Celiacs...(?) Gluten Sensitivity... Custodyand Visitation

[celiac custody battle]

Our six year old was diagnosed with celiacs at three... when our divorce began. She had two positive blood tests and one negative.... no endoscopy... father claims I convinced myself she has something "hard " to diagnose and threat... to get attention presumably... He won... I could not afford a lawyer... he had two. The doctors would not back up the diagnosis... now he has been given sole medical/ legal custody... I can only take her to the doctor in emergencies. He denies she has rash, diarreah, pain in her arms and legs, really bad gas... vomiting.... her stool is seldom firm and the color changes frequently...

I do not have insurrance to have an endoscopy done on myself...but I have had the same symptoms all my life... Not eating gluten is the only thing that works to make me feel completely fine... in fact I feel great and full of energy when I abstain...!

We live in a small town... medical care (and family law) here is really backward... I don't know what to do for my daughter... Her father would not admit that she had symptoms before, which I do not understand, he certainly will not now... My credibility was questioned but no proof was offered, only inuendo that I had pressed the doctor and had taken the child to the doctor "more than usual." The custody order actually said it was just too hard to maintain a gluten free diet... and that he now has control over her third party notification regarding diet restrictions... This decision is harmful to our daugjters' health... but I am barred from helping her... by law... without good reason...I am intimidated by him, all the lawyers, doctors, judges... He tried to accuse me of child abuse for not feeding her gluten. Someone help... please

[pricklypear1971]

Are there free attorneys through family court?

Do you have copies of her medical records and lab reports? What was submitted to the court to support the dx and what did the doctors say to retract their dx? Who said the diet is too difficult to maintain? the judge or a doctor?

I'd get SCIENTIFIC articles - easy to read and succinct, and take all of them (records, articles) to a lawyer, law clinic.

If all else fails what about Child Welfare or whoever it is you report child abuse to?

[xjrosie]

Our six year old was diagnosed with celiacs at three... when our divorce began. She had two positive blood tests and one negative.... no endoscopy... father claims I convinced myself she has something "hard " to diagnose and threat... to get attention presumably... He won... I could not afford a lawyer... he had two. The doctors would not back up the diagnosis... now he has been given sole medical/ legal custody... I can only take her to the doctor in emergencies. He denies she has rash, diarreah, pain in her arms and legs, really bad gas... vomiting.... her stool is seldom firm and the color changes frequently...

I do not have insurrance to have an endoscopy done on myself...but I have had the same symptoms all my life... Not eating gluten is the only thing that works to make me feel completely fine... in fact I feel great and full of energy when I abstain...!

We live in a small town... medical care (and family law) here is really backward... I don't know what to do for my daughter... Her father would not admit that she had symptoms before, which I do not understand, he certainly will not now... My credibility was questioned but no proof was offered, only inuendo that I had pressed the doctor and had taken the child to the doctor "more than usual." The custody order actually said it was just too hard to maintain a gluten free diet... and that he now has control over her third party notification regarding diet restrictions... This decision is harmful to our daugjters' health... but I am barred from helping her... by law... without good reason...I am intimidated by him, all the lawyers, doctors, judges... He tried to accuse me of child abuse for not feeding her gluten. Someone help... please

First, document EVERYTHING. Take pictures, make a log, recordings...anything to keep records of her symptoms. Gather all the doctor's files you have in regard to her positive blood tests. Yes, take pictures of her poop. Date everything.

Then, contact the free legal office in your area. If they won't help, start contacting every family lawyer to plead for them to help you pro bono.

Good luck

[Di2011]

Just for a few moments I want you to leave the divorce and legal proceedings aside. I'll get back to that crap later

When did your daughter start having problems with her health? How did it present?

What lead you to getting celiac testing? What specific testing did she have and when?

What specific symptoms does your daughter suffer - details/timings/severity? And how did you (or doc???) link this to gluten as opposed to other culprits?