relative ( bro, sis, parents & children) be tested and list the tests that need to be run.

My teen boys just tested negative. They have no symptoms.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Both of my children showed a low positive on tests. Both were symptomatic. If your children have symptoms be sure to try them on the diet after all testing is done as children have an even higher rate of false negatives than adults do.

kpryan Apprentice
kpryan
Posted

Did you go to a gastro for yourself? If so, you could prob bring your child to them...that's what my gastro said. It sounds like you like your doc so I would go that route or ask them for a recommendation for your child. The fact that their doc seems reluctant would make me want a 2nd opinion esp with such a family history.

Good luck!! I am getting tested (and went through a gluten challenge) mainly for my kids. I know I do better without gluten but I want to know if I have Celiac so my girls could be screened too....good luck!!!

GlutenNoMore Newbie
GlutenNoMore
Posted
  • Author

Did you go to a gastro for yourself?

I recently found a wonderful family doctor. She sat down and LISTENED to me. I originally went to get my thyroid checked, but I was having so much abdominal discomfort for a couple of weeks preceding the appointment, she concentrated on that, and tested me. I am anxious to get my test results, for that and the thyroid.

I brought a list of blood tests with me, but my son's dr was not interested. He doesn't have any MAJOR symptoms, but he's where I was at his age stomach wise... minor issues. If there is anything, I'd like to know now before it gets worse.. if that's possible.

The dr said they are testing for the one thing, but they did take 3 vials.. so I don't know if she changed her mind later. I'll go up there and get a copy of the results once they're in.

Emilushka Contributor
Emilushka
Posted

I recently found a wonderful family doctor. She sat down and LISTENED to me. I originally went to get my thyroid checked, but I was having so much abdominal discomfort for a couple of weeks preceding the appointment, she concentrated on that, and tested me. I am anxious to get my test results, for that and the thyroid.

I brought a list of blood tests with me, but my son's dr was not interested. He doesn't have any MAJOR symptoms, but he's where I was at his age stomach wise... minor issues. If there is anything, I'd like to know now before it gets worse.. if that's possible.

The dr said they are testing for the one thing, but they did take 3 vials.. so I don't know if she changed her mind later. I'll go up there and get a copy of the results once they're in.

YAY! That doc is like gold. Don't lose her. :-)

luvs2eat Collaborator
luvs2eat
Posted

I was diagnosed at about age 48. Middle daughter was diagnosed about 4-5 years later at about age 26. Youngest daughter was diagnosed about 3 years after that, also at age 26. Oldest daughter (32) was just diagnosed a few months ago after 6 mo. of aggressive chemo for breast cancer.

Youngest is having the hardest time w/ it... she also had issues going on that have been thought to be interstitial cystitis, vestibulitis, and vulvodynia. She has many, many food intolerances... she was down to about 10 foods she could tolerate, but is very slowly finding answers (a hiatal hernia and several ulcers!) and is just starting to bring some foods back.

At least they all like to cook and were very familiar w/ celiac cooking, so it's been easier for them than others, I'm sure! We were never huge convenience food people, so they've not as upset about not being able to eat fast food.

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GlutenNoMore Newbie
GlutenNoMore
Posted
  • Author

YAY! That doc is like gold. Don't lose her. :-)

Unfortunately, soon as husband's deployment is over, I'm moving out of state to where he is stationed.. Already having anxiety about losing a great doctor..

GlutenNoMore Newbie
GlutenNoMore
Posted
  • Author

At least they all like to cook and were very familiar w/ celiac cooking, so it's been easier for them than others, I'm sure! We were never huge convenience food people, so they've not as upset about not being able to eat fast food.

You know, this transition has been fairly easy for me, too. Although I miss beer and have not tried the gluten free kind yet.

I rarely went out to eat in the first place, no fast food, and read the labels on everything I ate (no dairy, nothing artificial, no corn syrup or corn, soy, etc), so this is just another thing I have to watch for. Most of my meals get cooked at home from scratch, as always.

T.H. Community Regular
T.H.
Posted

My daughter tested positive after I was diagnosed, and her symptoms were exhaustion and difficulty with depression, low frustration tolerance, anxiety. I'd probably add in congestion and getting sick a lot on top of that. She was overweight as well.

My son tested negative, but he had a bloated belly, very small stature, and anger issues.

We took them both off gluten, and both of them showed improvement, so I'd say even if it tests negative, might be worth taking your little one off gluten to see if there's a change. Also, he should be tested periodically, if you don't take him off gluten, because it can trigger at any time, and a growing part of the celiac population is the asymptomatic celiacs.

And sorry that your doctor has never looked at celiac disease since he went to med school. The text books in the States were only changed a few years back to reflect the current knowledge. You may want to let him know that the previous knowledge on celiac disease - both the symptoms and the prevalence in the population - are different than there were about 5 years ago.

Not that he'll likely listen, sadly. :( Honestly, if your son tests positive? I'd still find another doctor. This one likely won't know what to keep an eye on, either.

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  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
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      Son's legs shaking

      Blood tests for thiamine are unreliable. The nutrients from your food get absorbed into the bloodstream and travel around the body. So, a steak dinner can falsely raise thiamine blood levels in the following days. Besides, thiamine is utilized inside cells where stores of thiamine are impossible to measure. A better test to ask for is the Erythrocyte...
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      - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
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      Son's legs shaking

      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine?
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      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
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      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine. Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine. Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats. Meat, especially organ...
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      Son's legs shaking

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    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Blood tests for thiamine are unreliable.  The nutrients from your food get absorbed into the bloodstream and travel around the body.  So, a steak dinner can falsely raise thiamine blood levels in the following days.  Besides, thiamine is utilized inside cells where stores of thiamine are impossible to measure. A better test to ask for is the Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test.  But even that test has been questioned as to accuracy.  It is expensive and takes time to do.   Because of the discrepancies with thiamine tests and urgency with correcting thiamine deficiency, the World Health Organization recommends giving thiamine for several weeks and looking for health improvement.  Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Many doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition and deficiency symptoms, and may not be familiar with how often they occur in Celiac disease.  B12 and Vitamin D can be stored for as long as a year in the liver, so not having deficiencies in these two vitamins is not a good indicator of the status of the other seven water soluble B vitamins.  It is possible to have deficiency symptoms BEFORE there's changes in the blood levels.   Ask your doctor about Benfotiamine, a form of thiamine that is better absorbed than Thiamine Mononitrate.  Thiamine Mononitrate is used in many vitamins because it is shelf-stable, a form of thiamine that won't break down sitting around on a store shelf.  This form is difficult for the body to turn into a usable form.  Only thirty percent is absorbed in the intestine, and less is actually used.   Thiamine interacts with all of the other B vitamins, so they should all be supplemented together.  Magnesium is needed to make life sustaining enzymes with thiamine, so a magnesium supplement should be added if magnesium levels are low.   Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  There's no harm in trying.
    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

      By lizzie42 · Posted

      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine? 
    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine.  Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine.  Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and  Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats.  Meat, especially organ meats like liver, are the best sources of Thiamine, B12, and the six other B vitamins and important minerals like iron.   Thiamine has antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Thiamine is important to our immune systems.  We need more thiamine when we're physically ill or injured, when we're under stress emotionally, and when we exercise, especially outside in hot weather.  We need thiamine and other B vitamins like Niacin B 3 to keep our gastrointestinal tract healthy.  We can't store thiamine for very long.  We can get low in thiamine within three days.  Symptoms can appear suddenly when a high carbohydrate diet is consumed.  (Rice and beans are high in carbohydrates.)  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so symptoms can wax and wane depending on what one eats.  The earliest symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are easily contributed to other things or life events and dismissed.   Correcting nutritional deficiencies needs to be done quickly, especially in children, so their growth isn't stunted.  Nutritional deficiencies can affect intelligence.  Vitamin D deficiency can cause short stature and poor bone formation.   Is your son taking anything for the anemia?  Is the anemia caused by B12 or iron deficiency?  
    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

      By lizzie42 · Posted

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
    • Scott Adams
      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
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