Going Gluten free. How long until results might be seen?

[sparkler]

I have just started DD2 (20months) on a gluten free diet.

Her symptoms include:
- constipation or mucousy diahorrea (swings both ways).
- often very unsettled and windy at night (sometimes cries until she belches up wind).
- very windy and unsettled after weetbix, grapes, apples, dim sims and other foods.
- very colicky and unsettled as an infant even on breatmilk.

I have assumed a milk intolerance up to now because she had lots of problems moving from breast milk to formula and she is still only has a small amounts of full cream milk (which constipates her).

I was talking to a lady yesterday who was a celiac, and she made the connection that the milk reactions and other food intolerances could be from an inflammed gut caused by gluten. I have never considered this before so I am trying an elimination diet starting today.

How long will she need to be gluten free before an inflammed gut might start to heal? How long will she need to be gluten free before we declare the diet a success or failure? Is 2 weeks a reasonable time period or could it take longer?

Any advice or comments greately appreciated.

[WorkingClassMum]

It takes generally about 10 days to a fortnight to see really good improvemnent depending on the amount of inflamation and damage in the gut.

Your bubs may have a Food Protein Intolerence - and therefore other forms of complex food proteins - such as soy - may also be a trigger.

There are a lot of threads on this now (not that I don't want to answer you) that may also answer other questions you may have.

[Grace3]

You can be tested for Celiac Disease, but I'm not sure from what age.

I would also speak to your family doctor and ask them for help, as to what it could be.

When you thought it was an intolerance to milk, what did you use instead?

[WorkingClassMum]

You can be tested for Celiac Disease, but I'm not sure from what age.

I would also speak to your family doctor and ask them for help, as to what it could be.

When you thought it was an intolerance to milk, what did you use instead?

there is a difference though b/w FPI (food protein intolerence) and Coeliac's disease which is an autoimmune disease.

Many kids experience FPI and most grow out of it, Coeliac Disease is for life.

There is a simple blood test, but the child must be on a normal diet for the markers to show up. If the markers show up, then a biopsy of the bowel is the next test.

Many people who have an intolerence - which cannot be tested for - do not have Coeliacs Disease.

[sparkler]

Thanks for the replies.

I have taken DD to the doctor a few times regarding her food issues but I have always been dismissed and told not to worry about it. She has always made good weight and height gain and met her milestones on time so they say I am worrying about nothing but.... I am not sure how long I can put up with the screaming trying to poo, screaming until she belches up wind at night and recurrent irritability. I feel terrible seeing her like that and I am sure its not normal, so I dont want to just wait and see if she might grow out of it if there is somethng I can do for her now. I figured I had nothing to lose in going gluten free for a few weeks to see what happens, and if I see any differences with her I will definetly consult the GP again.

The only formula that doesn't constipate her in Nan HA gold. I have not tried soy formula because a soy yoghurt gave her a rash around her mouth, so I have stayed well away from soy. I find the Nan HA formula makes her colicky and windy but her poos are soft, and full cream milk solves the colick and wind issues but she then cant poo without medication. It really seems to be one extreme or the other. Currently she has a cup of formula in the morning, a small serve of yoghurt in the afternoon, a half cup of full cream milk before bed at night.

I will give her 2 weeks on her gluten free diet and see how she goes. I willpost on her progress. Thanks again.

[Sarahg]

For me the pain disappeared very quickly, but it took several weeks for all the symptoms to go and to actually feel better. If she does have a gluten intolerance or coeliacs many of the vitamin stores will be depleted due to the disease, it takes a while to build these up again. Ask for a referal to the womens and childrens hospital in your state for blood test allergy screening to point you in the right track.
They can test for dairy, soy, peanut and gluten among others, but they must be consumed in the diet for any reactions to show up.

Unfortunately tests for coeliacs in children can be unreliable ( but personally I think they are a good indicator).

[ZooKeeper]

The Royal prince Alfred Hospy allergy unit have a lot of info on all this, they also have a cookbook out "Friendly food" which gives a lot of info on the intolerances/allergies and how to do an elimination diet.

The basic gist of going gluten-free is that a gluten intolerance damages the little ends of the intestinal cells which produce lactase (the thing that breaks down lactose -- which is in cow milk, goat milk, breastmilk etc)... good news is unless there is an intolerance to Cows Milk protein or lactose, after a while the intestinal cells heal and milk can be re-introduced but the gluten free diet usually needs to stay in place, in the case of coeliacs, for life, in other people, it can be dose-related and it has a cumulative effect (so weet bix plus sandwhich plus MSG plus cake in a few days causes a big reaction). DD and I are both on cow dairy-free and gluten-free diets, I am going to try her on some hard cheese when she's two as hard cheese most of the protein is denatured. she copes with breastmilk so I know it's CMPI not lactose-intolerance.

with an allergy testing can be done for antibodies, with an intolerance the only test that exists is trial and observation by adding and subtracting from the diet. for gluten, you can expect some results within 48 hours -- less irritability, less bloating and wind, more settled poo scenario IME, the final symptom for us is the excema and that takes a few weeks to really clear up.

Good luck
:hugs:
zooy


when I realised gluten

[sparkler]

Thanks!

I have an appointment with the GP tomorrow and I am going to request a general allergy screen and specifically a test for wheat and gluten allergy. I have continued with her on her normal diet until we have the tests done to get an accurate test result.

If the tests show nothing I will then commence the wheat and gluten free diet to see if she may be intolerant.

I will keep in touch, Thanks all again.

[sparkler]

We went to the doc yesterday and saw a different doc to normal which was great because he didnt dismiss my concerns at all. In fact he actually said that DD2 showed all the signs of having an irritated and inflammed bowel which was definetly an allergy concern.

We went to pathology for a blood test (RAST and others) this morning which was horrible as she had trouble getting enough blood, but it will be worth it to get some answers. I also had a blood test for celiacs and wheat allergies because the doc suspects that me and both my DD's could be celiac or gluten or wheat intolerant.

We are back to the docs next friday for the result so I will let u know how we go.

:thumbsup: It is such a relief to have a doc that understood and acted on my concerns. :fingerscrossed: we get some answers soon.

Thanks for reading :hugs:

[mythreelittlemonkeys]

If it comes back negative...see if you can organise to get a fructose hydrogen breath test done...they may not do as so little but my DD aged 2.5 just had one done and it was positive...it is not just fruit that upsets her...and we are in the process of hooking up with a specialist dietician to work out her tolerance levels to fructose, things like wheat with fructans in them apparently can affect too and things with sucrose in...
I spoke yesterday to the head of Dietetics at PMH who said that this is one of the most missed intolerances affecting children, it is often put down to IBS or another intolerance...there is also because of this not heaps of people who specialise in recognising it...but another BHubber gave sent me to the coeliac.com.au website where there is info about this intolerance and contact details for Sue Shepherd who is the guru in the field :)

[Missus S]

My 10 month old DS just had the fructose and sucrose hydrogen breath tests done in the past fortnight................and one day we were there they were doing a lactose hydrogen breath test on a little 3 month old baby girl so I guess they can do it at any age

[sparkler]

The celiac blood panel came back inconclusive.

Her IgA levels are apparently very low so the tests were not reliable.

I am persisting with the low wheat / gluten diet for the time being and she seems to be a bit more settled.

All her allergy (RAST) tests came back clear :yelclap:.

TillieAndBug :hugs:- I had never heard of fructose intolerance before so thank you for the info. I checked out you links and I will investigate further. What were the symptoms in your little girl? Is this something that kids usually grow out?

Missus S. Thanks. Is it possible to get the test at the local doctors or is a referral to a specialest needed?

[mythreelittlemonkeys]

My 10 month old DS just had the fructose and sucrose hydrogen breath tests done in the past fortnight................and one day we were there they were doing a lactose hydrogen breath test on a little 3 month old baby girl so I guess they can do it at any age

just the team at PMH (perth) said they dont like doing it on littlies as trying to get them to blow into the equip and say when breath nearly over hard...and that the masks can be often traumatising for the child...plus alot of the tests come back having to be redone or inconclusive for the younger kids/babies...but I am sure like you said it does get done...i was just saying wasnt sure :)
Sparkler - We went to a paed who referred Tillie to PMH for the test...I expect every state is different ...we then were given a hospital dietician appoint straightaway (got positive results in less than a week)...but we are actually waiting to see a private dietician who specialises in the field in March...she doesnt have Heridatory Fructose Intolerance which is very rare and very serious but she has fructose malabsorption (same kinda thing as lactose or wheat but with fructose). Symptoms diarreoah up to 5/6 times a day (though I picked up this happened mainly after fruit months ago and limited her intake) so now she is pretty right unless has fruit and sometimes it happens and we not sure why...this could be to do with fructose/fructans being in other foods she eats. Its a matter of getting her tolerance levels sorted (through food challenge) and making sure her diet doesnt include the no no foods...not sure if they grow out of as the public dietician was really vague...can have side effects too...
thats tricky getting inconclusive results...hope the website helps...at least it gives you some more info you can have for your next step in finding out what is wrong with your little one :)

[Missus S]

I'm in Adelaide and I'm pretty sure the Gastro Unit within the Womens & Childrens Hospital is the only place that do it..............and there were a few men too when we went so I guess it must be.

It was quite easy for the nurse to do it on the bubs, she just used a small tube to capture their breaths out of their noses and because its taken every half an hour over 2.5 hours she was also able to do it whilst the bubs were sleeping :thumbsup: