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Our experience was similar to Karen's.
	Virginia started showing symptoms at 6 months (just after
starting on cereals).  She had had some problems with formulas (throwing
up, loose stools, or even refusing to eat), but that was put down to the
fact that she had been a preemie (another story and another question for
later).  We had at last settled on a soy formula and a special nipple
(made for preemies) on her bottle.
	The steady diarrhea started at six months.  I called the doctor,
who saw her immediately.  She had only lost a couple ounces at that time,
so they figured she had stomache flu and placed her on clear liquids for
two days.  She recovered, but became ill again as soon as I started her
on solids.  This time she lost more than six ounces.  She was checked for
an intestinal virus.  (We live in the country where there are horses and
well water.)  That came out negative.  She was placed on the BRAT diet
(bananas, rice, applesauce and TOAST).  After two days of this, she was
worse than ever.  I called the docs office again, and his nurse told me
to try a mild anti-diarrheal medication.  The result was that she got
constipated for two days, then passed large, ugly colored and ugly
smelling stool.  I called back and was simply told to take her off the
medication (which I'd already done).
        Three days later she had lost almost two pounds and looked
like a little ghost. I took her to the doctor's office without calling
first. I showed her to the receptionist who took us immediately to the
doctor.
	A small (but important) aside.  My sister had been going through
all this with me.  She called me the night before this last visit and
told me that we had uncles and cousins who had celiac sprue.  I had no
idea what it was and thought it was a long shot (she had told me it was
rare).
        The doctor came in and was stumped. He said the only thing he
could think of at this point was to hospitalize her and put her on an
IV. In despiration, I told him what my sister had said.
	He lit up right away and went to get some medical books.  He said
he'd never seen celiac before, but could remember studying it.  He said
she had the classic symptons.  As she was already in bad shape, he didn't
want to wait to put her on the diet.  He had me go get her a meal
(specially arranged at the hospital cafeteria) and told me to call if she
did not improve right away.
        To make a long story short, she gained the weight back in a week.
She gained another half pound shortly after.
        All this took place over a three-month time period. She has since
been diagnosed as a celiac via biopsy and is much better, bright and
fearless.

Sarah Rogers