| published an article on July 17, 2009 explaining that | | | | A recent study done by Luca Mascitelli, M.D., |
| doctors, well versed in celiac disease, now | | | | Francesca Pezzetta, M.D. and Mark R. Goldstein, M.D. |
| recommend any child with behavioral disorders be | | | | concluded that children with psychiatric symptoms |
| tested for celiac. For those that are not familiar with | | | | improved after they implemented a gluten-free diet. On |
| celiac disease, it is a digestive disease where gluten | | | | a personal note, I "got my daughter back" after putting |
| from food damages the lining of the small intestine and | | | | her on a GF/CF (gluten-free / casein-free) diet. She |
| creates malabsorption of nutrients (minerals and | | | | had horrible OCD, tantrums, was not sleeping well and |
| vitamins). | | | | was diagnosed with autism. All of her "autistic |
| Celiac is referred to as a genetic disease so if one | | | | characteristics" disappeared after the diet change...and |
| person in your family has it, it would be important for | | | | I mean 100% of them. One month after starting her on |
| you to get tested. For some people they can go | | | | this diet my father was diagnosed with celiac disease. |
| through most of their life and never have one | | | | That was all of the confirmation I needed. |
| symptom (or they never receive the right diagnosis). 1 | | | | It is also important to know that you don't have to |
| in 133 people have it but only 3% of them are | | | | have digestive problems to have an allergy to gluten. |
| diagnosed. It is important to know there are triggers for | | | | Many people have no symptoms at all, some only |
| this disease. Some triggers are: Surgery, pregnancy, | | | | have psychological issues and some have a multitude |
| childbirth, viral infection or severe emotional stress. | | | | of issues. I feel that so many doctors are not fully |
| My celiac started up after the birth of my triplets. I | | | | knowledgeable on celiac disease. When my daughter |
| started getting sick from eating processed foods and I | | | | was diagnosed with autism I asked the doctor if the |
| also developed an allergy to casein (dairy) as well. I | | | | GF/CF diet helps autistic children. She said it was, "not |
| believe my daughter's celiac was most likely triggered | | | | proven to work." |
| by vaccinations (but that is hard to prove...just call it a | | | | All I know is that gluten certainly gave my daughter |
| mom's intuition). | | | | "autistic characteristics." So much so that three |
| Back to the subject at hand: It has been well | | | | psychologists easily diagnosed her with autism. After |
| documented that children with celiac disease have a | | | | one year on the diet, a team of psychologists, |
| greater chance of suffering from schizophrenia, | | | | neurologists and all sorts of therapists easily came to |
| depression and obsessional neurosis (if it is not | | | | the conclusion she is NOT autistic "anymore." I am so |
| treated). | | | | glad I tried the diet and I hope someday it is protocol |
| Classical symptoms in children are: | | | | for doctors to run the celiac blood tests on all children |
| - Delayed growth | | | | with behavioral disorders. |
| - Failure to thrive as infants | | | | If you never think of gluten as a cause to your child's |
| - Seizures | | | | behavioral disorder, then you will never test for it. My |
| - Tooth discoloration or loss of enamel | | | | hope is that all parents of children with behavioral and |
| - Earaches | | | | or seizure disorders will think about it. It certainly can't |
| - Diarrhea | | | | hurt anything. If the blood test comes back positive, just |
| - Projectile vomiting | | | | imagine how some or all of your child's issues could |
| - Abdominal bloating/distention Untreated celiac | | | | potentially disappear simply from a dietary change. |
| disease will lead to malnutrition. Malnutrition is a serious | | | | I never claim this diet to be the one sure bet to heal a |
| problem for anyone, but particularly for children | | | | child. I know that is sadly not true. But it has changed |
| because they need adequate nutrition to develop | | | | the life of one little girl I know and love and I know it is |
| properly. If this is not caught early it can lead to | | | | surely worth a try. |
| behavioral disorders. | | | | |