[neev]

hello

Background - DD aged 3.5 had really bad diarrhea at around age 2 and we were told to try a gluten free diet (can't remember if it was doc or CHN). huge difference and she became a much happier healthier child. This year we went to paed allergist to try and figure out what the exact problem is. She had faecal impaction (probably caused by an underlying medical condition) and it has taken a few months to sort that out before attempting a gluten challenge.

Six weeks ago we re-introduced gluten, 2 slices of bread a day. Over the last 5 days she has become sicker and symptomatic again - nausea, vomiting, cramps, wind, liquid diarrhea & tiredness. We had her blood test today.

I hope someone can help with two questions, I will try the paed allergist again tomorrow as they have been closed the last few days. I also have an appointment at the GP tomorrow morning as I am concerned by how sick she is.

- Does anyone know how long the blood test results take? There was tTG-IgA, some other IgA and IgE and the HLA for coeliac.

- Did you keep your kids on 2 slices of bread a day while waiting for the blood test results even if it was making them sick? Basically all food is running through her body within half an hour whether it contains gluten or not.

Thanks
Niamh

[purplecrayon]

From memory, I think the blood tests only took a few days. I kept DD on gluten until the biopsy, just to make sure we got a clear result. I didn't want to have to put her through it again, if we got an unclear result.

I hope you can get a biopsy (if required based on test results) quickly, given the holiday period, so you don't have to keep her on it any longer than necessary. Your poor DD, it really can affect them badly in lots of ways.

If your DD had been off gluten for a while and then you put her back on, it could make her sick. The process is necessary though to get a definitive result, so you know what it is or isn't causing it.

Hope you get the results and any action required soon.

[neev]

Thanks for your reply purplecrayon, I was thinking the same that we need to just keep going. She will be starting kindy in Feb and I really don't want her to go through this ever again.

She was great at the blood test today, taking the plaster off afterwards was much worse!

[Carmen02]

hope it goes well! blood test results are not always a great way to test for coeliacs (was just at gastro specialist yesterday lol) i have an 8yr old coeliac he was quite severe and my 2yr old DS is just booked in for a biopsy his blood test came back clear but specialist still thinks its worth a look as he has so much symptoms. I hope its a short wait, we are book in for the 23rd January for the biopsy so not a big wait!

[neev]

I spoke to the paed allergist yesterday on the phone and he said to take her off wheat now that the blood test is done, we will see him in under 2 weeks to get results and see what's next. I was surprised that she didn't have to stay on gluten till results come back.

3yr old DD is like a different child after just a day off, she is not sad/sick/tired and her imagination is back

Good luck with the biopsy Carmen

This post has been edited by neev: 21/12/2012, 10:54 AM