Patrick was complaining about a sore throat, so I looked....He was just at the doctor's Thursday but between then and now the back of his throat is red, and has a few little tiny white spots. Yes, his tonsils are swollen. He's back to the doctor tomorrow, but are these the notorious celiac disease mouth sores? And is my understanding correct --- the sores are often a result of gluten exposure? He's also been taking allergy meds, which tend to dry up your throat anyway. He's never had sores in his mouth before dx or after. Thanks!

Joanna

Has he been exposed to strep? You describe a red throat, swollen tonsils and white spots which sound exactly like what we just went through last month with a strep infection. Maybe others have different ideas but I would want to rule out strep.

Yup, that's what I thought too. His older brother was at the doctor about 10 days ago, but his strep test was negative.... I guess we'll find out tomorrow. My son is immunosuppressed so strep would be a really bad thing...

My husband and I had it and brought the kids to be looked at and the Dr said all looked fine so they didn't do the test but sure enough, a week later my daughter complained of a scratchy throat and again I brought the kids -- two year old was fine but my girls (6 and 4) had it. You mention your son is immunosuppressed and are these spots typical of his disease? If he is under two it is unlikely to be strep in a healthy child -- at least this is what I am told. Nicole

Well, his strep test was negative (at least so far) so I guess it's somethings else!

That doesn't sound like celiac disease-related mouth sores. Mine were more like cold sores or cracked areas at the corners of my lips on the outside. Totally disappeared after going gluten-free.

richard

Excuise me, everyone, but the strep throat that I got as a kid (yes, a Celiac kid) is exactly as you described it, with the swollen glands and white spots. It may not have shown up as positive, yet, but that is what it is!

To the parient who said "...it is unlikely to be strep in a healthy child -- at least this is what I am told."

We (Celiac's) are not healthy children! This IS an immunosuppressed disease. Our immunity is attacking the gluten in our guts, and sees it as a poisen. It is turning in on it's self. It's like sneezing from tree pollen; if you don't take an antihistamin, you histamin's in your system would not shut off till you get far away from the trees! The antihistamin's block that reaction or else you would sneeze your noise off.

If there only were an antigluten agent, to bind with our villa in our intestants, we would be able to eat wheat, but would we still be able to absorbe our food?

Only the future will tell.....

Richard is right-on in his description of celiac disease-related mouth sores. You can go to the American Family Physician website and see pictures of the sores in living color:

http://www.aafp.org/afp/980301ap/pruessn.html

Scroll down to figures 6 and 7.
The sores were the only physical symptom our daughter had. Scary.