<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

 Hello Michelle,

> I have read a few times that with small children who are diagnosed with CD
> that there is the possibility that it could be a transient case.

This is an unfortunate error that seems to be repeated all too often,
thus keeping it alive. Researchers in the area have, for over 20
years, been reporting that celiac disease may take more than a year
to develop villous atrophy again, on re-institution of a
gluten-containing diet (1).

> I  also
> talked to a mom at my daughter's preschool who told me that a young boy she
> knows was diagnosed with CD as a young child and now he eats anything and
> everything and has tested fine.

What testing? How long had the child been consuming gluten prior to
testing? More than a year?

> I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on this and let me know if
> this is an actual possibility.  My son who will be 2 next month has been put
> on a GF diet, since all of his tests for CD have come back inconclusive.  One
> question I do have is that they will be testing his blood again in about 2
> weeks, he has been GF since the end of December.  What would it mean if the
> blood tests came back with the same kind of results?

It would be very surprising, if the testing you are talking about is
for endomysium or gliadin antibodies, if such tests reveal anything.
Antibody testing in infants so young are rarely very revealing. (I'm
sorry I don't have a reference handy on this point.)

My advice is to accept the diet for your child. It is a much better
disease to have than many others.


best wishes,
Ron Hoggan

1. McNicholl B, Egan-Mitchell B, Fottrell P. "Coeliac Disease in
Children"  _Journal of the Irish Medical Association_ 1979; 72(8):
337