Does My Child Have Gluten Intolerance?

As soon as the baby completes her first six months, we start looking for guidelines to include solid foods in the baby’s diet. It is quite an exciting phase as parents want to feel relieved and more comfortable when it comes to feeding options for your child. While going through this phase, many of us come across the term Gluten
intolerance. If your baby is fussing over food, suffering from constant stomach upset, could it be
because of the Gluten intolerance? Let’s see what exactly is gluten intolerance.

What is Gluten Intolerance

The word Gluten is derived from the glue-like consistency of the wet flour that we use as dough on an everyday basis. So, gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley, rye, and the like. Some humans are intolerant to this protein, and this intolerance can be identified as and when wheat or such grains are introduced to the baby. This intolerance is known as Gluten Intolerance.

 

GLUTANIN AND GLIADIN are two main gluten proteins. If your baby gets a mild or an uncomfortable reaction after consuming food containing gluten, it means she is having a Gluten sensitivity or Gluten intolerance.

What are the Common Symptoms & Identifying Factors?

It is not easy to miss the discomfort caused by Gluten Intolerance. The signs and symptoms are usually very prominent and diagnosed upon being consistent. Here are some of the common symptoms of gluten Intolerance you should look for:

Physical symptoms

• Bloating of the stomach
• Being very Colicky or gassy
• Smelly poop
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Skin Rashes
• Vomiting
• Weight loss or trouble gaining weight
• Delayed growth
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Nausea
• Recurrent cold, runny nose and flu

Behavioral symptoms

• Brain fog
• Crankiness
• Irritability
• Depression
• Extreme mood swings
• Anxiety
• Meltdown
• Violent behavior

My Child Has These Symptoms, what should I do?

As soon as you see any of the above symptoms you should consult with your doctor. Once your doctor eliminates the possibility of other disorders and allergies, check your baby’s food for gluten and avoid it for the next few days. If those symptoms tend to subside, continue to follow suggestions as per your doctor. Every child is different and the severity of symptoms may vary from child to child.

Sometimes Gluten intolerance can also be confused with the celiac disease. Celiac Disease is actually an autoimmune disease. The symptoms of them both could be quite similar, but please consult a doctor to identify and pin the actual difficulty of your child. Your doctor will do the necessary tests to rule out other disorders and allergies.

What to do if A Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance is Diagnosed?

One should be more alert if parents have a celiac disease then your child should get screened every 2
years and may show the signs of gluten intolerance. Sometimes the tests may come negative but still,
you should be alert because it could be a false result.

With proper guidance, one can easily cope up with Gluten intolerance. It is suggested to go to the
gastroenterologist for proper screening and diagnosis. Seek the help of a professional dietician who can properly guide you regarding gluten-free diet. This will help you get a balanced diet for your child without compromising on her nutritional needs.

In today’s times, many options are available that help children eat their favorite foods made with gluten-free flour, instead of regular wheat flour, without much compromise on taste. There is also a rich resource of recipes and alternate cooking techniques for gluten-free recipes, making it convenient for families to cope up and manage a gluten intolerance in their child.

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