| Like ‘Chinese whispers’, for several years | | | | However the very latest papers released in |
| there has been the belief that putting autistic | | | | January 2010 suggest that “care providers |
| children on a gluten free diet will in time reduce | | | | should be aware that problem behavior in patients |
| the symptoms of their autism. | | | | with ASD's may be the primary or sole symptom |
| It appears that the basis of this story traces | | | | of the underlying medical condition, including some |
| back to a 1998 medical paper that suggested that | | | | gastrointestinal disorders.” (Ref 2) |
| autistic children often suffered from a problem | | | | Another study confirms that a “Significant |
| called "leaky gut" / "autistic entercolitis". The idea | | | | differences between autism case and control |
| was that opiates found in gluten and casein (dairy) | | | | subjects were identified in the cumulative |
| were released when gluten food was improperly | | | | incidence of constipation (33.9% vs 17.6%) and |
| digested. This happened when the GI tract was | | | | feeding issues/ food selectivity (24.5% vs 16.1). |
| damaged by such things as celiac disease. The | | | | BUT No significant associations were found |
| opiates then supposedly were released into the | | | | between autism case status and overall incidence |
| bloodstream causing or increasing obvious autistic | | | | of gastrointestinal symptoms or any other |
| like symptoms. This paper is now widely | | | | gastrointestinal symptom category.” ( Ref 3) |
| discredited and retracted. | | | | Which leads to the conclusion that “as |
| The current concern is that the ‘bounce back | | | | constipation and feeding issues/food selectivity |
| effect’ from such a retraction is the | | | | often have a behavioral etiology, data suggest |
| discrediting of celiac disease in healthy and autistic | | | | that a neuro behavioral rather than a primary |
| children. For those unaware of ‘Developmental | | | | organic gastrointestinal etiology ” is the cause |
| disorders’ in children they cover five main | | | | – that is, the autism was not specifically |
| categories. These are: | | | | affected by gluten. |
| Autism | | | | CONCLUSIONS |
| Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) | | | | The American Association of Pediatrics reports |
| Attention deficit disorder (ADD) | | | | clarify that children with autism and other |
| Non-verbal learning disorder (NLD) | | | | Developmental disorders often do have untreated |
| Pervasive development disorder (PDD) | | | | gastrointestinal issues. However they stress that |
| COELIAC DISEASE SYMPTOMS IN CHILDREN | | | | there is no higher rate of GI disorders in children |
| Some of the symptoms of celiac disease and/ or | | | | with autism than any other children. |
| milk intolerance on the Gastro Intestinal (GI) tract | | | | Further to this they add the caution that a central |
| in children are: | | | | difficulty in recognizing and characterizing gastro |
| • Bloating/swollen tummy | | | | intestinal dysfunction with ASDs is the |
| • Breaking wind frequently | | | | communication difficulties experienced by many |
| • Constipation | | | | affected individuals. That is, GP’s and parents |
| • Craving/ dislike for certain foods | | | | often fail to recognize the symptoms of GI |
| • Dark shadows under the eyes | | | | because they are handling some greater |
| • Diarrhea | | | | behavioral disorders and hence GI disorders, |
| • Eating non-food items e.g. earth, paper, sand, | | | | including celiac disease, can easily go undiagnosed |
| soap | | | | for even longer than the regular population (which |
| • Excessive sweating, especially at night | | | | can take ten years). |
| • Giggling/ screaming for no apparent reason | | | | One can draw the conclusion from this latest |
| • Gut disorders in the family | | | | research that just as easy as it is for celiac |
| • Inability to control body temperature | | | | disease to go undiagnosed in healthy children and |
| • Pale skin/pasty face | | | | adults, gluten intolerance would very easily be |
| (Ref 1) | | | | ignored in symptoms of a child with strong |
| It appears that the most rigorous research into | | | | behavioral disorders such as autism. |
| the possible links between celiac disease (or other | | | | If you are at all concerned with whether |
| GI disorders) and autism (or other related | | | | someone you know with autism or a related |
| Developmental disorders) are coming from | | | | disorder may have a GI such as celiac disease, it |
| American PEDIATRICS department studies. | | | | is best discussing this with your doctor. However |
| One definition of Autism is that that it is “a | | | | do remember, that for a full confirmation of the |
| pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) that is | | | | disease a biopsy will usually need to be taken |
| generally manifested in the first 3 years of life | | | | which requires that the person is still ingesting |
| and characterized by dysfunction in social | | | | gluten at the time. |
| interaction and communication” AND although | | | | This article created by Bruce Scott Dwyer for - |
| not included in the diagnostic criteria, there have | | | | for the full article, including graphs & references |
| been many reports describing gastrointestinal | | | | and similar articles please visit this site's Original |
| symptoms in 9% to 84% of children with autism. | | | | Articles page. |