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2.5 Year Old Is "spaced Out"

MadScientistSA

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MadScientistSA Newbie
MadScientistSA
Posted

My 2.5 year old (well, 2.75 years, I suppose) was diagnosed with Celiac in January. I completely removed gluten from my home a week before his diagnosis just to see if that's what was bothering him (I didn't expect to get a test done the next week), and he hasn't had it since. I send all his food to daycare every day and they know not to give him anything. We rarely eat out, and when we do, I typically bring his food with me. I'm almost certain he's not getting gluten on a regular basis... he's been glutened twice since January, and I knew it immediately. He's also been dairy free since February, save a couple of weeks ago when I reintroduced it and he turned into devil boy, when I took it away again.

However, he still gets this "spaced out" thing going on 3-4 times a week. He will sit/stand there for a minute with a vacant expression and won't respond to anything. After a minute or so, as quick as he started, he'll act like normal again.

Almost all of his symptoms have completely gone away since we removed gluten, except for this one. How long will this last? I'm not usually a worrier, but this one has me a little concerned.

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kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

That's normal for a teenager, but not a toddler.

I would tell the doctor. I don't want to alarm you but they could be seizures. Not all seizures are the scary shaking kind. My oldest was in grade school with a kid who did this. He got it controlled with medication.

I hate even saying this on a Saturday.

See if you can think of any triggers. Watching cartoons, playing with a flashing toy, time of day. Do they observe this at school? Write down everything you can think of to tell the doctor.

On further thought: I looked next door and remembered one of those kids. If she didn't like what you were saying or want to hear you, she would just look at you blankly. At a very young age. Maybe he's being a bit " difficult"?

txplowgirl Enthusiast
txplowgirl
Posted

That is what is known as a gluten siezure, aka gluten ataxia. I have had those since I was 8. My parents always accused me of daydreaming or not paying attention. It was really hard sometimes in school. They finally went away after I was gluten free for 6 months but I had to totally remove not only gluten but dairy and soy too.

Darn210 Enthusiast
Darn210
Posted

My first thought was also seizures . . . and if it is related to gluten, I would suspect that as a nuerological symptom, it would be one of the last to resolve. Have you noticed if they are fewer or don't last as long since going gluten-free? I think it is something to talk to the doc about. ETA . . . I don't think you should wait to see if it resolves on its own.

sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted

Those definitely sound like seizures. Not to alarm you but you need to get him to doctor and get a referral to a neurologist. It doesn't sound like a gluten thing to me at all.

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