11 year old daughter with unexplained stomach aches and feeling tired

[Cobbies]

For about 4-6 months, my daughter has been feeling very tired, having unexplained stomach aches, feeling breathless, and has loose stools. The doctors think she is really constipated. She still has not yet had any blood tests. Do any of you have any advice you can give to me? Thanks.

[Regalbirdy]

Hi Cobbies,

Yes – my advice would be to keep her on gluten foods and go get coeliac blood test soon as you can; because constipation is a known symptom of Coeliac Disease. Diarrhoea is often more commonly associated with having Coeliac Disease; but either is very possible.

In fact, some people don't get any gut issues at all. CD is a multi-system/Multi-organ disorder that can affect almost any area of the body (the skin, brain and liver are several other examples). Anaemia is also quite common.

You obviously have some suspicions as to what it might be; because if you hadn't, you wouldn't be asking for advice from a gluten-free community (welcome!).

Speaking from personal experience, as a child I got no obvious gut issues. However I always found it hard to keep up with the other children, especially where physical exercise was involved.

All my school reports came back with: 'lacks concentration,' 'daydreams' and 'could try harder' written all over them because I had brain fog. Coeliac disease affected me mentally and it required a lot of effort to be able to concentrate properly on anything, which I always found very tiring.

As a kid I also had dental enamel defects, which are now understood to be significantly more common in children with coeliac disease.

I mention all this here in case any of this also rings a bell with you. Fortunately awareness of Coeliac Disease has improved in recent years and the blood test is a very straightforward procedure.

It's also worth bearing in mind that you can be a Gluten Sensitive without being a Coeliac. Coeliac disease is only part of a lot bigger picture. Non-Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity is becoming much more recognised.

Please don't accept any diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) for your daughter until ALL other possible courses have been ruled out. I seem to remember this is written somewhere in the NICE guidelines.

Luckily being gluten-free is much easier than ever before; should it become necessary to go down this route.

Take care.

[Cobbies in reply to Regalbirdy]

This is really excellent. Thanks so much for replying. She is going for a blood test tomorrow and we will see what happens. Interesting that you can be Gluten Sensitive without being a Coeliac.

[Regalbirdy in reply to Cobbies]

Hi, Good luck tomorrow.

Please do allow you daughter to keep eating gluten until advised otherwise by the medical fraternity.

Also be aware that NCGS (Non-Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity) is not as well understood or known about by local GP's - so when you get the test results, expect to be pleasantly surprised if they can talk knowledgeably about it!

Coeliac Disease is an autoimmune condition; but with NCGS neither the allergic or autoimmune mechanisms that cause it have been properly identified yet. Sometimes people who test negative for coeliac disease decide to go gluten-free anyway, to see if they improve on an elimination diet. I'd still recommend involving a hospital dietician if you have to consider doing this with your daughter.

Btw, Coeliac UK has a website and makes for a good starting point for those looking for more info.

I hope you can get the answers that will help your daughter.

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Hi Cobbies

how did you get on with your little girl?