DS has CD and has been GF for a little over a year. He is home with me FT and eats pretty much all his meals from our kitchen. I know everything that goes in him.... That said, last night and this morning he has complained that his tummy hurts. He has told us this completely unprovoked by us. He's at an age where if we ask him if something hurts, he'll say "yes," so if he tells me something is bothering him without me suggesting it, I tend to take it more seriously.
I can't think of anything he might have eaten in the past week or so that could have gluten in it. But, all the same, parents of young kids with CD, how do you differentiate between your average tummy ache and a gluten reaction? It is so hard and it really stresses me out and is a big reason why I'm waiting to give my 9-month old DD gluten until she is much older.
Any advice? Thanks!!
Cy (04.02.2008) & June (10.05.2010)
Re: Tummy ache vs. Gluten reaction?
I can usually only tell if there are other symptoms too. Like DD2 always gets really moody and DD3 cannot sleep when she's been glutened. They also get tired quickly.
If it is a gluten reaction, I find that peppermint tea helps and extra hydration.
Ditto pp. We look for behavior changes, stool changes, etc. in addition to the kids' self-reporting. Is your whole home gluten free? If not, do you have dedicated surfaces, pans, toaster, etc. for prepping your son's food?
When I was reading up on cross contamination a few years ago, I rolled my eyes and declared it over-the-top ridiculousness. Buying new cookware, colander, cutting boards, etc.?! No way. My kids were fine as long as I just gave them gluten free food. And then. AND THEN! I got diagnosed w/CD myself. I quickly learned "the whole truth". LOL. Once I went gluten free myself, I started having reactions any time I'd accidentally get glutened (I'd never had obvious gluten rxns when it was constantly in my diet). And the longer you're GF, the more sensitive you get. I've been GF for 17 months, and if my food touches, say, a barely scratched nonstick pan that at one time had cooked gluten, or a wooden spoon that once stirred wheat pasta stirs my food, or my apple gets cut on a wooden cutting board that held bread a year ago... I'm sick. SICK for days.
Cross contamination is no joke. If you don't already, think of gluten like you would a deadly poison. Keep it FAR away from your son, be conscious of where every crumb goes, wash your hands after touching it, never touch anything that goes near his mouth if you've handled gluten, etc. Even keep a separate dish cloth/sponge for his dishes. Now that our house is actually gluten free (DH is the only gluten eater so he only gets gluten outside the home, I replaced all nonstick and cast iron pans, wooden utensils, toaster, cutting boards, etc.), my kids are even more improved. Just something for you to think about.
Hope your LO feels better soon!