Toddler Improves On gluten-free Diet But Then Diarrhea Returns: Normal?

[So-so's mom]

My 19 month-old daughter, Sophie, was diagnosed with celiac disease two weeks ago, after 6 weeks of diarrhea, occasional vomiting and significant behavioral changes. Her antibody tests were negative but she is very young so we weren't surprised since those tests are unreliable under the age of two. Given that she has an impressive family history (grandfather with celiac, mom with Type 1 diabetes and celiac gene, brother with Type 1 diabetes), the gastroenterologist said to put her on a gluten-free diet. We did and we saw significant behavioral changes fairly within a week: she became less irritable, less clingy and had a lot more energy. After two weeks on a gluten-free diet, she had her first solid stool and, for the first time in 8 weeks, brought us her sneakers at 7 am and asked to go outside. The day after that wonderful solid stool, she started having diarrhea again, and this time it had mucous in it. She's now been having daily diarrhea with mucous. Is this the normal course of recovery with celiac? Are we inadvertently contaminating her food? I thought that she would be totally well by now. Oddly enough, even with the return of the diarrhea, her behavior and energy level, as well as appetite, are still markedly improved. I would love others to share with me what it was like when their toddler went gluten-free and how long it took. I'm very anxious that the diarrhea hasn't yet stopped and that it now includes mucous, which wasn't there in the beginning....

[tarnalberry]

Does she play with playdough? Is your house gluten free? Do you have pets eating gluten-containing food? Did you separate out any shared condiments (peanut butter, jam, butter, etc.)? Are there any stomach viruses going around your area right now (like norovirus was going around Portland)?