In our infinite patience, we have decided to exclude gluten from Lorelai’s diet even before the the test results are back. In all my panic-driven research, I have realized she has numerous symptoms of celiac disease, though the only common symptom is her weight problem. I also discovered that breastfed babies present with atypical symptoms because the antibodies in mama’s milk protect the infant from serious gastrointestinal infections.
Whether she is diagnosed as celiac or not, it seems a gluten free diet may relieve some, if not all, of her symptoms. Non-celiac gluten allergies and sensitivities present with many of the same problems. Our thinking is that a gluten free diet won’t hurt, but there are many indications that it might help. We plan to keep her gluten free until her 1-year checkup even if the test is negative. We can track her progress and weight over the next 3 months to determine if a gluten free lifestyle would be beneficial.
I made my first visit to Wild Oats Marketplace this afternoon to pick up some cereal and finger foods to replace the potentially-poisonous Cheerios and Gerber Puffs. I was rather pleased with both the selection and the prevalence of gluten-free shelf tags. It made the entire foray into organic shopping quite easy. I also wandered the aisles to see what else was available in case the gluten-free, dairy-free diet becomes long term.
Did you know she can still eat pizza? I can’t imagine that soy-cheese, rice-crust pizza would actually taste that good, but to a child who has never known the difference I suppose pizza is pizza. She seemed to like the organic Teddy Puffs I found for her, which taste remarkably like Cheerios even though they are made from rice and corn instead. I also purchased Gorilla Munch cereal and (gluten-free) arrowroot cookies, a staple among older babies and toddlers.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a phone call tomorrow. Even though I have a plan and am feeling a bit more empowered by newfound knowledge of the disease, I will be on pins and needles until I know for sure.
“convince hubby to try on his suit prior to the actual event.”.. let me give you a little guy advice…scratch that one off the list right now..its not going to happen.
“I’m too focused on the fact that my house now has a floor and a ceiling”. I thought these were standard features in modern homes. Did I miss something?…feeling so outa the loop. Oh and those first-day of school pictures that she’ll get over…Its been over 40 years since my Mom humiliated me, and it still causes me to well up when I pass a school.
On a serious note, I read the entry about your baby girl’s health problems and as a parent I understand your fear/concern. I am thinking positive thoughts for you.
My stomach sunk when I read that entry, but ‘The End of Free Time As We Know It’ had me laughing again. Thank you for sharing your family with us, your openness, and all the smiles and laughter you cause with your writing.