<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
In answer to your question of how long to see results:
My daughter, who also has Down Syndrome, showed immediate results on the GF diet. Diagnosed at 17 months, her symptoms were failure to gain weight and eczema (which no one thought had been related to celiac, but which cleared up immediately on the GF diet).
For the 1st 2 weeks of the GF diet, I saw cognitive development that just floored me, every single day. I am convinced that without the GF diet, everyone would have just said, "What were you expecting? She has Down Syndrome."
2nd point: my daughter had stopped gaining weight as soon as she started eating solid food. (Which is what started the search that finally discovered the celiac.) Once she started the GF diet, her weight jumped right back on the growth curve she had been on before.
If your child isn't responding to the GF diet, you and your should keep searching: is the diet truly GF, or is there something else going on?
Ann
-----Original Message-----
From: Andrea Ihnen <[log in to unmask]>
To: CEL-KIDS <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sun, Mar 25, 2012 3:11 pm
Subject: time frame for healing
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Sender: Celiac/Coeliac Wheat/Gluten-Free Children List
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Poster: Andrea Ihnen <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: time frame for healing
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<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
Hello,
I'm new and have some questions...
My daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease (in November 2011) when she=
was 22 months. We immediately went GF and it's been almost 4 months now=
. Her main symptoms prior to the diagnosis were vomiting, recurrent illn=
esses, tiredness, irritability, weight loss, distended belly, and iron de=
ficiency anemia. There has been some improvement of symptoms over the la=
st few months, but most of these symptoms are still very present or at le=
ast to some degree. The most noteworthy is that she just can't seem to g=
ain any weight.
I've read that symptoms can improve immediately and that a lot of people =
feel significantly better and symptoms go away within weeks. I also know=
that each individual responds differently and that some people take mont=
hs (or years?) to heal.
My daughter receives therapy through Early Intervention because she also =
has Down syndrome. And her therapists are very concerned with how long i=
t's taking her to heal. She's having a tough time tolerating therapy bec=
ause she is always so tired and irritable and fussy. They think that we =
should be seeing quicker results since we've been GF for several months a=
nd they aren't satisfied with her doctor's "give it time" approach. They=
are strongly encouraging us to seek a second opinion in hopes of finding=
someone who is more willing to investigate why her symptoms haven't gone=
away by now.
I like my daughter's doctor. And I trust that she is providing the best =
care she possibly can. But I'm concerned about my daughter's little body=
and I feel pressure from her therapists to be more proactive with this.
So here is my question: How long did it take for your child's symptoms t=
o go away? Or how long for the symptoms to improve significantly? Do I =
need to give this more time, or should I seek a second opinion just in ca=
se?
Thanks for any help. I'm feeling very overwhelmed with all of this.
Andrea
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