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I heard back from the paediatrician, via our GP, and he suggested putting
Krystal (7yrs with Down Syndrome and wheat intolerance/celiac?) back on
wheat for two weeks and then having the blood test for endomysial
antibodies. Then if the test was positive she could have a biopsy. Maybe
we've got really good labs here because I was assured that even a negative
result is very reliable.  I reluctantly agreed to give it a try.

Twenty seven hours later I decided "Enough!" Krystal has been hyperactive,
lacking in concentration, difficult to control, aggressive (pinching,
punching, kicking and she nearly choked one of her friends!),  impulsive
(poured water over one of her sisters, climbed through a fence to get to the
ramp for horse riding, knocked over a projector screen and rushed down a
driveway in the dark when a car was approaching ). I also noticed she was
not as chatty and her speech was harder to understand. At home, school,
horse riding and Girls' Brigade her behaviour was noticeably worse. I think
if we kept up a wheat diet for two weeks she wouldn't have any friends left!
And now I know she doesn't need to be like that, I'm not prepared to put up
with the stress it causes and I don't think it fair to expect her teachers
to either. It was a good reminder of what she was like in the past and that
wheat, if not gluten, definitely has an adverse effect on her. I will take
her off wheat to begin with and once we've finished the rye bread go
gluten-free because I would like to see if her runny nose clears up (her
sister's nose did when she went gf).

I talked to the president of the New Zealand Coeliac Society and she agreed
that the NZ public health system would not go to the expense of sending
samples to USA labs. I can't afford to do it privately and we don't have
health insurance. It occurs to me that one day there may be a genetic test
for celiac in NZ, so until then I think I will asume Krystal probably has
celiac. If I can get the doctor to write a letter of support we may still be
able to get a subsidy for the breadmix.

Thanks again for your help and support.

Stella.