3 replies to this topic

[sore joints]

Hi everyone!

I am newly diagnosed and I'm wondering what to do about my kids. Neither has any symptoms. My daughter who is 21mths is low on the weight chart (3rd percentile) and is speech delayed. Do any of you know if there is a connection between language delay and celiac disease?
Alison

[GFBetsy]

Hello, and welcome!

I don't think that there is yet much substantiated research on this topic. There does seem to be some anecdotal evidence that SOME children (not all, by any means) do have such problems. You could check out the "Success Stories" at www.gfcfdiet.com. This site specifically addresses children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, but slow acquisition or loss of speech is one of the "symptoms" of autism.

The University of New York at Rochester is currently engaged in scholarly research on this topic (ie, whether a gluten-free, casien-free (the protein in milk) diet helps autistic children). (Doggone it! They took my Doctorate research idea away from me!) I think they've just barely started their study, though, so they may not be able to give you much more "substantiated" information than the gfcfdiet site.

Hope this information is helpful (even if it doesn't apply "completely" to your daughter's situation).

Beyond the speech delay information, though, gettting your children tested is a good idea. Research (someone correct me if I've got the numbers wrong) has shown that your children have about a 1 in 10 chance of having this disease because they've got a first degree relative (mom or dad) who has it. They probably should have their blood work done once every couple of years (if it comes back negative, that is), because celiac can be triggered later in life. (Great emotional, mental, or physical stress seems to make it "kick in" for some people.) And your daughter's low place on the growth charts could easily be an indication that she's got problems with gluten.

Good luck!

[evie]

Hi everyone!

I am newly diagnosed and I'm wondering what to do about my kids. Neither has any symptoms. My daughter who is 21mths is low on the weight chart (3rd percentile) and is speech delayed. Do any of you know if there is a connection between language delay and celiac disease?
Alison

Alison; Do not have specific info for you but does sound like a possibility. I am a great grandma and we have 2 of them in same family who I am wondering about but not that specific a reason to suggest tests for them. I am sure there will be someone on who will have a better answer for you. Hang in there, you will find scads of help on this forum, I hope you are doing alright yourself. It is so typical that you have learned things about yourself and now are wondering about your dd. I have done the same, 1 of our three grown dd's has gotten tested and came out with a no amswer, the other 2 tell me they plan that too. wish you well, I have gotten a lot of good help here since mid Feb,06. evie

[mythreesuns]

I'm actually curious about this as well. I'm still in the process of determining whether or not gluten is my issue (awaiting EnteroLab results) but I know that celiac can trigger neurological problems in some, and all 3 of my boys have neurological differences.

My oldest and middle child have had constipation/diarrhea issues, which I had at the time thought was behavioral (one is asperger's, one is OCD and tourette's) and my youngest (just 2) has had diarrhea on and off (noticed more with potty training) and he has a speech delay that we are finding out is neurologically based.

However, all my children are healthy weights. The first was 35 lbs at 18 mos, and at 12 is now about 120. My middle son is a smaller build, but he is not skinny. The little one is 2 3/4, and is probably over 40 lbs at this point. All 3 of them are tall, according to the "charts."