8yo has a whiteish tongue

[Mom31]

What does this mean? He also complains of aches and pains a lot. And never quite feels good.

Any ideas could this indicate something?

[SweetSilver]

Does the tongue ever have raw-looking patches that come and go?  Sometimes a spiral shape like a crop circle?  Does the white ever suddenly just disappear?  Have him stick his tongue out and look back at the center of the tongue especially to rule out geographic tongue.  It is a benign weirdness, but can is sometimes classified as an autoimmune disorder.  In some individuals it can be linked to allergies, sometimes to Celiac, and sometimes to nothing at all.  

I can't really answer to his other complaints......

[Mom31]

I have been thinking celiac for awhile- that's exactly the answer I wanted- I am going to have him tested I think

he also has encopresis bowel issues.

[SweetSilver]

It sounds as though he might have enough symptoms to warrant a test.  Easier to test before he gives up gluten from his diet, otherwise he'll need to be consuming it for 2 months before he can test.  Many folks connect their geographic tongue with gluten, though not all (I'm not saying your son has G. tongue, just suspicious).  Good luck!

[Mom31]

what's a g tongue?

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by Emilie2 

what's a g tongue?

Geographic tongue, sorry, as I asked about in my first reply.  My daughter has it.  Some people I know have it flare up when the ingest gluten accidentally.  I was wondering if your son's whitish tongue isn't geographic tongue.  Sometimes it looks like that, but you would see raw red patches on the tongue that come and go.  So, I was wondering if that is what's happening with your son.

[Mom31]

yes I saw this later and googled it-  I am going to watch his tongue and ask to be sent to an allergist??  What specialist should we go to?

[beanma]

Yeast can cause a white tongue, too. I'm surprised that thrush wasn't mentioned as that's probably the most common cause.

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by Emilie2 

yes I saw this later and googled it-  I am going to watch his tongue and ask to be sent to an allergist??  What specialist should we go to?

Not for the tongue, if you do end up seeing those patches.  It's connection to allergies is anecdotal and often not connected at all for people like my daughter.

I'd also consider the yeast that the pp mentioned.

[Mom31]

I have considered yeast since he was 6 months old.... I think it is time I get serious about it.  Oh my. I feel like I am at the bottom of a mountain.