anyone experience with CFGF and withdrawal symptoms?

[misscutandstick]

DS5 (2.5 autism) is now on a CFGF diet (along with absence of other 'contraband!) Its introduction was in 2 parts - firstly the milk was removed from his diet and then the gluten. He had no problems at all when the milk was removed, and we could see improvements within 5days!

However when the gluten was removed he suffered terrible withdrawal symptoms - headbanging, face scratching, screaming, and generally being on edge and very upset the whole time. it took nearly 2wks for the symptoms to ease and dissipate. Since the removal of gluten from his diet, we havent actually seen much more improvement in behaviour or progress (he has GDD). Although i can tell when hes managed to sneek something that he shouldnt eat.

Incidentally, he didnt have the sunderland test done.

so, A)Why did he not have withdrawal symptoms from the milk removal? B) why did it take so long for the withdrawal symptoms to dissipate from the gluten? C)Are the terrible withdrawal symptoms an indication of how much it was affecting him? D) and if so why has there been little improvement as a result of the removal of gluten?

many thanks for any replies XXX

[misscutandstick]

anyone?

or even a pointer to another website that might have the answer?

[catski]

I'm certainly no expert but have just put my son on a casein free diet and have bought Marilyn Le Breton's book 'Diet Intervention and Autism'. She says (p.67):

"If you are worried about what might happen during this period of withdrawal, do try ot keep it at the forefront of your mind that an adverse reaction to the removal of gluten, casein, MSG and aspartame from the diet means that your child is addicted/intolerant to these substances. Any such reactions are only serving to prove that you are doing the right thing by removing em from your child's diet.

If you are staggering the withdrawal of fodds from your child's diet (ie taking out casein first before the other substances) you will be unlikely to notice any withdrawal symtoms, as your child will still be getting their 'fix' from gluten. It will be when you fully implement the gf/cf diet that you will notice the withdrawal symtoms, but these will be less marked than ifyou remove gluten and casein at the same time.

Some of the withdrawal symtoms that have b een reported by parents are (please remember that it is highly unlikely that your child will suffer from any more than a few of these):

• diarrhoea, constipation, stomach upset, anxiety, clinginess, bad temper, agitation, distrubed sleep pattern, lethargy, hyperactivity, running a temperature, night sweats."

Sorry about all the spelling mistakes - am typing in a hurry!

My son seems to have come out in acne since removing casein from his diet...

[catski]

Oh, and also, my understanding is that the peptides in casein leave the body in about 3 days, whereas with gluten it can take much longer. The lady at sunderland university indicated that changes from gluten removal would take about 10-12 months to see (possibly a little less at your son's age).

[misscutandstick]

ah i see! many many thanks - that is very interesting and clears things up lot for me. thankyou for taking the time to reply. XXX