Blood Test For Breastfed 4 Month Old?

[samuella]

I just found out last week I have celiac and my 4mo baby has not been gaining weight well so we are getting him tested for celiac - we know the test is not reliable at this age but he's getting other blood work done anyhow so we figured we may as well include this test too and if we get a positive we know that and if we get a negative we know it means nothing!

My question is, should i be eating gluten for the test to have a chance of being accurate? I've been off it about a week (not really noticing any difference - just less bloated). I know if *I* was getting the test for myself I'd need to be eating it, but what about for him? The whole reasoning behind celiac possibly being an issue for him is that he is getting gluten via my breast milk. And if I need to be eating it, would eating some tonight and tomorrow morning before the test be enough (we were planning on getting test done tomorrow morning but it could wait a day or two)?

crossposted in the parents section - hope that's ok!

[mushroom]

If you are going to get the test done right away it probably won't make any difference that you have been gluten free for a week. And it certainly won't make any difference for you to go back on it tonight and tomorrow morning. His body would not have enough time to react to produce enough antibodies to make any difference in the testing. By the same token, his antibodies may not have receded sufficiently to change the testing with the lack of gluten for one week. However, four-month-old babies often do not test positive even if they are are eventually proven to be celiac. Still, it is certainly worth doing the test, and worth keeping both of you gluten free to see if you can help him gain regardless of the test results.

[samuella]

Thanks mushroom! Makes sense - so no gluten for me!

I feel so impatient. I want answers for him NOW. And I want to start noticing some difference myself in how I feel off gluten!! NOW.

Yeah, patience is a virtue, yeah yeah. Heh.