Re: Weightloss in child after being GF for two years...?

March 1, 2006

Well, it definitely sounds like it to me...that is how my son acted before diagnosis. I would be surprised if just a little CC could cause that dramatic a weight-loss, but then again I'm no expert. I would have assumed it would have to be more gluten than not to cause that, especially in such a short timeframe. I guess the best thing to do would be to have a panel test done, and find out! I agree that the CC risk is MUCH higher in that room, and perhaps he's actually getting gluten-foods from the other kids. My provider has busted several kids "sharing" with my son before. They all know better now, but only bc she explained it to them...and it's a small, in home daycare where (a) there aren't a lot of kids to keep track of and ( she controls the food, where they eat, etc....

I guess start with the panel, esp. since nothing else seems wrong, and go from there.

I feel for you. My son started around Xmas time saying his belly hurt, like every day. Then he got strep and didn't eat, and dropped some weight. I was convinced it was gluten...but he seems back on track now and hasn't complained about his belly. But for about a month I was racking my brain....

Best of luck! Bridget

From: SillyYaks [mailto:SillyYaks ] On Behalf Of cyebelSent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 10:44 AMTo: SillyYaks Subject: Weightloss in child after being GF for two years...?

Hello all..My little SillyYak, who will turn three in April, went from 38 lbs. at Thanksgiving (the US one) to 33-34 lbs. now. He was still at 38 lbs. when we weighed him at Christmas. He grew another half inch during this time, too, and now is just shy of 40". He has been following a strictly GF diet for almost exactly two years now. He recently switched into the play school group at his daycare from the infant/toddler room and I am wondering if this might be the culprit. The chances for cross-contamination are much higher in the play school room where the children are somewhat more self-directing and self-sufficient. Aside from plain vegetables and plain fruit, I have always supplied all of his foods for him, almost all of which I have made from scratch. He has awakened more frequently during the night crying, needing Mommy (I have to admit, I like that still!), and wanting to cuddle close to go back to sleep (something he always did before when his tummy was hurting during the night...I think the warmth of Mommy against him was like a heating pad or something). Before we finally figured out that he needed to be GF, he SCREAMED for hours every single night, rocking on his side curled up in a ball holding his tummy, for eight months until we finally made the connection (giving him crackers and cheerios from three months on was probably the trigger...ugh...he needed table foods so young because he was soo big...24 lbs. and wearing size 24 months clothing already by that age!), so this is reminiscent of those long eight months for me, especially since the few times he has been glutenized in the past two years (where I could specifically trace the source) he has cried during the night, too. He eats three meals a day and a minimum of three snacks. If anything, I feel like we're always throwing food at him! He never has to hold back on food, because we let him eat whenever he wants to (something I've done with my kids so long as it's good snacks and they aren't beginning to become overweight because of it!). I would say that for a kid his age, he has a pretty good appetite...he likes the yucky stuff like plain spinach, broccoli and peas! I make sure that he has whole milk and full-fat yogurts, puddings, etc. I have him booked to see his doctor on Monday and I am wondering if his weight loss could be from small amounts of cross-contamination at the play school...what do you think? An unintentional greater-than ten percent weightloss in six months is something to contact one's doctor about (according to many online medical sites), and he has had this happen in approximately two months. C

March 1, 2006

I often wonder about my own son's weight (or lack there of) and whether or

not he needs to be tested for Celiac (I'm the only confirmed one in the

family). My son has been 36 pounds, give or take a few ounces, for at least

a year now, but eats well (when he wants - haha!).

A few things to consider though...are you weighing him on the same scale

that shows the loss? I know that I can be weighed at the doctors and go

home and be different on ours and my mom's. Another thing to consider is if

his height shot up before his weight? How connected are the two (height

gain vs. weight loss)? Also, could his new independance at school be a

cause for his needing you at night? My 4 year old has gone back to wanting

me to lay with him at night. I'm not trying to dismiss your concerns, just

trying to look at other angles. It has been mentioned here several times in

the last few days how we are quick to blame Celiac for everything.

Hopefully this will be a " phase " he is going through and nothing else.

Weightloss in child after being GF for two years...?

> Hello all..

>

> My little SillyYak, who will turn three in April, went from 38 lbs.

> at Thanksgiving (the US one) to 33-34 lbs. now. He was still at 38

> lbs. when we weighed him at Christmas. He grew another half inch

> during this time, too, and now is just shy of 40 " .

>

> He has been following a strictly GF diet for almost exactly two

> years now. He recently switched into the play school group at his

> daycare from the infant/toddler room and I am wondering if this

> might be the culprit. The chances for cross-contamination are much

> higher in the play school room where the children are somewhat more

> self-directing and self-sufficient. Aside from plain vegetables and

> plain fruit, I have always supplied all of his foods for him, almost

> all of which I have made from scratch. He has awakened more

> frequently during the night crying, needing Mommy (I have to admit,

> I like that still!), and wanting to cuddle close to go back to sleep

> (something he always did before when his tummy was hurting during

> the night...I think the warmth of Mommy against him was like a

> heating pad or something). Before we finally figured out that he

> needed to be GF, he SCREAMED for hours every single night, rocking

> on his side curled up in a ball holding his tummy, for eight months

> until we finally made the connection (giving him crackers and

> cheerios from three months on was probably the trigger...ugh...he

> needed table foods so young because he was soo big...24 lbs. and

> wearing size 24 months clothing already by that age!), so this is

> reminiscent of those long eight months for me, especially since the

> few times he has been glutenized in the past two years (where I

> could specifically trace the source) he has cried during the night,

> too.

>

> He eats three meals a day and a minimum of three snacks. If

> anything, I feel like we're always throwing food at him! He never

> has to hold back on food, because we let him eat whenever he wants

> to (something I've done with my kids so long as it's good snacks and

> they aren't beginning to become overweight because of it!). I would

> say that for a kid his age, he has a pretty good appetite...he likes

> the yucky stuff like plain spinach, broccoli and peas! I make

> sure that he has whole milk and full-fat yogurts, puddings, etc.

>

> I have him booked to see his doctor on Monday and I am wondering if

> his weight loss could be from small amounts of cross-contamination

> at the play school...what do you think? An unintentional greater-

> than ten percent weightloss in six months is something to contact

> one's doctor about (according to many online medical sites), and he

> has had this happen in approximately two months.

>

> C

>

March 1, 2006

Aside from the crying during the night, he shows no outward signs of

being sick...Sterling hasn't had colds, the flu, he isn't rundown,

he has full energy, etc. He is very fair, but he has always been

that way, so it doesn't worry me (he was so white when he was first

born that they sent down the NICU specialists down to give him a

once over just to make sure there was nothing wrong with

him...almost exactly the colour of the sheets, and I'm not

exaggerating...never seen anything like that and neither had the

doctors!)

During the eight months that he screamed all night, he didn't gain a

single pound (good thing he was already so big by then!), then he

began to gain weight again once he went GF.

I am pretty sure that he isn't being fed glutenous foods directly,

because they have a worker at the play school who literally sits

beside him the whole time he eats and he only eats in a designated

spot at the tables, etc. The daycare as a whole has been awesome

with regard to Sterling and being GF! I just worry that because the

room has been glutenized for so long and the kids can otherwise come-

and-go during their snacktimes at will, maybe he is getting small

amounts that are cumulating into larger amounts.

I am just wondering if it has happened to other kids when they've

made this type of a transition into a more glutenous world!

C

March 1, 2006

As a side note, he was tested last year. No CD indicators at that time.

Weightloss in child after being GF for two years...?

>

>> Hello all..

>>

>> My little SillyYak, who will turn three in April, went from 38 lbs.

>> at Thanksgiving (the US one) to 33-34 lbs. now. He was still at 38

>> lbs. when we weighed him at Christmas. He grew another half inch

>> during this time, too, and now is just shy of 40 " .

>>

>> He has been following a strictly GF diet for almost exactly two

>> years now. He recently switched into the play school group at his

>> daycare from the infant/toddler room and I am wondering if this

>> might be the culprit. The chances for cross-contamination are much

>> higher in the play school room where the children are somewhat more

>> self-directing and self-sufficient. Aside from plain vegetables and

>> plain fruit, I have always supplied all of his foods for him, almost

>> all of which I have made from scratch. He has awakened more

>> frequently during the night crying, needing Mommy (I have to admit,

>> I like that still!), and wanting to cuddle close to go back to sleep

>> (something he always did before when his tummy was hurting during

>> the night...I think the warmth of Mommy against him was like a

>> heating pad or something). Before we finally figured out that he

>> needed to be GF, he SCREAMED for hours every single night, rocking

>> on his side curled up in a ball holding his tummy, for eight months

>> until we finally made the connection (giving him crackers and

>> cheerios from three months on was probably the trigger...ugh...he

>> needed table foods so young because he was soo big...24 lbs. and

>> wearing size 24 months clothing already by that age!), so this is

>> reminiscent of those long eight months for me, especially since the

>> few times he has been glutenized in the past two years (where I

>> could specifically trace the source) he has cried during the night,

>> too.

>>

>> He eats three meals a day and a minimum of three snacks. If

>> anything, I feel like we're always throwing food at him! He never

>> has to hold back on food, because we let him eat whenever he wants

>> to (something I've done with my kids so long as it's good snacks and

>> they aren't beginning to become overweight because of it!). I would

>> say that for a kid his age, he has a pretty good appetite...he likes

>> the yucky stuff like plain spinach, broccoli and peas! I make

>> sure that he has whole milk and full-fat yogurts, puddings, etc.

>>

>> I have him booked to see his doctor on Monday and I am wondering if

>> his weight loss could be from small amounts of cross-contamination

>> at the play school...what do you think? An unintentional greater-

>> than ten percent weightloss in six months is something to contact

>> one's doctor about (according to many online medical sites), and he

>> has had this happen in approximately two months.

>>

>> C

>>

March 1, 2006

I thought about the scale thing, but all three of the rest of us in

the house have not changed what we weigh on that scale

(unfortunately!). Sterling LOVES preschool...more than he loves

Mommy, I think! It's not the fact that he cries during the night as

much as it is the type of crying...does that make sense?

I'm wracking my brain to think of other possibilities, but I guess it

doesn't hurt to have him checked at least before he loses any more.

C

March 1, 2006

Look at it this way, if you get him tested one of two things can happen: He tests and his numbers are up, and you know he's getting it somewhere. You now have an answer, and then have to do some detective work. But at least you know.

He comes back negative. You hve no answer, but now you know it isn't gluten. More detective work.

Did you say he's grown up during this time period, though? My son lost weight too, although only 2 lbs, over the last month, but he shot up and his pants are now highwaters....I figure the two are related somehow.

From: SillyYaks [mailto:SillyYaks ] On Behalf Of cyebelSent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 11:15 AMTo: SillyYaks Subject: Re: Weightloss in child after being GF for two years...?

I thought about the scale thing, but all three of the rest of us in the house have not changed what we weigh on that scale (unfortunately!). Sterling LOVES preschool...more than he loves Mommy, I think! It's not the fact that he cries during the night as much as it is the type of crying...does that make sense?I'm wracking my brain to think of other possibilities, but I guess it doesn't hurt to have him checked at least before he loses any more.C

March 1, 2006

Yes, he grew at least a half inch again since Christmas. (He wears

size 5 clothes already and some of them barely fit!) I am thinking,

too, that perhaps with a bit of growth in height he just burned a

lot more calories suddenly.

We have a lot of thyroid issues in my family too, so I am thinking

the doctor might want to check him on that.

I think that it will be good for the doctor to track his

weight/height a little bit more closely and then we'd have a record

of a trend if it continues.

It's not that he hasn't continued to grow/gain at a quick rate that

bothers me, just that he is now skin and bones and has lost weight.

I had been remarking to my other kids how scrawny Sterling seems

lately and even holding his hands his wrists seem so much tinier

than they used to, etc. That's what prompted me to weigh him and I

was so surprised.

C

March 1, 2006

It never hurts to be safe than sorry! Talk about " mommy guilt " on not

having him tested and it being from gluten?!?!?!? Hopefully it's not

though!

One other thought...are you comparing him to siblings/family or kids his

age? I think my son is a shrimp around his older cousins, but when I see

him at school, he's just the same size as the other kids.

Re: Weightloss in child after being GF for two

years...?

> Yes, he grew at least a half inch again since Christmas. (He wears

> size 5 clothes already and some of them barely fit!) I am thinking,

> too, that perhaps with a bit of growth in height he just burned a

> lot more calories suddenly.

>

> We have a lot of thyroid issues in my family too, so I am thinking

> the doctor might want to check him on that.

>

> I think that it will be good for the doctor to track his

> weight/height a little bit more closely and then we'd have a record

> of a trend if it continues.

>

> It's not that he hasn't continued to grow/gain at a quick rate that

> bothers me, just that he is now skin and bones and has lost weight.

> I had been remarking to my other kids how scrawny Sterling seems

> lately and even holding his hands his wrists seem so much tinier

> than they used to, etc. That's what prompted me to weigh him and I

> was so surprised.

>

> C

>

March 1, 2006

Have they changed out the playdough for a gf one?

Made sure kids are not playing with cereal or pasta (or flour -- the

absolute worst thing) in crafts, etc?

Is the staff washing hands before serving/heating his food? Does he eat

anything they provide?

Also, have you rechecked his vitamins and any cereals he eats at home (many

have changed in the last few months)?

> -----Original Message-----

I just worry that because the

> room has been glutenized for so long and the kids can otherwise come-

> and-go during their snacktimes at will, maybe he is getting small

> amounts that are cumulating into larger amounts.

---

[This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus]

March 1, 2006

Good point. My oldest daughter is 6 foot, my son 6'5", but my youngest is just 5'7". She has always been "short" to us. None of them are Celiac and my youngest is normal height. Of course, she could have been switched at birth ... hmmmm LOL in Michigan/ O'Connor wrote: It never hurts to be safe than sorry! Talk about "mommy guilt" on not having him tested and it being from gluten?!?!?!? Hopefully it's not though!One other thought...are you comparing him to siblings/family or kids his age? I think my son is a shrimp around his older cousins, but when I see him at school, he's just the same size as the other kids. Re: Weightloss in child after being GF for two years...?> Yes, he grew at least a half inch again since Christmas. (He wears> size 5 clothes already and some of them barely fit!) I am thinking,> too, that perhaps with a bit of growth in height he just burned a> lot more calories suddenly.>> We have a lot of thyroid issues in my family too, so I am thinking> the doctor might want to check him on that.>> I think that it will be good for the doctor to track his> weight/height a little bit more closely and then we'd have a record> of a trend if it continues.>> It's not that he hasn't continued to grow/gain at a quick rate that> bothers me, just that he is now skin and bones and has lost weight.> I had been remarking to

my other kids how scrawny Sterling seems> lately and even holding his hands his wrists seem so much tinier> than they used to, etc. That's what prompted me to weigh him and I> was so surprised.>> C>>>>>>>

March 1, 2006

Have you talked to the daycare about HOW he eats, as well as what he

eats? When my son went to Mommy's Day Out, the infant room ate in high

chairs, and were closely supervised. The next room up ate at tables,

and there much less supervision, so that some kids never actually ate

anything - played with the food a little, then dashed off to play.

When I realized my little one was basically going all day on empty

(What? Eat when there's all these toys here?) I asked them to not

allow the kids up until a certain minimum off food had been consumed.

They did make changes, and it certainly helped get some lunch into my

kid - " You can't go play until you eat your cheese and fruit " - then

he did the power vac thing.

Maureen