Does 3 Year Old Son Need Biopsy?

[Jennaand2kids]

My 3 year old son had Tissue Trans Glutaminase at >33.....so I was sent to a gastrointernologist. He told me this morning he needed a biopsy within the week. The dr said that the majority of the time people have celiacs who have there are positive levels of tissue trans glutaminase. He said and if it is positive a lot of the time their needs to be steroids or another medication along with a gluten free diet. Im not a fan of perscription meds....cant a stomach heal just on gluten free? Im confused

[ravenwoodglass]

Yes we can heal without drugs as long as we are strict with the diet. If you're concerned about your son being given drugs or the biopsy procedure since his blood work was positive you could simply choose to get him strictly gluten free and then test again in a few months and see if those levels have gone down. Do be aware that if you make him gluten free without a biopsy and then later decide you want to have that done you will need to regluten him for about 3 months for the test to have the best chance of being positive.

[Jennaand2kids]

so then the best choice is to just do the biopsy and possibly refuse the drugs? cause I had been given him no gluten for about a week and half but he may have got something here and there cause when i picked him up from grandpas he had a sandwich in hand and had only had a bite and i tricked him into giving it to me and i told him i would give him ice cream instead LOL..and now they are having me regluten him till procedure...i just dont know if its neccessary to be for certain about celiac or just know he is extremely sensitive?

[ravenwoodglass]

It doesn't matter whether he is celiac or 'gluten sensitive' the need to be strictly gluten free is the same. The choice on whether to have him have a biopsy or to take the drugs or to take a wait and see if he improves on the gluten free diet is yours to make. You do have the option of having him gluten free and seeing if the blood work levels go down but if you later decide to biopsy he would need to go back on a full gluten diet for about 3 months before that was done. If your doctor will diagnose based on the relief of symptoms and decrease in blood levels that would be good as you will need to have proper precautions taken with him when he goes to school or daycare. Talk to your ped about your concerns and see what they say.