*Help*. Daughter just diagnosed with Coeliac. Very poorly. How do i get her to eat again?

[shellypops31]

My daughter has just been diagnosed with CD. 14 months old and lost lots of weight - extremly thin, can see all her bones and totally lythargic. we are very worried about her. we're seeing the dietician tomorrow but i need some help on how i get her to eat again? she won't eat anything at all bar yoghurts and has started to throw those up too now. also not drinking much. i think she's too scared to eat or drink for fear of what it does to her. can anyone help?

poor you and your dd. No advice I'm afraid but you could try posting this in Health and Parenting as well so more people see it. Do hope you get some good help from the dietician tomorrow.

This is a problem which has been raised here:

members2.boardhost.com/glutenfree/

in the past so if you post your query there you'll get additional advice. Previous children who have lost their confidence have eaten like horses once their confidence returned and weight and height gain can then be dramatic!

I would start by giving her very bland, easily digested things to eat (healthy eating can kick in later once her confidence has returned). Some coeliacs develop a temporary intolerance to milk which may be why the yoghurts may be causing a problem now. Is there any treat she enjoyed previously which might tempt her? In the meantime well cooked white rice (i.e. cooked until the grains are very soft - can take nearly twice as long as recommended cooking time) is very easy on the digestion and might help to restore her confidence as it won't cause any discomfort and is very healing according to Chinese tradition. I'd also leave a bowl of dry glutenfree cereal where she can reach it (e.g. Whole Earth Organic Cornflakes or Gorilla Munch - both of which are completely free of barley malt) and she may start to nibble the odd bit. If she doesn't start eating soon you could ask the doctor for the high calorie drinks which can be used for a short time and help her drink out of "grown up" glasses or whatever to try to get her to drink. Good luck - hope your DD's recovery is underway soon.

here is a terrific source of info & support
www.glutenfreeforum.com/

Sorry but I don't know much about the condition. I wonder if cooking some sliced apple with cinnamon in the microwave or on the stove might help? The occais time my 15 month daughter has picked up a nasty tummy bug, it's been good basic food to get her appetite going again, and cinnamon aids digestion.

First of all, it is good news that you have a confirmed diagnosis - now you know what was making her ill, and simply by changing her diet she will improve.By the time you see this, you will have seen the dietician. By the sound of it, you may need to avoid dairy products for a month or two until her villi start to recover. But she can eat potato and rice, all vegetables, fruit, meat and fish.

Join the Coeliac Society and get their directory of gluten-free food. Leave out anything you are not sure of, which will probably include sweets and most food from restaurants (e.g. McDonalds chips are OK, but nothing else from there). Cadbury's chocolate is not safe, but Green & Black's is.

Food labelling is improving all the time; most own-brand supermarket food will now clearly state whether it contains gluten.

Hope the dietitian appointment went well. Good link from flamingtoaster, you will get lots of support and help from other parents on there.

I put my dd back onto formula when she lost weight and wouldn't eat, I also used supplements, dinochews (need to check content) and lemon fish oil from higher nature.

Scary though it is if your dd is not eating there's a reason the body reacts in this way. You have to make sure they have plenty of fluids and are hydrated

not sure about lactose intolerance though..

My husband is coeliac. He also developed an egg allergy, so it's possible that there may be other intolerances, but please take advice on that.

For now you ALL need lots of loving care, all will be well, my DH soon began to improve once on GF diet and there are so many alternatives out there in the supermarkets - cakes biscuits etc. You'll get GF stuff on prescription for her too.

There's a children's section of the coeliac society. we get the magazine for DH, and it's very good. You'll soon get the hang of substituting stuff.

Big hugs, now that you know what it is you're on the way to wellness. xxxx

I can't imagine that at 14 months she understands that it's the food making her feel unwell, so personally wouldn't think she is deliberately avoiding eating and drinking. It will take her good fortnight on the gluten free diet to get her to the stage of feeling well again (I know from experience) and a good longer than that to bump her up to optimal weight.

Given that she is so thin, you are going to have fuss over her diet like a fusspot for the next few weeks.

Personally I would start by getting some calories into her, in any way she'll take them, then concentrate on the vits and minerals when she is perking up. I sincerely hope that your paediatrician is advising you on feeding, and that she is having frequent check-ups, as she has probably been nutritionally deficient since weaning.

I would think that the optimum food for a child of that age with such a problem would be breast milk. I don't suppose there's a chance you're still lactating, is there? Or do you have a bf sister of friend who could donate a lot of milk?

Failing that, try her with fruit smoothies with banana, and honey or sugar, just to some calories into her. With some bananas, and some raspberries, bluberries, a splash of juice (one of those sticky mango or pineapple or peach nectars? or apple) and generous amount of honey. If she keeps this down that a good start, and you good start her on her gluten free food.

Is she able to take rice, or is that out too? My friend always swears by rice water for her children with upset stomachs, but it obviously depends on whether she can tolerate it.

Also CHECK the yoghurt ingredients- many have gluten in as a thickener!

My DD was diagnosed at 2.8. Although she hadn't developed the fear of food your daughter has, her appetite was tiny and she certainly didn't enjoy eating. But it didn't take her long (about 48 hours) to realise that this new food was not going to make her feel ill and within 2 weeks she was a changed child.

I hope you have had some good advice from the dietician. I know that lactose intolerance can be a side-effect of undiagnosed coeliac, but I believe (but please check this) that once the patient is on a gluten-free diet, that the lactose intolerance will stop.

I just want to reassure you that having a coeliac child is very easy to adapt to. As Sciolist says, labelling is amazing now (I find sainsburys particularly good) and the supermarket own-brand ranges of free-from foods are excellent. You will also get a good supply of foods on prescription.

Sciolist, I've just checked my coeliac uk directory and they have listed cadbury's chocolate as safe to eat. My DD eats cadbury buttons all the time, so do you know if they've changed their recipe in the last year?

Hope your daughter's health starts to improve very soon Shellypops.

A big big thank you to everyone who has replied. i am amazed! i have never been on any of these chat rooms before and this has just been brilliant. Dietician gave us some food replacement drinks and tried to reassure us that even by Monday she'll be better. until then it sounds like we've got a weekend of trying anything and everything. thank you all so much for your help xxx

Agree with those who say she should improve after a change in diet.
A friend of ours had a son who was in the same situation as your dd. He was very weak and ill. As soon as he started eating the 'right' foods he was a changed child. He's a happy and healthy 5 year old now.

Shellypops I hope your daughter is starting to show signs of improvement.

Just a follow-up to my own question on cadbury's chocolate. Apparently the buttons are fine to eat, but the dairy milk bars, fruit and nut etc are all made on a production line where they also make products containing gluten, so the risk is not in the ingredients but one of contamination.

Shelleypops, how is your dd doing now?
Hope she is feeling a lot better.
My 4yo DD has been off gluten for 5 days and is already eating everything in site, Really hope it is the same for your dd.

tkband3 - I was away last week. I am glad you answered the Cadbury's chocolate question as I did not know...

McDonalds - the back of the paper on the serving tray lists every item on the menu and which allergy groups can eat it - except that it excludes seasonal specials. I wondered myself about potato wedges, but in the absence of positive information I avoided them and just stole a few fries.

hello! does anyone out there have any info on children with severe eczema that could have poss coeliac disease. My 2yr old has slight egg allergy and slight milk allergy (RAST 1). we have eliminated these from her diet to no avail, she is still suffering. Very itchy inflamed , she suffers bouts of diarrhoea but no other obvious tummy probs.

Any advice would really be appreciated!

Could it be dematitis herpetiformis:
"The typical features are small grouped itchy blisters, often on red plaques, situated on the back of the elbows and forearms, buttocks and front of the knees. Although these are the common sites the rash may in addition, occur anywhere on the body including face, scalp and trunk. The eruption is extremely itchy and may keep patients awake at night. "
"All patients with DH have associated CD although it could be described as latent CD in the majority."
If so, it is caused by gluten and will clear when gluten is withdrawn from the diet - but consult your GP.

thank u! have just been reading about this on net. will consult our dietician. do your children have eczema or CD?

No - but I am CD and when DS had a skin condition (which turned out to be unrelated) we researched DH.