we've have behaviour improvement with gf/cf diet

[DietDiva]

Cant believe its school holidays and i've got time to sit at the computer.

DS has been doing gluten free for a few months now and we have recently started removing casein as well. This is helping his adhd and he is looking much healthier.

I really want to keep doing this diet with him but really need help as to what to foods to give him as his diet is very limited.

I got a few tips the other week from my earlier post but would love a few more ideas.

Thanks

That's so good to read I have been trying to decide whether to start one. I will be interest in watching this thread for ideas.

xx

It's really worth a try. At first I thought maybe its just me being more relaxed and coping better but even his new teacher described him as a quiet boy. DS is 8 yrs and don't think anyone has ever described him as quiet. His concentration is also improving. He is good at reading but can never be bothered but just after starting the gf/cf diet he sat on bed and read a whole book - 60+ pages.

Lets hope someone with loads of info replies to this thread

There is a range of gf foods in sainsburys. Also things like eggs, meat, fish and fruit. What does he like eating?

DS1 5.6 has been the diet since he was 2. There are a fair few things that you can make with neither dairy or gluten.

For DS I make:
hm burgers and wedges
spaghetti bolognaise with gluten free pasta (doves farm is the best we have found)
chicken nuggets in gf bread crumbs
roast dinner
shephards pie without any cheese
steak and chips
a variety of curries including korma (using coconut milk)
keema (mince and peas) and there are some gluten and dairy free curry sauces available if you wanted something quick.
biryani
eggy bread
apples and cinnamon pancakes (gf self raising flour and rice milk)
jacket potato with beans and tuna
gf fish fingers (free from range)
hm fish cakes (gf breadcrumbs)
gf pizza base with no cheese/soy cheese (ds doesn't like these)
Lamb chops and mash
casserole/hotpot type meals
special fried rice ....

Ds can get quite restrictive and a lot of these foods he will like one minute and not eat the next. Let me know if you want any recipes.

ghoulsforgodot - ds has always been willing to try most food. Since starting the diet he's been eating meat, fish, veg, fruit and some gf food from sainsburys.

stareyeyed - wow thanks for the list its a great help. ds will probably like all of them. I should be to manage to make them (hopefully!). Which milk do you use? We use rice milk but ds is starting to want cows milk again so wanted to try another. Did you also see improvements following this diet?

Dd1 has also been gf/cf since she was 2. She is 6 now. Our list of foods is similar to staryeyed's.

So, the dds eat: spat bol (usually with rice, as dd1 often reacts to gf pasta), curry (Meridian sauces are gluten free and dairy free. Some other supermarket ones ate - M&S do a nice curry sauce that is ok for the diet).

Shepherds pie, made using Pure spread I.stead of butter for themash. Also I do a chicken version using chicken mince. I use Stokes Coronation Chicken sauce to put in this (and on fish pie) to give it flavour.
Fish pie.
Sausages (black farmer ones are ok, as ate Helen Browning)
I have found that Genus bread is not ok for dd1, not sure why. dietary specials rustic rolls are.
Chilli and rice is a favourite, and sometimes plain chicken breast can be ok (but not keen)
Dd1 loves tortilla/spanish omelettes.

Oh, milk wise, I used to give dd1 rice milk, but it was awful for her (the flavourings and coloring). Tried her with goat/sheep/buffalo but it wasn't brilliant (its a slightly different protein, sometimes it can work well).

Now she just doesn't have any, and I rely on veg for calcium (good thing she.likes broccoli!)

thanks silverfrog. DS loves chicken curry so will definietely be buying some curry sauces as they will be handy to have in the cupboard instead of making everything from scratch. Will also try the coronation chicken sauce. DS may eat a mild chilli will have to try him with it.

Hope you managed to get a couple of ideas from staryeyed too.

We have definitely seen improvements mostly health wise I have talked about them quite a few times before- used to have constantly runny nose/ sticky eye, very sweaty red cheeks and ears constant diarrhoea. Also seen behavioural improvements- no/less tantrums less spacey but we have been following supplement regime as well so I dont know how much of the behavioural changes are down to diet.

originally we used soy milk but changed to rice milk when I read about the health issues. But there is health issues with rice milk as well so what can you do.

We use goats milk-we are on casein light!

do you think i would still see improvement in behaviour by doing casein light. ds likes goats milk so would be a better alternative.

Good to hear from others who are benefiting from this diet.

Staryeyed - good to hear your ds has had improvement in his health. my ds used to have eczema all over and this cleared up almost immediately. He was also very thin but has put on quite a bit of weight since starting removing gluten. Looks much healthier now. Hoping things keep getting better.

My grown up son as a child had ADHD and a social worker (he was so bad I asked them to take him away in a moment of desperation!!!) gave me a book (after deciding I was not a bad mum) on food colourings. I cut out all the listed chemicals and colourings and he was a vastly improved child.

Speaking to him the other day he remembers actually feeling calmer and more alert (shown in the school reports at the time). He also said he had a large bottle of Dr Peppers the other day and felt unwell and nauseaus through the day and for a good 6 hours when he got home. So aware still of the dangers of colourings etc, even though they are no where near as bad as they were 20 years ago.

Weakandmilky - thanks its good to hear from people who have success stories. I appreciate all the helpful tips rather than just negative comments from people who don't understand.

Food colourings were one of the first things we removed from DS diet which I believe also made him a bit calmer. He had an intolerance test and it came back positive to gluten so I think that maybe the main cause of his behaviour. Things much calmer at the moment so I think we're getting there!

Hi Diet. It is excellent that you are getting results. It is a bit of a long hard road but worth it in the end. I would recommend that you really talk to your DS and keep him aware and fully informed regarding his diet and its affects on him. This helped enormously when my son went through the early teens/puberty thing as by then he had a good understanding of diet etc. I have read that there is a genetic link (DSs dad is also unable to concentrate for long). I wonder if the genetic bit is not behavioural but maybe a genetic dietary intolerance causing the behaviour?