Living With Celiacs Disease

Some people suffer from allergies and intolerances to wheat and/or gluten. These allergies and intolerances can cause symptoms that are fairly mild to life threatening. But what is the difference between wheat and gluten?

It seems that sometimes the words are used almost interchangeably in ingredient lists and conversations about what ails us, but there is, in fact, a difference!

Wheat is a grain. We all know that. Gluten is the sticky protein that is found in wheat and other grains such as barley, rye, malt, and - to some extent - oats. Wheat and gluten are related - they come together in a package.

Gluten is what binds the dough in breads and baked goods. So if wheat and gluten are not the same thing, but are so closely related, is it possible to have an allergy or intolerance to one and not the other?

Well, if you're allergic to gluten, you need to stay away from wheat, since wheat contains gluten. And if you're allergic to wheat, since gluten is part of wheat's make up, then you probably need to avoid gluten as well. But if you're allergic only to wheat, you can still enjoy other grains that have gluten in them.

What are signs and symptoms of a wheat or gluten allergy or intolerance? Allergic reactions to wheat and/or gluten can include the following: digestive disturbances such as vomiting, diarrhea, gas, constipation and bloating, chest pain, nausea, hives, eczema, swelling and even anaphylaxis.

Symptoms of wheat and/or gluten intolerance can be: digestive disturbances similar to wheat/gluten allergy, fatigue, irritability, skin irritations, vomiting, heartburn and headaches.

Allergy symptoms will usually come on very quickly after ingestion of even a small amount of wheat or gluten. The symptoms of intolerance may not show up at all, or be delayed.

Sometimes people with intolerances can have small amounts of wheat or gluten with no problem, only having issues when they eat large amounts of the problem ingredient. Gluten intolerance or allergy has also been tied to autism and other behavioral disorders.

Research is currently being conducted, but placing autistic children on a gluten-free diet has shown positive results. Along with autism, gluten allergies seem to cause other symptoms that wheat allergies don't. They include osteoporosis, weight gain or loss, slow growth in infants and children, and depression.

If you suspect you have a wheat or gluten allergy or intolerance, you should consult with your doctor and a dietician for testing and to find out the best ways to handle your disorder.

While there's no way to cure an allergy or intolerance for wheat, gluten or any other type of food, you can control the symptoms by avoiding foods and ingredients that cause your discomfort.

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As she explains in her book Louder Than Words Jenny McCarthy has employed a gluten free diet (accompanied by medication, therapy and supplements) to help Evan overcome autism with amazingly positive results. Once communicating with only one word at a time, Evan is now fully conversational. He holds eye contact and enjoys life as a normal little boy.

How is it that a gluten/casein free diet can help children with autism? No one knows for sure, but one school of thought is that gluten (a protein found in wheat and some other grains) and casein (a protein found in dairy) act in a way that's similar to morphine on some children.

Children with autism often have permeable intestinal tracts, or "leaky guts." The weak membranes in the intestine allow these broken-down peptides from digested gluten and casein (which act like morphine) to basically get loose in the bloodstream.

It either makes them lose control, or become zombie-like. How can a person know if the gluten/casein free diet will help their autistic loved-one? Research is still inconclusive about how this works - or even if it works.

But there's no reason not to try it and see if it helps. Because there are good food substitutes for the food that would become off-limits, there isn't a risk of malnourishment by eliminating gluten and casein.

It is recommended, however, that no child under the age of 5 go on a cold turkey gluten and casein-free diet, because it could cause withdrawal and worsening of the symptoms of autism.

It would be better to slowly wean the child off of the newly blacklisted foods and introduce replacement foods over time. Begin by eliminating one source at a time, and give the new diet at least six months for results.

A person suffering autism can also be examined for "leaky gut" first, but again, because a gluten-free or casein-free diet is not inherently unhealthy, it's fine to try it and note any positive changes.

Many parents who have incorporated a gluten/casein-free diet into their autistic child's healthcare plan are swearing by the positive results they're seeing. Children are communicating better, interacting more and functioning at a higher level.

The medical community is looking closely at this alternative treatment option for autism and many doctors are adding it to their treatment plans for autistic patients. But it's not a guarantee for everyone.