Do you know when gluten affects you?

[MariaJenny]

I discovered I have coeliac recently.

I never bought bread by my own initiative, I don't like any "whole grain" product and I hate beer flavour. I think there was self knowledge in the back of my head about the gluten happening to be a problem to me.

Now, I notice my daughter doesn't like to eat any bread, baking, pies, cakes.

And my son snacks all day, yes all day he is picking food: fruits, sausages, ham, cheese, yogurt; but he doesn't take bread neither.

My husband buys bread for the family and practically he is the only one that eats it by his own initiative.

I am doing a coeliac test to my kids soon.

But the doctor told me even when coeliac can be inherited, it may not be active until later in life, so these tests can be negative and my kids can eat gluten normally now and that doesn't mean they are free of risk in a future it becomes active.

No clue how to get the genetic test, must be expensive.

[BabsyWabsy]

That must be a worry. It's strange how your body knows to avoid things that are not good for you. I think for your children, the first point of call would be your GP. Coeliac may not manifest itself until later life, but it would be good to know as you can do damage by eating gluten.

[Cooper27]

The genetic test isn't really worth it. 40% of the population actually carries the gene for coeliac disease, but only 1% of the population goes onto develop it, so the genetic test really doesn't tell us much, other than that the person needs to watch out for symptoms and get tested if they flare up. Your kids already know to do that.

Although you carry the coeliac gene, your kids only have a 1 in 10 chance of developing coeliac disease themselves, so I think they should relax for the time-being, and enjoy not worrying about cross contamination!