skin reaction?

[Guest guest]

Hi

We're having a time figuring out if our son in gluten-sensitive.

 

A couple questions: Does allergy testing work?

 

How long will a skin reaction usually last? (Not hives) He has a pink raised,

itchy rash on wrists/forearms and chin. Looks like it it on its way out,

although little spots have appeared on his face today. I don't know much about

dermatitis herpetiformis, however you spell it.

He's been off wheat for a couple months, off all glutens for a month or so, so

we wanted to challenge the wheat again. Didn't notice any behavior issues this

time, and we thought we were ok until we noticed the rash. DS didn't have tons

of wheat- 1/2 a piece of bread day 1, one piece day 2, 1 bowl cream of whole

wheat cereal day 3, nothing for 2 days, then 1/2 a bowl wheat cereal on day 6.

I noticed the rash on day 6, and now, 5 days later (day 11) we still have the

rash a little. We also had oats for the last 2 days before today.

 

We've backed off again, and suspect we'll have to try it several times before we

know for sure.

 

Will an allergy test show anything if he doesn't have a true allergic response

to gluten?

 

Thanks

Laurie

[Guest guest]

I would recommend the poo testing at www.enterolab.com to get a reliable

diagnosis of gluten sensitivity.

 

Sally

 

On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 9:27 AM, gnlcover <gnlcover wrote:

 

>

>

> Hi

> We're having a time figuring out if our son in gluten-sensitive.

>

> A couple questions: Does allergy testing work?

>

> How long will a skin reaction usually last? (Not hives) He has a pink

> raised, itchy rash on wrists/forearms and chin. Looks like it it on its way

> out, although little spots have appeared on his face today. I don't know

> much about dermatitis herpetiformis, however you spell it.

> He's been off wheat for a couple months, off all glutens for a month or so,

> so we wanted to challenge the wheat again. Didn't notice any behavior issues

> this time, and we thought we were ok until we noticed the rash. DS didn't

> have tons of wheat- 1/2 a piece of bread day 1, one piece day 2, 1 bowl

> cream of whole wheat cereal day 3, nothing for 2 days, then 1/2 a bowl wheat

> cereal on day 6. I noticed the rash on day 6, and now, 5 days later (day 11)

> we still have the rash a little. We also had oats for the last 2 days before

> today.

>

> We've backed off again, and suspect we'll have to try it several times

> before we know for sure.

>

> Will an allergy test show anything if he doesn't have a true allergic

> response to gluten?

>

> Thanks

> Laurie

>

>

>

 

 

 

--

" If you want to write fiction, the best thing you can do is take two

aspirins, lie down in a dark room, and wait for the feeling to pass. If it

persists, you probably ought to write a novel. "

—Lawrence Block, Writing the Novel From Plot to Print

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

..

Laurie, if he's wheat allergic (like I am), it should show up on a skin

test.

 

If he has celiac disease, that's not an allergy and therefore wouldn't show

up on an allergy test. A better test for celiac is the colonoscopy, but

only if he's been eating wheat for a while. If he's been gluten free, then

a colonoscopy may not show anything. Potentially more accurate, but still

something of a wild card, is the DNA test for celiac.

 

If he's gluten sensitive -- neither allergic nor celiac, but still can't

tolerate gluten -- he'd probably get negative results for both allergy and

celiac. That doesn't mean he's not gluten intolerant ... only that doctors

haven't figured out how to test for it yet.

 

The best test -- and treatment -- for any kind of gluten intolerance is to

go gluten free and see if there's a difference.

 

Hugs to your precious son for all he's going through.

 

 

Carolyn

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

There are several blood tests for CD which can be taken before something as

invasive as a colonoscopy and biopsy.

 

Also skin prick tests are not always positive for people with a wheat

allergy. The Eliza and RAST tests have a better chance of demonstrating a

wheat or gluten allergy if the problem is an IgG response rather than a

typical IgE (hives, breathing issues, swelling) type response.

 

BL

 

On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 3:14 PM, Carolyn Greene

<Carolynwrote:

 

>

>

> .

> Laurie, if he's wheat allergic (like I am), it should show up on a skin

> test.

>

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

http://www.glutenfreesociety.org/leaky-gut-and-autoimmune-disease/ (this is

an interesting article)

 

Testing is not always accurate it all depends of what is going on it the

body and if following the diet false negatives are more likely. The

elimination/challenge diet your trying to do is the best way to pin point

problem foods. There are some foods in which I have no real physical signs

of reaction except I get extremely itchy, no rash, just wanting to claw my

flesh off for a day! Other foods only cause a headache or gut pain. Everyone

is different, but if there are signs of a problem it's best to eliminate the

problem foods because long term damage just isn't worth it! Your son

probably does have issues with wheat, possibly gluten. It's hard to say if

it is a true allergy, celiac, or just a sensitivity because all can cause a

rash! Personally, I would not hold out for a definitive diagnosis as the

discomfort alone, especially for a child, just isn't worth it! I would cut

out wheat and gluten for a while, then if you want to make sure it's gluten

and not just wheat, then feed him some barley and see how he reacts. Make

note of stomach aches, headaches, irritability, diarrhea, etc as they can

all be signs of food sensitivity. Good luck!

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 6:46 PM, Brenda-Lee Olson <

shalomaleichemacademy wrote:

 

> Also skin prick tests are not always positive for people with a wheat

> allergy. The Eliza and RAST tests have a better chance of demonstrating a

> wheat or gluten allergy if the problem is an IgG response rather than a

> typical IgE (hives, breathing issues, swelling) type response.

>

 

 

This is why our gluten situation is so incredibly frustrating. No matter

who you ask, you'll get different answers. I asked my allergist about the

tests you mentioned, and he insisted they're a poor indicator of food

allergies. For that reason, he refused to do them, saying he didn't want to

" waste " my money.

 

Then my daughter went to a different allergist for testing, and they said it

would be a waste of time to do the skin tests on her. So they took her

blood instead.

 

It doesn't make sense. It would be easier for us to take appropriate action

if the doctors would at least agree among themselves.

 

 

Carolyn

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Have you done this test (Enterolab)? I was surprised to read about it, and to

find the cost of only $99. I had heard that testing ran over $1000. If it

would help make a diagnosis, it would help, because we're not entirely sure it's

the wheat/gluten that is causing the problems, although we suspect it. We are

on an elimination diet (Feingold) and have taken other things out of the diet as

well and in between the wheat, have been trying the other foods out also. But

no other food was introduced when he got the rash.

 

Sounds like there is much confusion about the allergy testing. I know I am

confused!

 

But I will keep a record of the symptoms and behaviors noticed.

One interesting thing I noted, not positive proof, but interesting, nontheless.

We had gone wheat-free since fall, and only completely gluten-free for maybe a

month or so, excluding oats as well, to see if it made a difference. At first,

his behavior seemed calmer, and for the first time, he asked me not to wake him

up at night to go to the bathroom. I waited for a flooded bed, but he has been

dry every single night, without me having to wake him up once. Until last

night! Rash, wet bed, hyper--we're wondering if we see a pattern, but as

everyone knows, we don't live in a controlled environment, where gluten is the

only variable. Drinking water a little too late would explain the wet bed,

possibly going to Grandma's and her laundry soap could account for the skin

rash, and on and on...It would be nice to know for sure...

 

Thanks for everyone's advice.

We'll keep searching and trying.

 

Laurie

 

, Sally Parrott Ashbrook

<sally.parrott wrote:

>

> I would recommend the poo testing at www.enterolab.com to get a reliable

> diagnosis of gluten sensitivity.

>

> Sally

>

> On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 9:27 AM, gnlcover <gnlcover wrote:

>

> >

> >

> > Hi

> > We're having a time figuring out if our son in gluten-sensitive.

> >

> > A couple questions: Does allergy testing work?

> >

> > How long will a skin reaction usually last? (Not hives) He has a pink

> > raised, itchy rash on wrists/forearms and chin. Looks like it it on its way

> > out, although little spots have appeared on his face today. I don't know

> > much about dermatitis herpetiformis, however you spell it.

> > He's been off wheat for a couple months, off all glutens for a month or so,

> > so we wanted to challenge the wheat again. Didn't notice any behavior issues

> > this time, and we thought we were ok until we noticed the rash. DS didn't

> > have tons of wheat- 1/2 a piece of bread day 1, one piece day 2, 1 bowl

> > cream of whole wheat cereal day 3, nothing for 2 days, then 1/2 a bowl wheat

> > cereal on day 6. I noticed the rash on day 6, and now, 5 days later (day 11)

> > we still have the rash a little. We also had oats for the last 2 days before

> > today.

> >

> > We've backed off again, and suspect we'll have to try it several times

> > before we know for sure.

> >

> > Will an allergy test show anything if he doesn't have a true allergic

> > response to gluten?

> >

> > Thanks

> > Laurie

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

> --

> " If you want to write fiction, the best thing you can do is take two

> aspirins, lie down in a dark room, and wait for the feeling to pass. If it

> persists, you probably ought to write a novel. "

> —Lawrence Block, Writing the Novel From Plot to Print

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

If you've only been gluten free for a month, I would keep at it for a bit.

It certainly sound like gluten could be triggering problems, but he hasn't

been off it long enough to heal what damage it might have caused in his body

either.

 

Pam

 

On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 6:50 PM, gnlcover <gnlcover wrote:

 

>

>

> Have you done this test (Enterolab)? I was surprised to read about it, and

> to find the cost of only $99. I had heard that testing ran over $1000. If it

> would help make a diagnosis, it would help, because we're not entirely sure

> it's the wheat/gluten that is causing the problems, although we suspect it.

> We are on an elimination diet (Feingold) and have taken other things out of

> the diet as well and in between the wheat, have been trying the other foods

> out also. But no other food was introduced when he got the rash.

>

> Sounds like there is much confusion about the allergy testing. I know I am

> confused!

>

> But I will keep a record of the symptoms and behaviors noticed.

> One interesting thing I noted, not positive proof, but interesting,

> nontheless. We had gone wheat-free since fall, and only completely

> gluten-free for maybe a month or so, excluding oats as well, to see if it

> made a difference. At first, his behavior seemed calmer, and for the first

> time, he asked me not to wake him up at night to go to the bathroom. I

> waited for a flooded bed, but he has been dry every single night, without me

> having to wake him up once. Until last night! Rash, wet bed, hyper--we're

> wondering if we see a pattern, but as everyone knows, we don't live in a

> controlled environment, where gluten is the only variable. Drinking water a

> little too late would explain the wet bed, possibly going to Grandma's and

> her laundry soap could account for the skin rash, and on and on...It would

> be nice to know for sure...

>

> Thanks for everyone's advice.

> We'll keep searching and trying.

>

> Laurie

>

>

> --- In

<%40>,

> Sally Parrott Ashbrook <sally.parrott wrote:

> >

> > I would recommend the poo testing at www.enterolab.com to get a reliable

> > diagnosis of gluten sensitivity.

> >

> > Sally

> >

> > On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 9:27 AM, gnlcover <gnlcover wrote:

> >

> > >

> > >

> > > Hi

> > > We're having a time figuring out if our son in gluten-sensitive.

> > >

> > > A couple questions: Does allergy testing work?

> > >

> > > How long will a skin reaction usually last? (Not hives) He has a pink

> > > raised, itchy rash on wrists/forearms and chin. Looks like it it on its

> way

> > > out, although little spots have appeared on his face today. I don't

> know

> > > much about dermatitis herpetiformis, however you spell it.

> > > He's been off wheat for a couple months, off all glutens for a month or

> so,

> > > so we wanted to challenge the wheat again. Didn't notice any behavior

> issues

> > > this time, and we thought we were ok until we noticed the rash. DS

> didn't

> > > have tons of wheat- 1/2 a piece of bread day 1, one piece day 2, 1 bowl

> > > cream of whole wheat cereal day 3, nothing for 2 days, then 1/2 a bowl

> wheat

> > > cereal on day 6. I noticed the rash on day 6, and now, 5 days later

> (day 11)

> > > we still have the rash a little. We also had oats for the last 2 days

> before

> > > today.

> > >

> > > We've backed off again, and suspect we'll have to try it several times

> > > before we know for sure.

> > >

> > > Will an allergy test show anything if he doesn't have a true allergic

> > > response to gluten?

> > >

> > > Thanks

> > > Laurie

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> > --

> > " If you want to write fiction, the best thing you can do is take two

> > aspirins, lie down in a dark room, and wait for the feeling to pass. If

> it

> > persists, you probably ought to write a novel. "

> > —Lawrence Block, Writing the Novel From Plot to Print

>

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

..

Laurie, the bedwetting could be connected to a milk sensitivity. A young

family member noticed the connection and stopped drinking milk after

lunchtime. No more wet bed after that.

 

Interestingly, not long afterward my husband saw an article in a magazine

for Boy Scout leaders that mentioned the milk-bedwetting link.

 

Also, it's not unusual for people with gluten problems to also have

reactions of some sort to milk.

 

 

Carolyn

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hmmmmm....

Since we're vegan, I don't think that is the issue. Must be something else.

 

Interestingly, it has happened two nights in a row.

 

We'll see what happens tonight.

 

Thanks for the suggestion

 

Laurie

 

, Carolyn Greene <Carolyn

wrote:

>

> .

> Laurie, the bedwetting could be connected to a milk sensitivity. A young

> family member noticed the connection and stopped drinking milk after

> lunchtime. No more wet bed after that.

[Guest guest]

Soy often mimics dairy in the problems it presents as allergies responses.

You might want to have a look at one of the older classics like Is This

Your Child? by Dr. Doris Rapp. I believe it contains a massive list of

atypical allergy symptoms.

 

BL

 

On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 6:51 PM, gnlcover <gnlcover wrote:

 

>

>

> Hmmmmm....

> Since we're vegan, I don't think that is the issue. Must be something else.

>

>

> Interestingly, it has happened two nights in a row.

>

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

On Feb 16, 2010, at 8:50 PM, gnlcover wrote:

 

> Until last night! Rash, wet bed, hyper--we're wondering if we see a pattern,

but as everyone knows, we don't live in a controlled environment, where gluten

is the only variable. Drinking water a little too late would explain the wet

bed, possibly going to Grandma's and her laundry soap could account for the skin

rash, and on and on...It would be nice to know for sure...

===========

 

for my son, triggers for bed wetting are drinking too little water during the

day and orange juice.

 

Shez

[Guest guest]

I'll check it out. We have been using a bit more soy this last couple wks.

 

Thanks

Laurie

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

[Guest guest]

On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 9:51 PM, gnlcover <gnlcover wrote:

 

> Since we're vegan, I don't think that is the issue. Must be something else.

>

>

 

 

Oops. Forgot this was a vegan loop. LOL!

 

At any rate, food allergens of any type can " tickle " the bladder. When I

used to eat tomatoes, I was up more often at night.

 

 

 

Carolyn

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Stress can also be a trigger. We don't normally think of children having

stress but they can and do! Try to maintain an openness with him so he feels

comfortable talking to you about his problems.

 

When I was a kid sometimes I wet the bed but my problem was lucid dreaming,

believe it or not! I would have such vivid dreams that I thought I was awake

and I felt the sensation that I had to go and in the dream world I was in

the bathroom and didn't realize I was physically still in bed until it was

too late. I almost had an accident a few months ago because of lucid

dreaming which was kind of funny because I was arguing with my man in my

dream about not being sure if I was awake or dreaming. In the dream, he kept

yelling at me " of course your awake, your standing here talking to me...just

go sit on the toilet and piss already! " Then when I did go to the bathroom

in my dream I thought wait this doesn't feel right, I need to wake up! So

luckily I didn't wet the bed as an adult! lol So ask your son about his

dreams! They may be part of the problem!

 

On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 9:02 AM, <gnlcover wrote:

 

>

>

> I'll check it out. We have been using a bit more soy this last couple wks.

>

> Thanks

> Laurie

> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

>

>

>

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

My brother always sleepwalked when he had swimming lessons.

 

My family has lots of sleep disturbances. My mother tried to kill my father

in her sleep. No joke. My brother and I both sleepwalked. I recall many

dreams like you describe.

 

Pam

 

On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 4:07 PM, Jae Jones <recyclednew wrote:

 

>

>

> Stress can also be a trigger. We don't normally think of children having

> stress but they can and do! Try to maintain an openness with him so he

> feels

> comfortable talking to you about his problems.

>

> When I was a kid sometimes I wet the bed but my problem was lucid dreaming,

> believe it or not! I would have such vivid dreams that I thought I was

> awake

> and I felt the sensation that I had to go and in the dream world I was in

> the bathroom and didn't realize I was physically still in bed until it was

> too late. I almost had an accident a few months ago because of lucid

> dreaming which was kind of funny because I was arguing with my man in my

> dream about not being sure if I was awake or dreaming. In the dream, he

> kept

> yelling at me " of course your awake, your standing here talking to

> me...just

> go sit on the toilet and piss already! " Then when I did go to the bathroom

> in my dream I thought wait this doesn't feel right, I need to wake up! So

> luckily I didn't wet the bed as an adult! lol So ask your son about his

> dreams! They may be part of the problem!

>

>

> On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 9:02 AM, <gnlcover<gnlcover%40>>

> wrote:

>

> >

> >

> > I'll check it out. We have been using a bit more soy this last couple

> wks.

> >

> > Thanks

> > Laurie

> > Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

> >

> >

> >

>

>