As Isaiah is still a minor, his story is told by his parent Whitley.
Describe your son’s life prior to diagnosis:
The only other thing he’s ever been diagnosed with was anemia.
How did you come to suspect that your son had celiac disease?
He had been having stomach issues for years and the doctors kept saying it was because of stress or his diet. It took five years to be diagnosed. Doctors don’t listen. They assume it’s something you’re doing wrong in your life and not a medical issue. We got a new pediatrician and she decided to test for everything: cancer, autoimmune, liver, kidney, etc.
Do you believe anything could have sped up your son’s diagnosis? If so, please explain:
A doctor who truly listens and was willing to test for all illnesses/diseases that cause severe stomach issues.
Describe your son’s experience living with celiac disease:
Celiac disease makes things slightly more interesting. At 12, Isaiah had already come to love foods and be used to eating them, but since his diagnosis he refuses to eat gluten. Even though sometimes it’s rough he has the most positive outlook about it. We try new recipes constantly, the house changed over to gluten-free minus maybe four items, and we never go to a restaurant that doesn’t have a good selection of gluten-free options and is super over the top with their gluten-free food preparation areas.
Since being diagnosed Isaiah has grown almost a full 12 inches in height and gained over 30 pounds. Celiac disease was literally stunting his growth. He’s also been able to eliminate all his body aches which means he’s been much more successful at playing the sports he loves.
