What is the best age to test for Celiac Disease?

My son has Down Syndrome and because people with DS have a higher risk of Celiac Disease, we have opted to avoid gluten until he can be accurately tested. I have gotten mixed answers as far as how early he can be ACCURATELY tested. Anyone any experience with this?

Hi! Some people say that a person needs to be eating bread/gluten for a least three weeks to test positive to celiac. Others say that no time is required. If you go to a doctor who has experience with celiac (preferably if they also have experience with Down Syndrome or Autism and the food connection with behavior), they will be able to note all of the symptoms and see the test results and make an accurate diagnosis. Many children never show the typical symptoms. Therefore it is really important that you find a doctor who has experience with celiac.

Another thing to remember is that some children are only gluten intolerant. This means that their bodies still react negatively to gluten, just in less intensity than in those with celiac.

I want to recommend to you a diet that has helped LOADS of children with autism, adhd, down syndrome, etc and adults with IBS, Ulcerative Colitis, IBD, etc. It is similar to gluten free / casein free (the diet that many with downs syndrome and autism follow)... but it is much more effective.

It is called SCD (specific carbohydrate diet) and works by helping the body digest corrently again... based on 50 years of research into how the small intestine affects the brain.

You can ask loads of mothers on the yahoo groups forum for this diet about celiac testing. They have loads of experience about how their children are affected by the food they eat.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/pec...