Is the world going Free from mad? how can we prove that a child has a leeky gut?

[Ronifromwales]

Hi all, I just wanted to find out what your thoughts are about removing gluten from your child's diet without proven evidence that it is actually harmful when they have got autism or any related social and communication issues. We have a reason to feel that our DS is lactose intolerant and we have removed it from his diet. I am also gluten intolerant and have put him on and off gluten with some positive results but I have never been able to prove that it is damaging to him. He loves croissants and some of the foods that contain gluten and sometimes I feel awful putting him through the diet without giving him what he likes.

When you say that a child has got a leeky gut, how exactly do we test that? We've introduced gluten again in his diet as we want to test him for celiac disease in a couple of months and I have to say that he hasn't shown any symptoms and his stools have not become runny. He's still dairy free so I am now thinking that his symptoms are related to dairy, not gluten.

We end up becoming so obssessed about something that really is not making any difference and forgetting to focus on therapy and spending actual time with the child... I'm not sure whether taking him off gluten is right and I wish I could find a good biomedical specialist for advice.

No answers, just to say that I've been through the same thing! My son is back on gluten after restarting it for the coeliac test (negative) without any apparent negative effects. I have him on Lactofree products but I'm not sure that lactose is really an issue so I will probably put that to the test again at easter. I do think there may be some problem with oats - guess I'll be testing that out eventually. I'd like to trial GF/CF but he only eats rice and buckwheat porridge, marmite sandwiches, cheese and plain crisps so it'd be a bit of a nightmare and I don't really feel over sure it'd help (you'd try pretty much anything feasible though wouldn't you?) I did have the Sunderland urine test which suggested there shouldn't be an issue with casein but there might be one with gluten.

Roni, have you done the sundarland test? It's only £30 if I remember right and will indicate if gluten and casein are an issue? Also test him for vitAmin deficiency? If he really does have a leaky gut he will be deficient in vitamins (such as niacin or b3, b6, b12, b1, colic acid, vit c) and minerals (magnesium, zinc, manganese etc).

DS tested deficient in all vitamins and minerals listed above s well as gluten and cow milk intolerant, soya was nt an issue so we can use soya milk. These test were run privately but when I went to the gp and we were referred to have then done on the nhs all came negative, incl allergy and food intolerance. But the gp didn't have an answer the other day when I took him for suspected honey allergy as his eyes went red and watery...and he got pollen allergy first time this year and had treatment for it.

My advice is run the testing privately before you splash out on restricted diet, supplements and all the stress that goes with restricting food and administering supplements.

DS has been gluten free for 3 months and he has started combining sentences simultaneously and also trying really hard to explain things until we get it, it's hard for him as he also have speech and language disorder as well as autistic traits.

Hi you might like to have a look at these gastrointestinal related research papers

Forgot to ask who are proving to that your child has a leaky gut? Gps, well mine didn't have a clue about it but have head of the diet being recommended to asd children but said it's not for all. The amazing nutritionist at the gp clinic hadn't heard of it!!! The consultant at the nhs hospital said we parents with asd children shouldn't be trying all therapies that the books are recommending under the sky...most books are not real stories but fake marketing....

Leaky gut test used to be a PEG test.

1. Gluten is not a food group you need. There is absolutely nothing dangerous at all about removing gluten.

1. I removed gluten from DSs diet. Accidentally gave him some 2 weeks later and it really hurt his tummy. Therefore I've concluded he shouldn't eat Gluten. (He does have ASD)

1. I removed gluten from DDs diet. When I re-introduced it later it didn't hurt her, so I've put her back on gluten. (Although she doesn't have ASD)

First I'd just ask him:

• Does he ever have a sore tummy?
• Does he ever feel sick?
• Does it sting when he does a wee?
• Does he get constipated?
• Look at his stools. :( (They should look like Type 4 )

If this stools are fine when he's on gluten and he doesn't have a sore tummy, then I guess he doesn't have a problem with gluten.

But if he's constipated a lot, or his stools are watery then I would keep him off gluten.

Imogen - just cut out dairy and gluten. Much, much cheaper, easier and quicker than getting him tested.

Leaky gut PEG test was done at Biolab in London.
It says here
www.drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Leaky_gut_syndrome_-_a_problem_when_things_go_wrong
it is a different test now. "To diagnose leaky gut, we look at levels of Short chain polypeptides. This test now replaces a PEG test. "