Symptoms in children

I think my niece has a gluten allergy.  What are some of the symptoms in kids that you have seen?  I talked to my sister-in-law about what I found online and she doesn't this her daughter had a problem.  I've read enough to think she does.  I would appreciate any info you can give.  There is something going on with her and they refuse to check into anything.  Thanks.

You can lead a horse to water...but you can't make them drink.

I know.  Myself, my son and my daughter are all celiacs, and I see it in my family members as well.  I've told them about the disease, sent them letters and emails...now I just have to drop it, and let them deal with it.

I know it's hard, it's frustrating, but if you push it, they will be like bulls...or nanny goats...they will not accept it.  They may never accept it.  But by presenting it to them in a calm way, with correct information is all you can do.  And when you see them, perhaps offer them something gluten free.  But don't be a nag.  No one listens to nags.

Sorry if I sound harsh...but lets face it...how would you react?  Tina

I do agree with tmbell but, and I don't want to scare you, I have just recently heard that a little boy died from Celiac Disease. He died, because he was sick, but his parents wouldn't do anything about it. It finally got so bad he died. When the dr.'s found out why he died, they turned the parents in. They had their other children taken away and now, both the mother and father are in prison for about 22 years. That sounds so scary to me. Ever since I heard that, I've been so concerend for people who have sick children, don't know why, and don't go to the dr.  

And about the symptoms, they can be just about anything. I'm serious. Just look on the internet.

I think that whatever you do has to be on an information only basis.  Like one person said, you can bring a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.  Celiac Disease is very serious if you don't treat it.  I did not almost die, but I had sever neuropathy where I could not walk, climb stairs and where my left side of my body just didn't function.  I was very sick for months, but I did not know what it was.  It wasn't until I was on the diet for 2.5 years that I started feeling better and more like my old self. 

I am sorry for your sister in law.  I do think that she is in denial.  People have a hard time dealing with out of the norm things because it requires so much more emotional and physical energy and they are pushed to the max in their lives already.  Perhaps that is the problem... Hopefully, she won't have a situation like the one that happened to the people discribed in this post.  Be as supportive as possible.  Don't be an adversary.  Life is hard enough without adding all the interferance of misdirected, but well-intentioned people.

SO sorry! I have a lot of fmaily member with the same symptoms I grew up with , now That I am diagnosed I have told them many times they should be tested.  HTey just continue to think I am the "mutated" gene.  Don't push it. Give them the information and let them live their own lives, maybe one day they will be at a doctors office with their daughter and will say " what about gluten?" Good Luck!

My DD Was rapidly loosing weight at 1 yrs old, no other outward symptoms.

i noticed no one seems to have answered your original question ....

i'm 48, been GF for 2 1/2 years.  so i'm not the expert, but CAN tell you my personal experience as a child.  i was a "chunky" baby & toddler. at about age 5 i dropped weight & have been "skinny" ever since.  that was about the same time i also started with daily bowel problems (horrible diharrea or constipation) & what i later learned was lactose intolerance.  i always had terrible dark circles under my eyes, was often sick (lots of strep), always "borderline aenemic".  doctors prescribed iron that never seemed to have an affect (like all the vitamins).  i ate ... A LOT!  but never gained weight.  the dibilitating vomiting migraines began before age 16.  my parents knew something was wrong, but could never get a diagnosis. 

i have read articles about children that say they get hard, protruding bellies, but don't recall having that myself.

unfortunately, if the parent thinks there is no problem then it'll go undiagnosed until she's an adult and seeks help on her own ... sad.

I was having alot of stomach problems and tested negative for celiac but my grandmother told me i should try a gluten/wheat free diet cause her and my aunt tested negative but do have an intolerance or sensitivity it took me awhile to listen to her but It has been about three weeks gluten/wheat free and stomach problems are 80% better I am thirty years old and it took me a long time

My cousin has a celiac child. The biggest problem in children is malnutrition. If they can't absord nutrients, they can't grow and develop. Education is your only hope. If I had know about my celiac cousin in advance, I would have gone gluten free 6 months earlier.

My son, who is 8 years old, has been getting sick about once a week for the past month and a half.  No fever, I notices a blue tint under his eyes and his skin would get clammy.  Once he got sick he would lay down and then be fine.  I took him to the doctor and she started with possibly alergies, seeing it was the beginning of alergy season.  When I went in for the follow-up my husband had been diagnosed with Celiacs, so she said lets get the kids tested.  My husband was tested because his sister was diagnosed, not becaue of any symptoms, where his sister would really feel sick after eating gluten.

Anyway, my daughter's tests came back negative-but we will have them tested again in a few years-as recommended.  My son's came back maybe, then we had the promethus test done, which also came back negative.  We have decided to have our son be gluten-free for a month and see what happens.  With all the other things that could cause a child to get sick like this Celiacs would be a relief! 

If your niece is getting sick a lot, suggest to your sister-in-law to cut-out foods for a month or so to see if there is any allergy-including gluten.  This may be simple enough.  If she does-great-if she doesn't-then know that you have done what you can to help your niece and move on.  Unfortunately her fate is altimately in your sister-in-law's and your brother's hands, they need to decide what to do.  Another unforunate thing is that in this country Celiacs is not recognized, it is still seen as rare in many circles so getting a doctor to test a child could be difficult.  We are just lucky that our doctor is open-minded and suggested getting the kids tested-I didn't have to.  She is a new doctor, I know our former doctor would not have them tested-and he is fairly young so you would think fairly open-minded.

I have gone on long enough, but I do agree, know in your heart that you have tried to help your niece, maybe when she is older and making decisions on her own you can help her with gluten-free to see what happens.

Nancy

A new mother once told me she was starting the "elimination" diet because her baby was having problems breast feeding. "Elimination" meaning not eating any of the most popular allergens (wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts) then introducing them one at a time back into the diet to find which one is the problem. Her baby fed fine after that. I use a similar diet when my IBS flares up. It works every time.