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Hello-
I am trying to wade through conflicting theories on whether it is a good idea or not to put my 10-month-old son on a gluten-free diet. (This would be in addition to dairy-free, as he seems to have a milk allergy.)

Both his pediatrician and my GI specialist say it is too early to see celiac. I don't know if he just has a wheat allergy, or if he may have celiac, but my husband and I have seen drastic improvement in our son in just one week away from gluten. What I'm trying to figure out is whether it is detrimental in the long run in terms of getting a diagnosis, etc., to keep him gluten-free, at least until he is 2.

I was diagnosed with celiac by biopsy in late August '04 and have been completely GF since then. I had quite by accident discovered that my health improved after eliminating wheat -and eventually gluten, upon learning of a cousin who has celiac - from my diet in February, back when my son was 2 months old and I was trying desperately to figure out what it was in my diet that was causing him so much GI distress.

Since February, I had gone on two gluten challenges lasting 2-3 weeks each (once before seeing my GP, and once before having the biopsy). Each time, my son's eczema flared up horribly on his trunk, whereas normally he only has outbreaks on his neck. Once I was gluten-free again, the eczema on his trunk cleared up too.

Approx 3 months ago we added oatmeal to his diet (previously he was just eating rice cereal, fruits and veggies) along with some wheat flour-containing cereal, and gradually I have noticed him becoming more irritable (arching his back, not wanting to be held, crying inconsolably out of the blue); I have also noticed an increase in his BMs (3-4/day), which have become looser and malodorous, and increased spitting up, which he rarely did before. Almost one week ago my husband and I decided to eliminate gluten from his diet. We were prompted by an awful eczema outbreak and horrible temper tantrum he threw the morning after having raisin toast with butter at day care.

In one week, he has become noticeably calmer - no temper tantrums, and he is even lying still to have his diaper changed; he is down to only about 1 BM a day, sometimes two, and they are darker and much more formed; his eczema is completely cleared up.

I am interested in finding out what others may have done in similar circumstances. Sorry if I have provided too many details.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

-Kim
Carter, 12/11/03

** Please remember some posters may be WHEAT-FREE, but not GLUTEN-FREE **