Sleep, Kids, And Gluten

[Chakra2]

My 2 yr old is in the process of trying to figure out a diagnosis (gluten sensitivity vs celiac). He has GI symptoms but the issue that really got me started looking into all this was sleep. He was still waking 4-5 times a night at 18 months. I asked my pediatrician if it could be food-related and he said no, but I felt like I was seeing a connection and started googling. Anyway, as soon as I took him gluten (and dairy) free, he slept through the night. Instantly. But my pedi still says (as recently as 2 weeks ago) that he doesn't think sleep problems are a celiac/gluten-sensitivity symptom. He's more focused on the GI stuff. So I wanted to ask -- did any of your kids have sleep troubles before they were diagnosed?

Chakra2

[kareng]

I sleep better with less waking now that I am gluten-free. Don't know if it's just because I may have had stomach upsets that caused me to wake or am sleeping better.

[slee]

My 2 yr old is in the process of trying to figure out a diagnosis (gluten sensitivity vs celiac). He has GI symptoms but the issue that really got me started looking into all this was sleep. He was still waking 4-5 times a night at 18 months. I asked my pediatrician if it could be food-related and he said no, but I felt like I was seeing a connection and started googling. Anyway, as soon as I took him gluten (and dairy) free, he slept through the night. Instantly. But my pedi still says (as recently as 2 weeks ago) that he doesn't think sleep problems are a celiac/gluten-sensitivity symptom. He's more focused on the GI stuff. So I wanted to ask -- did any of your kids have sleep troubles before they were diagnosed?

Chakra2

[slee]

My son absolutely had trouble sleeping, waking up 8-10 times at night prior to diagnosis (18 months). After diagnosis he started waking up 3-4 times a night instead, and now sleeps through.

[StephanieL]

Food issues can 100% cause sleep issues! Yes yes yes! My DS went from up every hour (yes, around the clock) to sleeping 6-8 hours after taking out a long list of allergens!

[TrickyMama]

It seems at the very least that if gluten is causing your child pain that could wake him up. The pain goes away so he stops waking up. I think your belief is completely legitimate. Just in my not so humble opinion. By he way, I've experienced the same thing with my son but he's 7 so it is easier to get an idea of what wakes him. And what hurts. Good luck with figuring it all out. It's so not easy and doctors are not always the most helpful, sadly. We moms have to do what we have to do and if we know gluten is making our kids sick, we know how to fix that. And the thing is, it's not like gluten is a superfood we are eliminating. It's quite unhealthy for even those with a healthy gut.

[MacieMay]

Funny, I should come across this post at 2am, after my 17 mos has been up. We are too struggling with a diagnosis. She has been on and off the gluten several times over the past couple of months. 5 days ago she went back on after, I either accidently gave her something with Gluten or she was cross-contaminated. After that incident, I decided to go back on the Gluten and watch her VERY closely. My husband does not believe that Gluten could be causing her issues, and he's an RN, go figure!! I thought if I put her back on and he could see her symptoms and how closely they are mimicking Celiac, that he would finally see it and agree. No such luck!! He is still coming up with every excuse in the book, everything I think is gluten related, he thinks is something else. It doesn't help that we've had negative celiac panel and negative biopsy. I honestly, believe that she is having an issue with gluten but getting it diagnosed at her age is going to be another story. : ( Anyway, since she has been back on the gluten this week, everynight she has been crying and whining in her sleep, like something is bothering her. She hasn't fully waken up and gone into any full-blown crying fits but she lets out these crys 2-3 times a night (I still have the baby-monitor next to my bed). I remember her doing it in the past, when she was younger and acknowleding it but not really thinking much about. We have since given up dairy too.

I hope this helps and good luck getting your answers!

[brendab]

Yes! When I took my child off (not thinking gluten at the time) which meant me as I was nursing him, he had been waking every 15-20 min. during the NIGHT and sleeping only for about 5 min. at a time during the day. He was 7 months old when it was removed from my diet and I started him on the gluten free (or mostly that is) diet thinking it was JUST wheat. I don't eat rye or barley itself but I know it can be in other things. We just eat a lot of homemade and whole foods so gluten at that point just wasn't a big part of our diet by nature. Every now and then he'd react but I never suspected gluten but was frustrated and wondered what was going on! Anyway, it took 5 months to get him to start sleeping through the night.

[RiceGuy]

I certainly did have tremendous difficulty sleeping before going gluten-free. Just couldn't sleep, and didn't know why. There wasn't much if any reason that I could figure, though looking back, I think it was basically a neurological effect.

Anyway, since going gluten-free/dairy-free, and a few other things (and taking supplements), I have no trouble falling asleep, and there's no restlessness or tossing & turning. Sure wish I knew long ago! I didn't exhibit the "classic" Celiac symptoms, but even if I had, all the doctors I'd been to for stuff while growing up would probably still not have figured it out.

HTH

[Skylark]

I'm not a kid, but an adult who suffered chronic insomnia until I went gluten-free and started getting proper nutrition.