Learning Difficulties / Try Gluten Free?

[SaraLarsonHussain]

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

[debmom]

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]

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]

Hi Sara,

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

and editor of the Scot-Free Newsletter.

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Open Original Shared Link

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Hope it is of some assistance.

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Best Regards,

David