Child with celiac?

[jfem4]

My son is 6 years old. He is in the 80-90% for his ht and wt. He has boundless energy, is happy content etc...

He has always had "gag" issues. Can vomit easily.

In the past yr he has been vomiting frequently~ 1-2 X/week. Usually it's about an hour after he falls asleep.
It doesn't matter what he eats.
He starts with coughing, and is always still asleep when it happens, so he never remembers any of it. ( night terrors??)


In OCt he vomited 3 times in school right after lunch.
Didn't happen again until Feb, vomited @ school ( once after lunch, twice after gym)

Between oct and feb he never vomited again, except the times mentioned.

Went to the GI.
Endoscopy results : abdomen and esopahgus-WNL
Duodenum : blunting of the villi, and deepening of crypt.

THere were no lymphocytes.

Pathologist said that all 3 had to be present for Celiac.

Blood test is next week.

Could this be Celiac?
Could they have missed the biopsy?
Does he present like Celiac?
Could it be the beginning of it??

No fam hx of anything like this.


Thanks,
J

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Celiac is possible and may sometimes be difficult to diagnosis.  Celiac normally presents with diarrhea, weight loss, growth failure and anemia.  It doesn't seem that growth or weight is a problem.  

I agree with the blood antibody tests to cement the diagnosis.  

If celiac is negative, yet the diagnosis continues, you can consider further evaluation.  This can include abdominal imaging to rule out an obstruction, as well as to evaluate the liver and gallbladder.  

Occasionally, neurologic disease can lead to vomiting - which can be evaluated with brain imaging and a referral to a neurologist.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_

[6nipps]

My daughter has had some of the same issues. She is now 10 and this started when she was around 4 or 5.  It comes and goes and the months between are a little longer now.  I took her for GI tests at Childrens Hospital when symptoms first began.  They said "they thought" is was migraines and that some children don't have head pain but rather stomach pain and vomitting. She would probably grow out of them but it could then turn to headache migraines.  This did not happen and we are still dealing with it every several months.  Her brother ,who is a year younger than her ,has since been diagnosed with migraine headaches and I myself started getting them at about 13yrs old. I got a couple books at the library to make sure these "stomach migraines" were possible. It seemed to be a correct diagnosis but now I have my doubts.  I am wondering if it might be a gallbladder issue. That runs in our family. We are going back to the doctor soon and hopefully with new GI tests and a new GI doctor at Childrens Hospital, we'll discover the truth.  It's so frustrating. So much more even when it is your child.  It scares me still when she vomits in her sleep.  I wake up constantly and check on her.  I worry she could choke or something. A lot of times during her "episodes" she sleeps in my room. Wish us luck as we head back for MORE TESTS.