Toe Walking?

[IChaseFrisbees]

Hey everybody, I've been walking on my tip-toes my entire life. All the time when barefoot, and then a little heel-to-toe action in shoes, but always more towards the toe side. I recently read a post from a few years ago on an un-gluten related forum where someone mentioned that digestive issues had been linked to kids walking on their toes.

So heres my information: I'm 19 years old, and I walk on my toes as much now as when I first started walking. My gluten problems began in late May of this year. I've been gluten-free for about 2 months or so.

My entire life, I've always had digestive issues related to nerves; right before the big game started I would always feel like I had to go number 2. Same on test days, or any other days where I was overly nervous.

So, is it possible that I've always had minor gluten problems that went unnoticed until I triggered more serious symptoms this year? Does anybody else have experience with toe-walking and gluten?

[darlindeb25]

I recently read a post from a few years ago on an un-gluten related forum where someone mentioned that digestive issues had been linked to kids walking on their toes.

I have never heard this before.

Have you ever been tested for spastic paraplegia? This is a ligament/muscle problem. My grandson is now 10, and was diagnosed at 5 yrs old of this disease. He walked on his tip-toes from the day he started walking. His sister, my granddaughter has the disease too. She never walked on her tip-toes, but she stubs her toe all the time, wears the toes out in her shoes within a month. They also have balance problems. Angel falls all the time. There is special physical therapy they do, plus Scott had to wear special foot braces for a time.

[AliB]

The toe-walking thing is often associated with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and could well have its root in digestive issues as many Autistic children and adults have digestive problems.

The nerve meridians are all linked within the body - before becoming gluten-free I used to get a lot of restless leg and itchiness in my feet so I would suggest there is almost definitely a causal link there.

My youngest grandson also walked on his toes for a while but seems to have stopped that now. He has mild ASD and some learning delay in certain areas. I do think that he is definitely gluten-intolerant and probably dairy too.

When I stopped gluten back in January I also stopped dairy as I was aware I was lactose intolerant but soon realised that my problems went further than just gluten. I cannot process carbs hardly at all, so had to radically reduce my intake of those.

Since back then I have been doing a lot of research and believe that a lot of our health issues are caused by gut dysbiosis and rogue bacteria and/or parasites. Many things can upset the gut flora balance - stress, trauma, an over-consumption of carbs and sugar, and prescription drugs, especially antibiotics. They kill the bad guys but also destroy the good ones into the bargain. Kill the soldiers and the city is undefended. Without the good guys to protect the gut from the barrage of different strains of bacteria we ingest every day there is nothing to stop them taking hold.

Even some of the good guys, if given free-reign can become pathogenic in large numbers - hence the explosion of cases of Candida and yeast infestations. The important thing for the gut is to try and restore the balance of the flora with plenty of good probiotics and plain live yogurt (not the rubbish fruit stuff that is laden with sugar that just feeds the pathogens!).

I have been following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for several months and am really benefitting from it. It cuts out the carbs that we can't digest - and the undigested carbs feed the baddies. By concentrating on good wholesome basic foods - nothing processed or 'mucked about with' we give our gut a chance to heal.

If you would like to know more, there is an SCD thread on the 'Other Food Intolerances and Leaky Gut Issues' section or 'breaking the vicious cycle' and 'Pecanbread' websites are very informative.

I know what you mean about gut issues related to nerves - before gluten-free I suffered for years with IBS and was affected by stress, but the worst thing for sending me running to the loo was thunderstorms!

[IChaseFrisbees]

My goodness, I hope I don't have Autism or another learning disability. So it is possible then that my toe-walking could be linked to the digestive damage caused by gluten-intolerance?

And to the first response, I've never been tested for any muscle problems, but I do play sports and I haven't had any noticeable problems with balance or coordination.

[Jestgar]

Maybe you just have short Achilles tendons or calf muscles.

[ravenwoodglass]

My goodness, I hope I don't have Autism or another learning disability. So it is possible then that my toe-walking could be linked to the digestive damage caused by gluten-intolerance?

And to the first response, I've never been tested for any muscle problems, but I do play sports and I haven't had any noticeable problems with balance or coordination.

The toe walking can be a sign of a neurological problem and by now you most likely do have shortened tendons. I am wondering why your doctors haven't addressed this issue before if you have been doing this for an extended period of time. The best thing you can do is to get to a physical therapist. They can evaluate your gait, help retrain you how to walk and gently stretch those tendons.

[AliB]

Sorry, didn't mean to infer that you might have ASD! Just pointing out the link connecting it and the toe-walking with gut damage.

As ASD is quite likely to be caused by some kind of neurological damage then the gut/brain link is certainly a reasonable assumption in that case.

At the end of the day though, not everyone with neurologcal damage will develop ASD - it might even depend on when the gut damage started as to whether ASD would develop or not.

My symptoms developed in my teens so I was past the age where I may have developed more obvious neurological difficulties, but if children are affected at an earlier stage then it is quite possible that it could affect the development of the synapses within the brain. Perhaps if the child is past that stage they may be affected in other ways. Unfortunately we just don't know and not enough research is being done in this area to be able to reach any firm conclusions.

It is a difficult thing to figure out - babies are fed gluten from the minute they start on solid food and which is way before they start to walk. They are also fed sugar and dairy, either one of which could also be a factor. Modern milk no longer contains the enzymes within it that are needed for its digestion as the pasteurisation process kills them. It can be equally as damaging as gluten - in some cases, depending on the individual, even more so.

Going gluten-free is certainly a good start but as has been mentioned, you really will probably have to try and get some professional help to try and correct the tendons now.

Many do find that although gluten-free can help, it doesn't always solve all the problems, in fact, other things sometimes manifest after going gluten-free. In that case it may be prudent to drop dairy as well, and try to follow a low-carb regime for a while with plenty of fresh fruit and veg and unprocessed protein foods.

The damage can take some time to manifest - it is quite likely that the digestive issues have been there all the time, but did not become apparent until the gut damage had got to a certain point.

[DarkIvy]

I always walked on my toes. My dad says it began when I was learning how to walk and he was so tall that I had to tip toe in order to hold hands with him when I was learning how to walk, haha.

I had to consciously break the habit, but I think I still do it sometimes.

[raisin]

I am the same age, and walked on my toes as a child, even at age 4. I still do it.

celiacs are born celiac, even if they do not develop the disease until later in life. I first notice a gluten-derivative making me ill around age 9.

[IChaseFrisbees]

The toe walking can be a sign of a neurological problem and by now you most likely do have shortened tendons. I am wondering why your doctors haven't addressed this issue before if you have been doing this for an extended period of time. The best thing you can do is to get to a physical therapist. They can evaluate your gait, help retrain you how to walk and gently stretch those tendons.

You know, I never thought it was very serious. What does having shortened tendons mean? Would fixing the problem make me faster, or allow me to jump higher?

Sorry, didn't mean to infer that you might have ASD! Just pointing out the link connecting it and the toe-walking with gut damage.

Oh no, I'm not offended or anything. To tell you the truth I've always wondered if something could be not quite right; before I was born I managed to wrap my umbilical cord around my throat and supposedly deprive myself of Oxygen for a while. Who knows?

[Kim1010]

My son, who is now 11, is a tip toe walker. He was initially discovered as a tip toe walker by his preschool teacher, who noticed because it is typically associated with sensory issues. Immediately we had him tested, and sure enough, sensory issues, and ADHD, with the possibility of Asperger's. Just last week we discovered he is gluten sensitive. I'm going to ask the doc at his appointment today if it could be related, but have you had any update on your diagnosis?

 

[cyclinglady]

25 minutes ago, Kim1010 said:

My son, who is now 11, is a tip toe walker. He was initially discovered as a tip toe walker by his preschool teacher, who noticed because it is typically associated with sensory issues. Immediately we had him tested, and sure enough, sensory issues, and ADHD, with the possibility of Asperger's. Just last week we discovered he is gluten sensitive. I'm going to ask the doc at his appointment today if it could be related, but have you had any update on your diagnosis?

 

Welcome Kim!  This is a very old post, so I am going to try to answer answer your question.  Celiac disease is genetic.  It is an autoimmune disease that has a known trigger.  Once triggered, the body attacks and damages the small intestine causing all kinds of issues resulting from malnutrition (like being able to absorb iron and becoming anemic, etc.)  If a celiac does not consume gluten, a celiac flare up will not occur.  

Because researchers have definitely discovered the gene that celiacs have, they have been able to identify other autoimmune disorders that share the same genes and often occur with celiac disease like Type 1 diabetes and thyroiditis.  Research also has been revealing a link with autism.  

It is good that your child’s teacher recognized a potential issue in your child’s development.  I come from a family who has many multi-generations of family who are on the autism spectrum (including ADHD).  Do not panic!  Chances are your child, with a little help, will be normal.  Take that help!  Your best bet is to research a lot so that you can make the best decisions for your child.  For example, the toe walking might just need some reminding so that normal walking will become routine.  Usually adults in my family will revert to toe walking when really excited.  My nephew has ADHD.  Keeping him physically active allowed him to slow down enough to learn in school without medications.  Every child is different, but you need to research and make that determination.  Also get more than one opinion.  Please.  Like celiac disease obtaining a correct diagnosis is critical.  For example, having a little boy with “ants in his pants” does not necessarily mean he has ADHD.  He is a boy who needs to be active all day long!  

My cousin has Aspergers and is now married and has an adorable little boy.  I also have one family with several autistic kids.  The oldest just got an award for straight A’s!  So do not fret about long term consequences.  Work to find solutions.

Now back to celiac disease.  Exactly how was he determined to be gluten sensitive?  Research celiac disease.  Normally, you take a blood test to check for antibodies and then get an endoscopy to check for small intestinal damage.   If you have done this and he does not have celiac disease, he could be gluten sensitive but unfortunately there is no test.  Because of the genetic links, you might want to consider a gluten free diet.  It certainly can not harm if he consumes a well balanced diet filled with old-fashioned non-processed foods (less sugar and chemicals).  We all need such a diet.  We have consumed too much junk food over the last forty years!  

My kid is dyslexic (also runs in families).  It was discovered in the third grade.  We researched and even talked to adults with dyslexia.  We decided to work with her on our own.  It takes her longer and she works harder, but that is the way it is.  Working with what life throws at you.   Because she has this condition does not mean she is not smart.  She just graduated and is off to university to major in engineering.  

So keep surfing the web and talk to teachers and parents, so that you can make informed decisions about treatment plans for your child.  Keep up the good work of advocating for him!  

 

[ch88]

Toe walking itself may not be a problem other than it causing other social problems according to this website:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/toe-walking/symptoms-causes/syc-20378410

There are also some things that link ADHD with nutritional deficiencies such as magnesium and zinc. 

[Toot]

On 12/1/2008 at 12:39 PM, IChaseFrisbees said:

Hey everybody, I've been walking on my tip-toes my entire life. All the time when barefoot, and then a little heel-to-toe action in shoes, but always more towards the toe side. I recently read a post from a few years ago on an un-gluten related forum where someone mentioned that digestive issues had been linked to kids walking on their toes.

 

So heres my information: I'm 19 years old, and I walk on my toes as much now as when I first started walking. My gluten problems began in late May of this year. I've been gluten-free for about 2 months or so.

 

My entire life, I've always had digestive issues related to nerves; right before the big game started I would always feel like I had to go number 2. Same on test days, or any other days where I was overly nervous.

 

So, is it possible that I've always had minor gluten problems that went unnoticed until I triggered more serious symptoms this year? Does anybody else have experience with toe-walking and gluten?

https://www.thegaitguys.com/thedailyblog/gait-ataxia-and-gluten-yup-what-you-eat-can

Hope this helps ... also toe walking is an early sign of Autism or Aspergers  ..  if u do your research it's not the worst diagnosis although there are challenges . According to some , cutting out gluten can help manage autistic traits . Some autistic people don't appreciate people acting as if Autism is something that needs to be cured but I believe that for those families who really find their or their children's autistic traits challenging , cutting out gluten with the advise of doctors is worth the try to try and achieve better quality of life 

[knitty kitty]

Toe-walking can also be caused by  a deficiency in Thiamine Vitamin B 1 and magnesium.

https://yourautismgameplan.com/6-reasons-why-autistic-children-toe-walk/