To put my DS on a gluten free diet?

[SoCockneyItHurts]

I'm desperate! He's 7 and has been having diarrhoea daily for the last 4-5 months. And it's explosive, very smelly and causing him to get sores around his anus.

We went to the paediatrician at the hospital on 1st September. After lots of questions and prodding of his tummy she concluded that he had a short gut transit time whatever that is. That basically his food passes through him at a much faster rate than others. She wanted a blood test to check absorbtion of vitamins etc. We found out on weds that's he's anaemic and the hospital have started him on Sytron iron liquid for 3 months. The diarrhoea is continuing and I'm so stressed with it. He went 5 times yesterday. A gluten free diet is the only thing I haven't tried. The paediatrician did ask about diet but didn't think it was that.

I'm hesitant to try it because it says you shouldn't without a proper diagnosis. Plus it's quite restricted from what I've read and DS is fussy enough as it is! But I really am desperate.... the fact that he's now anaemic has stressed me further and I can't stop worrying. AIBU to try gluten free without diagnosis?

Thank you....I'm so worried about him :(

I cut dairy out my son's diet without testing first. He always had diarhea but now he is milk free he doesn't anymore!

We are going to go gluten free eventually but it will be difficult for us. If you think it will help, go for it.

While you are waiting for gp appointments if you don't want to cut out gluten you could try something called the hay diet - theres no restriction on food just how you eat it. Our family do it because it makes it easier for your body to digest food and has worked wonders on DH who has a delicate stomach. Essentially you don't eat protein and carbs in the same meal (because they 'fight' with each other in your stomach/bowel). Fruit and veg are neutral so can be eaten wih anything. We typically have things like salad sandwiches, veggie pasta for lunch - our 'carb' meal of the day and for dinner we have meat or fish dish with veg or salad. It takes a bit of adjustment and getting used to - but I now never have indigestion and only get diahorhea or constipation if I'm ill.
While it sounds like you need to get some proper medical advice - this could be a quick change that can help while you go down the medical route....

I may be biased here, but, as coeliac myself, parent of coeliac, and relative of numerous coeliacs, this sounds like classic case of coeliac disease.
Don't go gluten free - get the blood test first.
Anaemia is a symtom of coeliac, as is (horrendous) childhood diarrhoea, and many other things. Children can get better v quickly on gf diet, so I would strongly recommend blood test. Dont be fobbed off, contact coeliac UK for help if they try to fob you off. The statistics for undiagnosed coeliac in the UK are staggering, as the symtoms are very variable, and awareness in the medical profession is patchy.

I've put my DS on a gluten free diet. He isn't bad like your DS but it doesn't seem to agree with him. We thought we would try it for a month.