Help Behaviour Problems

[belindaaus]

Hi

 

My daughter now 9 years was diagnosed with coeliac when she was 18 months old. She has a severe case and we are always extremely careful as she reacts badly to any amount of gluten.

 

Anyway about 4 weeks ago she went to a pizza party and the parents informed me where they were getting it from and the gluten free option was available anyway it turns out they didn't order correction and when she got home she was so sick, she has never eaten that much gluten before (or since she was diagnosed).

 

Her behaviour was appauling, after then she just couldn't compromise with anyone and would get so upset and 'crazy' about strange things. Anyway two weeks later my mum gave her the wrong biscuit by mistake and luckily she only had one bite (she didn't like it) and it was very low gluten, but when I picked her up from dancing that night she was vomitting all over the steps (at that point is when I checked what she ate and figured out she ate the wrong thing).

 

Anyway this was two weeks ago now and her behaviour is still really bad. She is the oldest of 4 kids and when her behaviour goes bad I Find it is carried down to the others. I am finding it really hard to cope with this.  

 

I know she has just had a spot of really bad luck and she usually will have no gluten at all, but I just wanted to know if other kids go like this when they have gluten?? Is there anything that helps them recover from the gluten?

 

Thanks

 

[mommy2krj]

Oh goodness! Poor thing. Hope she's feeling better soon. Wish I knew something to ease the symptoms.

 

My little guy when he gets glutened.....first he starts getting weepy. You know, the whole my brother looked at me when I didn't want him to and the sky is blue today and I got my favorite treat but not at the right time and now all I can do is cry, kind of weepy. It's good fun....really. :/

 

Then his stomach starts to hurt. Which causes more weepiness.

 

Then he gets ANGRY. And with angry comes sassy. Then the extra trips to the bathroom start. :/ Oy.

 

So, in a nutshell, yes. I see behavior symptoms with ingesting gluten. I think they're almost worse than the sickness symptoms. Except *I* personally hate being sick like that so I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Hopefully, it's all out of her system soon. Maybe after this episode is over, sit her down and talk to her about her behavior when she eats gluten. I don't think she has full control over it but it may help if you point it out and how it made you feel. Maybe if she knows about it she can attempt to stave it off a bit. Or maybe start a system in which once you say a key word or tell her straight up she needs to go spend some alone time....maybe that would help? I know it's harder when the younger ones start acting up because their eldest sibling (leader) is acting up. Hugs!

[w8in4dave]

My 4 year old grandson ate a hotdog and that night , his dad asked him to pick his clothes up. My grandson went ballistic! He started screaming and yelling and was then sent to bed. He screamed for hrs. My daughter then realized the hotdog had gluten in it. So what do you do? It wasn't his fault? But do you condone the bad behavior because it was an accidental Glutening? He knows better than to talk to his dad like that. What do you do? 

[Cara in Boston]

My son will have physical symptoms for a couple of day, but unfortunately, the behavior can last a month.  Tantrums at the drop of a hat (socks don't fit right, legos won't stay together, backpack zipper not fast enough, etc. etc.)  

 

It doesn't happen often (2X in 2 years) but it is horrible.  I talked to his doctor about what to do when he is older.  (handling an 8 year old tantrum is doable, but what happens when he is 15 and 150 pounds?)  She suggested a therapist to help him learn some coping techniques, but I don't know if we are wasting her time.  For the most part, he is a delightful kid, so it is weird to be going to a behaviorist once a month. Also, he doesn't really think rationally when he is "glutened" so I'm not sure he will try anything he has learned.  We also can't really "test" to see if it is helpful, because he is so good with his diet.

 

I imagine there will be more opportunities to make mistakes when he is a teenager and eating more of his meals away from home.

 

Behavior problems are the #1 symptom of celiac in young children.

 

Cara

[w8in4dave]

It is so hard when it affects children! My 4yo Grand some just had a birthday party. His mom is very good and makes everything Gluten Free. It is so wonderful now go over there and not have to worry about Gluten. Also they come over here and not worry about Gluten.