coeliac disease?

[teta]

I have a 4 years old ds who has always had upset tummies and persistent vomiting He also has an enormous distended tummy.We thought he would eventually grow out of it but that hasn't happened.Whats worrying me at the moment is that he eats a lot but has a very small frame and doesn't seem to be growing as fast as his friends.Does anyone here have experience of a similar situation and or lactose intolerance?.I have also posted on the parenting thread as I didn't tealise there was an allergy thread.Many thanks!.

Am pretty sure have cut out all gluten apart from very occasional mishap, eg. friend gave her a cone a few weeks ago. But think that she has associated difficulties with coeliac. Have read one article that described a coeliac sufferer who also had sucrose deficiency and this eventually got better. But I know that there are some people who have lactose deficiency associated with it where it doesn't get better so am just a bit worried about that!!! Also is difficult not knowing, waiting for so long for answer then when you get an answer doesn't have desired effect!!!!

I felt better instantly once I went on a totally gluten/lactose free diet. I also lost 2 stone. I used to eat a lot of bread and was always hugry because I was not properly absorbing nutrients.

It is not possible to be cured but have heard that the lactose intolerance declines after a few years on a gluten/lactose fee diet - basically as the gut repairs itself.

Some people do not show up positive on tests (as I didnt) but after the tests have been done it is worth trying a strict gluten/lactose free diet for a few weeks. If it works stick with it. That is what I did and am healthier than I have been for years.

pevie - there are other things that could be causing your DD's problems. Sucrose is unlikely, I would say (although possible) because the enzymes for digesting sucrose don't decline in the same way that lactase does in some populations. The association with coeliac disease is through the damage to the gut lining, and the subsequent loss of the brush border enzymes that digest sugars.

Did you DD have antibiotics at an early age for anything? She may have a disordered gut microflora which can also cause gassiness, lethargy, tummy pain etc. Have you tried giving her biolive yoghurts? Yeo Valley are good - I used them in the UK. Or you can go the extra way and give her Actimel but the yoghurts are a nicer way to start.

Failing that, another thought is to try eliminating other foods, one at a time, for 2 weeks at a time. If no improvement is seen at all, then re-introduce the food - if an immediate worsening of symptoms is seen then she could still be sensitive to it.
A friend of mine had low grade symptoms - gut ache, lethargy, headaches, general feeling of undertheweatherness - was diagnosed as wheat intolerant and gave it up. But - she loved bread and was seduced by an early morning bakers to buy a fresh half baguette which she ate in one go - cue agonising stomach pains, swelling of eyelids and throat, rash all over throat and upper torso. So she stopped again!

I have been to the gp and had him weighed and measured and he is on the 40th centile for both - so he is not undernourished.He is also full of energy!-and doesn't look sick.He is still vomiting every day[especially at night]and I am forever washing duvets and bed clothes.He is also still pooing 6 times daily which would suggest maladsorption.I don't know from the information here whether he is a coeliac or whether it might be due to some malformation of the GI tract.He is going to be tested for parasites and the gp has agreed to refer him so we will see what happens.All this information has been terribly helpful - so thank-you.Pevie I hope you find out whats wrong with your DD.

That's good news on all fronts teta - hope it works out with an appropriate diagnosis.