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I posted yesterday about a blood test and I just wanted to thank everyone
for their  replies. I have learned a great many things and I wanted to make
another post for some people that may have the same questions.

The answer to my question of do you need to be eating gluten to have the
blood test done is, YES! You could have a false negative otherwise. Many
people take this blood test yearly to make sure they arn't having any gluten
snuck into their diets by toothpaste, etc.
I have gotten many different replies as to the amount of time that you need
to be eating it. I have heard 2 weeks - 6 months for an accurate test
result. I only have 3 days before our blood test so I'm sure we will have to
have another one done in the near future.

As for the Tax write off, I live in Canada where the taxes are different
than in the US. Most people here say its worth having the test to be able to
write off your food. http://www.penny.ca/Disability.htm

Someone sent me this link https://www.enterolab.com/Home.htm
This is a lab that does Fecal testing, instead of having the biospy done.
Does anyone know if the findings from this lab would be enough for the
Government to aknowladge the face that you do indeed have a gluten intolerance?

I have also learned that Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles are Gluten free(something
I did not know).

Some people have also said that it is indeed not worth having my children
tested. I am still struggling with this choice. Would they rather be tested
and confirmed now when they are 2 and 3 years old or when they are adults
and will remember the tests and things they have to go through? This is a
tough choice to have to make. What if they aren't Celiac and there is
something else wrong? What if I make them go on this diet for their whole
lives and it turns out in the end that there was no need? I am sure many
parents deal have mixed feelings about this. I still haven't figured out
what is best.

Again, thank you all for your replies. You have all been very informative,
much more than my Doctor who obviously knows nothing about this disease.
There is a special unit in the children's hospital here that is dedicated to
Celiacs, but the waiting list to get an appt. is up to a year, I hear, if
not more.

~Shannon

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