Celiac In Children

[MumOf2]

Hi,

I am under the suspicion my daughter might have celiac (or some other type of gut issue) I have a pediatrician appointment in 5 weeks time, but thought that hoping on here might help me a little in the mean time.

My almost 4 year old daughter has suffered from gut issues with an intollerance to cows milk noticed at 12months after I finished breastfeeding. The symptoms i noticed were irritability and consipation. once I put her onto goats milk, the irritability and sever constipation improved. Also for the first 12months she suffered a lot of colds (Stuffy, runny nose)while I breastfed her (I drank a lot of milk at the time).

By her growth charts, she was on the 50th percentile from birth until approx 6 months (when solids were starting to be introduced) and from then, she has slowly from 6 months of age to when she was around 2 - 3 years, dropped below the 3rd percentile for both height and weight. at 2 years she weighted 10 kilograms (approx 22 pounds)and 80cm (i think this is about 34 inches?) at 3 she weight around 11 kg (24pounds) and 89cm (35 inches?)

SHe gets a lot of headaches and still sufferes from constipation occassionally. SOmetimes her stools do float in the toilet and they look hard. She has had the blood tests last year for Celiac and came back fine so i had left the situation until the last few months she has been vomitting out of the blue, and no one else is sick. OFten complains of a headache before the vommitting. She still has a bloated looking stomach, and I thougth that by around this age, that might have gone down? (thinking it was a baby thing?)

There was also a period of time she was waking up in the night with sore legs/knees the were making her cry.

I had been told by the doctor if she has gone 2 days without a bowel movement, to give her some orange juice (this does help) I have been very strict with no cows milk in her diet since a large amount of icecream gave her diarreah.

Any help with this situation would be appreciated. NOt sure if i am on the wrong track of thought here, but just looking at some alternatives until the pediatrician appointment .

Thanks,

MumOf2

[mommida]

To get to the bottom of things, you have to keep the diet "normal". Do not remove gluten until testing is complete.

What you can do until the appointment is keep a food journal. Maybe the vomitting is not that sporatic, you just haven't found the delayed food reaction? You have to realize some reactions are 12 days long. Keep track of all ingredients, food amounts may be helpful, take note of aversion foods, mood check/symptoms, BMs and consistancy report, air allergen count record would be thorough, and brief description of outings and activities.

[researchmomma]

Hi,

I am under the suspicion my daughter might have celiac (or some other type of gut issue) I have a pediatrician appointment in 5 weeks time, but thought that hoping on here might help me a little in the mean time.

My almost 4 year old daughter has suffered from gut issues with an intollerance to cows milk noticed at 12months after I finished breastfeeding. The symptoms i noticed were irritability and consipation. once I put her onto goats milk, the irritability and sever constipation improved. Also for the first 12months she suffered a lot of colds (Stuffy, runny nose)while I breastfed her (I drank a lot of milk at the time).

By her growth charts, she was on the 50th percentile from birth until approx 6 months (when solids were starting to be introduced) and from then, she has slowly from 6 months of age to when she was around 2 - 3 years, dropped below the 3rd percentile for both height and weight. at 2 years she weighted 10 kilograms (approx 22 pounds)and 80cm (i think this is about 34 inches?) at 3 she weight around 11 kg (24pounds) and 89cm (35 inches?)

SHe gets a lot of headaches and still sufferes from constipation occassionally. SOmetimes her stools do float in the toilet and they look hard. She has had the blood tests last year for Celiac and came back fine so i had left the situation until the last few months she has been vomitting out of the blue, and no one else is sick. OFten complains of a headache before the vommitting. She still has a bloated looking stomach, and I thougth that by around this age, that might have gone down? (thinking it was a baby thing?)

There was also a period of time she was waking up in the night with sore legs/knees the were making her cry.

I had been told by the doctor if she has gone 2 days without a bowel movement, to give her some orange juice (this does help) I have been very strict with no cows milk in her diet since a large amount of icecream gave her diarreah.

Any help with this situation would be appreciated. NOt sure if i am on the wrong track of thought here, but just looking at some alternatives until the pediatrician appointment .

Thanks,

MumOf2

Hi MumOf2, hang in there. Just know that many times the blood tests come out negative in children. My neighbor's 18 month was negative but his biopsy was very positive. As the other poster stated, keep her on gluten diet.

Funny, I could have written your post regarding the breastfeeding to milk. It caused constipation in my daughter and horrible moods. She had colds and even pneumonia a few times before 2. She is constipation free now after 2 months gluten-free.

You said you were seeing a pediatrician in 5 weeks. Is this person a GI? Really push for a endoscopy and biopsy regardless of the blood work.

Welcome to the Boards. It is a great resource.

[MumOf2]

To get to the bottom of things, you have to keep the diet "normal". Do not remove gluten until testing is complete.

What you can do until the appointment is keep a food journal. Maybe the vomitting is not that sporatic, you just haven't found the delayed food reaction? You have to realize some reactions are 12 days long. Keep track of all ingredients, food amounts may be helpful, take note of aversion foods, mood check/symptoms, BMs and consistancy report, air allergen count record would be thorough, and brief description of outings and activities.

THanks for the advice, I will try and keep a food journal from now until the appointment! I didn't think about his before.

[MumOf2]

Hi MumOf2, hang in there. Just know that many times the blood tests come out negative in children. My neighbor's 18 month was negative but his biopsy was very positive. As the other poster stated, keep her on gluten diet.

Funny, I could have written your post regarding the breastfeeding to milk. It caused constipation in my daughter and horrible moods. She had colds and even pneumonia a few times before 2. She is constipation free now after 2 months gluten-free.

You said you were seeing a pediatrician in 5 weeks. Is this person a GI? Really push for a endoscopy and biopsy regardless of the blood work.

Welcome to the Boards. It is a great resource.

Thanks for this, the pediatrician is one that comes highly recommended and is very hard to get into. I will look at the journal as said befoer and see how i go! Thanks