What to Expect After Your Child’s Blood Test for Celiac Disease

The results of your child’s blood test can help doctors decide the best next steps for your child. You should get the results back in about 1-2 weeks. Your child’s doctor will go over the results with you.

 If your child's blood test is positive for celiac disease markers...

• A positive result doesn't always mean your child has celiac disease. It means your child has markers in his/her blood that means he/she might have celiac disease.
• Your child must be seen by a gastroenterologist (doctor who cares for people with stomach or intestine problems).
• Your child should continue to eat foods with gluten. If your child stops eating gluten, we can’t tell if he/she has celiac disease in future tests.
• Your child will need an endoscopy and more blood tests to figure out if he/she truly has celiac disease. An endoscopy is a test that checks the throat, stomach and upper intestines for problems.

If your child's blood test is negative for celiac disease markers...

• There is still a possibility that your child has celiac disease
• Your child should see a gastroenterologist if he/she has abdominal (stomach) pain, diarrhea, constipation, poor growth, weight loss, headaches, fatigue, or other concerning symptoms. This is true even if your child's blood test comes back negative for celiac disease markers.
• Your child should continue to eat foods with gluten. If your child stops eating gluten, we can't tell if he/she has celiac disease in future tests.
• Your child might need more blood tests to figure out if he/she has celiac disease.