What can this be? I'm going nuts!

cbsmommy

Thu, Mar 08 2012, 10:03 pm

This is one of those times where you really want to see your pediatrician ASAP for guidance, advice, and probable referrals.

There is a test for lactose intolerance. A GI can run it it's called a hydrogen breath test. Similar to a glucose tolerance test, you drink a reallly yucky fluid, but then instead of doing a blood test an hour later, you blow into a machine and it measures hydrogen (and therefore bacteria).

Wheat and dairy allergies and intolerances often go hand-in-hand. Ditto soy and dairy. Wheat and soy is another common combo. It's possible you are looking at a combination of food allergies/intolerances.

Allergy tests can look for certain histamine mediated responses. They are a great place to start (most likely what your ped will recommend). Just keep in mind that even if they are negative, that might not indicate that dairy, soy, wheat, (even apples and bananas can cause allergic reactions!) aren't a problem. It is still possible for a child to have celiac disease or a different severe intolerance and have it not show up on a IGA blood/scratch test (you need to test the intestines to see the reaction rather than skin or blood).

Or, it's possible he has picked up something else entirely. Crohns and ulcerative colitis are rare in kids that age, but every once in awhile children don't read the 'textbook'.

Some viruses CAN last that long. Hepatitis A (actually common in Israel) is passed through fecal matter aka poor handwashing. It lasts about a month and then you are done with it (no chronic liver damage and it's not an STD like Hep B is). There are other viruses that can also cause malabsorption issues.