Low positive TTG IGA with negative EMA and no damage to the small intestine while on a gluten containing diet is called latent celiac.
Note that well controlled celiac is different than latent celiac. Well controlled celiac means the patient is on a gluten free diet and their blood tests have normalized and there is no damage in the small intestine. But reintroducing gluten would reintroduce damage.
Up to 20% of children diagnosed with celiac can enter a latent phase of the disease. The patients can return to a gluten containing diet with no damage to the small intestine. The latent phase can last for an extended period of time. However, when active celiac disease returns a gluten free diet must be implement immediately to alleviate the long term consequences of uncontrolled celiac disease. So careful coordination with your medical team is vital to catch the conversion from latent celiac to active celiac.
Approximately 1 in 10 patients with latent celiac go on to develop celiac disease. Which begs the question, should someone with latent celiac continue or being a gluten free diet? I have an opinion, but it doesn’t matter. This is a decision between the patient and their doctor. My only suggestion would be to repeat blood tests annually to monitor the situation.
Hope this clarifies what latent celiac is, how it can affect children, and a plan for moving forward!!!!
Study regarding latent celiac and children. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2000276/