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Celiac Without Weight Loss Or Stunted Growth?

momtogavin

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momtogavin Newbie
momtogavin
Posted

Is it possible for a child to have celiac without the associated symptom of weight loss and/or stunted growth? As I posted a while back, I suspect my 10 month old has celiac but he is a porker and in the 95th percentile for weight. I am taking him to the doc next week for a blood draw (I think that is what they are going to do). I fed him whole wheat toast for lunch (about 1/2 slice) after his sweet potatoes and he has had 4 loose/pasty pale brown/yellowish stools. Just wondering if the weight loss/stunted growth is always indicative of Celiac. Thank you.

Natalie

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shayesmom Rookie
shayesmom
Posted
Is it possible for a child to have celiac without the associated symptom of weight loss and/or stunted growth? As I posted a while back, I suspect my 10 month old has celiac but he is a porker and in the 95th percentile for weight. I am taking him to the doc next week for a blood draw (I think that is what they are going to do). I fed him whole wheat toast for lunch (about 1/2 slice) after his sweet potatoes and he has had 4 loose/pasty pale brown/yellowish stools. Just wondering if the weight loss/stunted growth is always indicative of Celiac. Thank you.

Natalie

Yes, it is possible to have celiac and still be in the 100th percentile for weight and height. The very first child that I met with celiac disease (prior to finding out about my dd's gluten problems) was in the 95th for both height and weight. He had biopsy and blood proven celiac disease. My dd had FTT and did not test positive for celiac disease on blood work. We opted out of the biopsy as her GI felt she was too little to biopsy, had egg allergies and soy intolerance (not a great candidate for anesthesia) and we were fed up with invasive tests.

It may also be that your son has extreme gluten sensitivity and not celiac disease. No matter what the results are, trust in your own observations on this. You live with your son. No one will know his reactions to foods better than you and tests aren't always accurate.

HTH

momof2sn Apprentice
momof2sn
Posted
Yes, it is possible to have celiac and still be in the 100th percentile for weight and height. The very first child that I met with celiac disease (prior to finding out about my dd's gluten problems) was in the 95th for both height and weight. He had biopsy and blood proven celiac disease. My dd had FTT and did not test positive for celiac disease on blood work. We opted out of the biopsy as her GI felt she was too little to biopsy, had egg allergies and soy intolerance (not a great candidate for anesthesia) and we were fed up with invasive tests.

It may also be that your son has extreme gluten sensitivity and not celiac disease. No matter what the results are, trust in your own observations on this. You live with your son. No one will know his reactions to foods better than you and tests aren't always accurate.

HTH

What is the difference between gluten sensitivity and celiac disease??

2kids4me Contributor
2kids4me
Posted

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease. The body reacts to the gluten as an invader and attacks the intestinal villi where the gluten is absorbed = flattened villi, damaged intestine, malabsorbtion. Untreated celiac may also result in other autoimmune conditions if left untreated.

Gluten sensitivity has many similar symptoms to celiac but the villi are not attacked by the immune system.

Removing gluten form the diet solves both conditions.

Lactose intolerance and/or casein allergy/sensitivity has intestinal symptoms (and skin) too.

Blunted villi can be found in cases of casein intolerance bu the damage is not as severe as in celiac . Blunting as opposed to complete flattening and lymphoctyes invading.

I probably dont have all the info - I hope other posters will correct me if I am wrong and/or offer further insight.

**my daughter was bloated and considered overweight at the time of diagnosis. She "slimmed out" within weeks of gluten free. It wasn't fat - it was fluid retention and bloating

Sandy

ptkds Community Regular
ptkds
Posted

My dd was the biggest out of all my kids, and she was the first one diagnosed w/ celiac disease. I am overweight and I was recently diagnosed w/ celiac disease. So yes, it is VERY possible to be big and still have celiac disease. You should request the test. It won't do any harm to check.

ptkds

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