11.05.2009

My Celiacs.....Update


Last March, Summer was diagnosed with Celiac Disease.   Because it is genetic, we had the other kids tested.  Cole got diagnosed 6 weeks later.   Since then, there have been significant changes.   Summer's stomach aches and constant head aches went away immediately.  Her vision has improved.  Her eye doctor said that she may not need contacts by her next visit.  She has so much more energy to do the things she loves and the mood swings don't creep up so easily.  She is 12 and those won't completely go away (:  Tom and I  are really amazed at the difference we see in both kids.  They have done such a great job of sticking to the diet...as perfectly as they can, with hardly a complaint heard.
Because Cole is small for his age, he was hoping for some changes.  This is a boy that has worn a size 10-12 for 3 years.  He just wasn't growing.  It has been 6 months since he has changed the way he eats and he has gained 17 pounds! It is a weekly celebration on the scale.  We all know exactly how much he weighs in the morning and at night.  Pretty exciting for him.   We are hoping that this diet will help his body absorb nutrients and grow.  Being small has been hard for Cole.  He has had to learn to have a sense of humor about it.  Not to say that it doesn't carry a sting sometimes.  But to see some progress on the scale and to go buy a new size of shorts is progress and makes giving up some of your favorite foods worth it.