getting an allergy panel done

C

cboz

Guest
I have some friends on another board who have had success modifying their children's behavior by cutting out certain foods. In addition to all the recent help we've been getting lately (therapy), I decided to have difficult child (age 7) tested. The appointment. is this Friday. Have any of you had symptoms reduce due to food changes?
 

Josie

Active Member
Yes. My daughter was diagnosis'ed with ODD and Depression. She was taking the maximum dose of Lexapro and we were about to add Seroquel to try to control her violence when we discovered she was gluten and casein intolerant. We put her on the girlfriend/CF diet and her symptoms went away completely as long as she stays on it. We were able to wean her off her Lexapro.

She has been on this diet for 5 years and as long as she stays on her diet, she is fine. She is 15 now and sometimes cheats. A few weeks ago, she had a long episode of eating lots of things she shouldn't and I thought we would have to put her on medications again. Thankfully, she seems to have gotten back on the plan and is doing well again.

I tested her through Enterolab for gluten and casein intolerance only. My other daughter had stomach problems and we have a family history of celiac. It was only because of B's stomach problems that we discovered A's cause of behaviour problems.

Later, I tested B for food allergies with a blood test. This test covered a lot of different foods but I don't think it was very accurate. I eliminated the foods she was allergic to and didn't notice a difference in her health. Worse, according to the test, she didn't have a problem with gluten or milk and both of those hurt her stomach.

I hope you find something with the test that makes a difference. A special diet has been a miracle for us.
 
H

HaoZi

Guest
Cutting way down on processed meats and adding in more omega foods like flaxseed breads and organic milk and eggs can make a difference in mine, but only when she sticks with it. Worked a lot better when she couldn't get enough PB&J sandwiches, and now she's in the won't-touch-'em phase. JIF makes a new omega peanut butter now, too. At least I think the diet helped, about the time she stopped that stuff was the same time as a medication change that led to a downward spiral, so I can't be certain.
I have seen a lot about gluten allergies presenting as behavior problems that look like ADHD rages, so I did have mine tested before I allowed her to be put on any medications. Her test came up mildly positive for shrimp and strawberries, both of which she had eaten prior to that with no ill effect whatsoever (unless you count YUCK at strawberries a bad reaction).
 

Josie

Active Member
I don't think there is a good test for gluten allergies, other than possibly the Enterolab test. Lots of gluten free people end up using it. Even that one really looks for an intolerance and not an allergy, so I think it could miss some. If you really want to see if gluten is a problem, I think the best way is to eliminate it all for a while and see what happens. I think you have to avoid even traces of it and cross contamination to be sure.

The first time I did it, I took a very casual approach. I ate in restaurants without asking if there was gluten in what I was ordering. I did not eat any obvious gluten, but I didn't worry about tiny amounts. I didn't notice a difference.

After we all tested positive, I took it more seriously and got rid of it all and could tell, in myself, by the first or second day. I would give it a longer trial though if you do it.

Ideally, you should then re-introduce it and see what happens. I have never intentionally done this because it was such a dramatic change that I do not want to go back to feeling that way, if I can help it.
 

LittleDudesMom

Well-Known Member
I know there have been many of this board who have had behavioral successes with their difficult children when cutting out certain foods/additives/categories in their diets. I tried the sugar and dye when my difficult child was younger - made no difference with my, then, extremely hyper and impulsive boy!

There is a lot of information out there about diet and behavior connections as well as environmental connections.

Keep us posted.

Sharon
 
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