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Learning Difficulties / Try Gluten Free?

SaraLarsonHussain

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SaraLarsonHussain Newbie
SaraLarsonHussain
Posted

Hi all,

I and my twin sister have Celiac disease and are gluten free. My 6 year old daughter has been having some strange troubles at school and I wonder if they may be caused by gluten. The teacher tells me that some days my daughter will be "spacy" and answer "I don't know" to things that she previously knew. She also has a hard time focusing on her work and will sometimes sit for 45 minutes and turn in a blank paper. Other days she is fine. Do these symptoms seem likely to be caused by gluten? If I try gluten-free with her, how long should I continue in order to see if it is working? Any advice would be so appreciated!

Sara

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debmom Newbie
debmom
Posted

You have described my daughter who has benefitted from going gluten free. She has only been diagnosed with a wheat allergy, but she exhibits all the classic signs of gluten intolerance as do her aunt and I. We were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis within a year of each other 35 years ago, but have no symptoms unless we eat wheat.

My daughter described her brain as foggy, and often answered, I don't know, primarily because she hadn't processed what we said. she also has trouble with candida which can cause similar fogginess, and is much better off of wheat and sugar. she hates not eating sugar, but at 17 has chosen to cut it out because she feels so much better. The foggy brain has gotten much better and she just scored a 670 and 730 on her SAT, so I guess the problems can be reversed!

mstroud Rookie
mstroud
Posted

Sara,

My son (8) had a big problem with 'brain fog' before he went gluten free (he has Celiac). He didn't have a problem focusing in class, but would space out on the couch for long periods of time. Sometimes he'd say funny things afterwards like 'Mom, sometimes I look around and think 'What's going on?'' He did tell met that his brain feels a lot less 'foggy' since he's been gluten free.

I'm not sure how long it would take to see if a gluten-free diet is helping, but I've heard it can take between 1 week or 3 months for symptoms to clear up.

Good luck! Margaret

irish daveyboy Community Regular
irish daveyboy
Posted

Hi Sara,

Here's an article by Ron Hoggan a special needs teacher

and editor of the Scot-Free Newsletter.

.

Open Original Shared Link

.

Hope it is of some assistance.

.

Best Regards,

David

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    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

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    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
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      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
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      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

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      Contact them.
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