Children's Symptoms

[jules_harry]

Hi, I am new to this forum. I am concerned that my 4 year old son may have Coeliac disease. Anyone else on here with a child with the disease? I have a Doctors appointment in a couple of weeks and would be grateful of some advice to get a proper diagnosis for him. Thanks.

[MrsJourns]

My 4 year old son was diagnosed coeliac when he was 20 months. For us it all happened quite quickly. He caught a tummy bug which triggered the coeliac gene to full (vomiting daily, pale soft stools, rapid weight loss yet swollen belly, chronic fatigue). It took 5 weeks from him first being sick to diagnosis, the first 3 weeks involved me going back and forth to the GPs saying this wasn't a normal tummy bug and them rolling there eyes at me.

You say you are going to the doctors, is it your GP? Not all GPs are clued up on coeliac disease. Be very clear about the symptoms that are concerning you. If there is a family history of coeliac disease then point this out. don't be fobbed off. Most importantly don't take your son off gluten (one GP advised I take my older son off gluten a few weeks before his first Gastro appointment, fortunately this was after my youngest was diagnosed so I knew I was being given the wrong advice).

I used to find it helped to write all my main points down in a notebook. Also if any referrals were put through I would ask when should I hear from then and who should I contact if I don't hear by that date.

Good luck

[Jacks in reply to MrsJourns]

I agree and ask for the test outright then at least it is eliminated.

[jules_harry in reply to Jacks]

Thank you for the responses. It is the GP I am seeing. I will keep a diary and try and be forthright with th GP.

[MrsJourns]

I'd also advise checking out the list of symptoms on the Coeliac UK website. I didn't think my oldest had symptoms, he had no tummy troubles at all, but he was always getting mouth ulcers, the tops of his arms were always quite blotchy and he had started to have difficulty concentrating at school. I now realise they were his symptoms of coeliac disease.

Make sure you give your GP all the symptoms you are concerned about.