Brain Fog?

[IrishTwins2009]

My 8yo daughter has been doing the gluten challenge for almost a month now. There is one thing I've noticed has been getting worse and to the point she has to leave her classroom to go for a walk to get away from the noise or needs to wear sound cancelling headphones. She says she can't concentrate with all the noise. Her brother also has autism and he stims, and repeats words or sounds over and over again. She seems to get super anxious and begs him to stop. I asked her if the noise was hurting her ears and she said no. She said it's like her brain is all jumbled. 

Does that sound like something brain fog would do? I have tried to google brain fog to get a better understanding of what it might feel like but I'm not sure.

[Ennis-TX]

I used to have to wear noise canceling headphones to concentrate on anything. My ADHD was made worse by gluten and dairy, combined with autism and the brain fog...it was maddening. The fog, its like you try to think of something and you mind sort of slows down and gets stuck on something else. You want to think or work on something but it will not. Concentration becomes really hard and every little thing distracts you. Sometimes my thoughts would start looping and not move to a new subject or let me complete what I was thinking of broken record style. This caused anger, frustration, and outburst sometimes violent that I referred to Mr. Hyde. I just wanted to be left alone to my music and try to work out...sometimes I just had to hit things or bang my head on a wall out of frustration.
B-vitamins like Liquid Health Stress & Energy and Neurological support help, at her age low dose 1-2tsp each 3 times a day in a glass of juice or water, benefits of it being liquid.
Magnesium might help, either Natural Vitality Calm or Doctors best. Do 1/4 doses for her. I think Natural Vitality makes a kids version. The magnesium really helps with the stress.

[IrishTwins2009]

Your description helps me understand it a bit better. Her intolerance to noise seemed to be getting worse slowly over the years, but when we took her off gluten, all her issues settled. Her ability to cope with noise has become extreme and worsened since starting the challenge. As a mother it's tough to see her suffer. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond, I really appreciate it.

[Posterboy]

IrishTwins2009,

Your thread was featured in the celiac.com update email.

I will probably ramble a bit but.. . . I wanted to provide you some clues/ideas of things you might try.

*****None of this medical advice but might help based on my previous experience and deep research and many years of taking supplements myself to help similar axiety, adhd and depression issues though never Autistic.

I do have a friend who works with Autistic children using behavioral modification methods and have done research for her on the topic.

When I was studying about stimming issues the fairly common but relatively unknown nutritional disease came up called Pyroluria.

Here is a great website about it.

Open Original Shared Link

It basically a deficiency in Zinc and B-6 and together they can cause stemming.

  I have had the Zinc deficiency myself.  It is common in people with ADHD.

A common sign of Zinc deficient other than repeated behaviors (like checking your lights, alarm clock, stove, car door, or items etc.) a dozen times before it overtakes your daily activities is a something called "stars" in your nail bed.

Sometimes trauma might cause this stars (white spots in your nail) but not on multiple fingers and usually on both hands often.

Taking a sublingual Zinc cold lozenge can easily be done to get rid of  this Zinc deficiency.

The first two or three lozenges will be cherry or orange tasting but when the lozenge becomes metallic (sour/bitter) they/you should spit it because the body has self regulated your Zinc deficiency.

if you take Zinc by supplementation try/find a 50/3 (Zinc/Copper) blend to keep our ratios in balance.

Having low Zinc levels can lead to copper toxicity since they regulate each in the body.  Think like a see-saw when one is low the other is high/or close to being out of balance.

Taking a B-complex can help the B-6.

But try and find a methyl version so you can rule out a folic acid/mthfr gene defect issue with Folic Acid toxicity causing some of these same similar symptom's.

see this celiac.com article about it.

It should have the methyl form of b-12 or the Folate form of Folic Acid if you have found the right kind.  (this may not be your problem) but I am mentioning it in cause it might be.  I did not have a problem with Folic Acid.

here is the link to "Appropriate nutrient supplementation in celiac disease"

Open Original Shared Link

And the other thing that might make a big difference is taking Magnesium Glcyinate or Magnesium Citrate preferably as Magnesium Glycinate if you can afford that kind since it is easy on the stomach and can/could also help possible loud noise issue of undiangosed tinnitus.

It (Magnesium) is/has also been shown to be an appropriate nutrient for supplementation in celiac disease but it helps a lot of problems people don't think/know about today. I take it for energy, fatigue, muscle cramps, and restful dreams.

See this tinnitus talk link  on how Magnesium (not oxide) helps Tinnitus.

Open Original Shared Link

And this might explain why your daughter has to go a quite place because her ears might be ringing.

I have a friend now who has to leave church when there is signing. . .due to his tinnitus.  Or what he terms the preacher (yelling) due to amplification (though nobody else thinks it is too loud) but the last time I told him about Magnesium helping his ringing in his ears he blamed it on loud music not believing Magnesium could help him. But those who do take it swear by when you can find a Magnesium Citrate or Mangesium Glycinate form.

I hope this is helpful.

Good luck on your continued journey.

*** Again this is not medical advice and should not be considered such. Results may vary. Always consult your doctor before making any changes to your medical regimen.

2 Tim 2:7 “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” this included.

Posterboy by the grace of God,

 

 

 

 

 

[ch88]

In certain cases a doctor may recommend shortening the gluten challenge. It might be a good idea to get tested ASAP.

Open Original Shared Link

Celiac disease can cause brain and nerve damage. A lot of people on this forum get anxiety or brain fog. The hearing changes are a bit more worrisome to me though based on what I have read online. I am not a doctor but I can't guarantee that continuing the gluten challenge is safe. I don't think there is anyway to tell for sure what is causing that. 

[Posterboy]

2 hours ago, ch88 said:

Celiac disease can cause brain and nerve damage. A lot of people on this forum get anxiety or brain fog

Ch88,

I had posted this in another thread but didn't want to overwhelm IrishTwins with too much information  but ASD is an associated clinical presenation in/of Celiac's.

Though most people probably would say "brain fog" is more in the "Gluten Ataxia" realm probably.

This article/research entitled the "Neurologic and Psychiatric Manifestations of Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity"  which is very thorough and list/concludes they (GA and ASD) as different issues in a Celiac patient.

Open Original Shared Link

But I agree with you ch88 the hearing issues would alarm me. . . and why I mentioned undiagnosed tinnitus as a possible cause.

I too am no doctor either but wanted to soothe IrishTwins fears that it doesn't have to be something neurologic when ADHD specifically can be traced/associated with nutritional deficiencies. . . and perhaps nutrition might help.

I also had Low Vitamin D levels that helped my Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). . . and you won't been able to convenience me then I would ever be better . . .but little by little (especially when I found Vitamin D, Magnesium Citrate, Zinc and a good B-complex) most of my major severe depression issues got better.

To many times nutrition is not even considered ( they call them in the ASD community) biomedical interventions.

Here is a link about it.

Open Original Shared Link

No body is saying it is a cure but thoughtful things that should be considered.

this includes treating a leak gut and/or trialing a  gluten free/casein free diet to see if behavior and learning improve.

quoting

What is a typical approach to Biomedical intervention?

"Biomedical intervention usually starts with a restrictive diet, such as the gluten-free, casein-free diet. Typically, foods will be restricted in a particular sequence, for example by eliminating:
• Dairy products - casein and/or lactose
• Gluten, found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt, etc.
• Eggs, nuts, and berries that are known provoke allergic reactions in children
• Fruits and vegetables that contain salicylates, phenols, and other reactive substances
• All artificially colored food, i.e., the Feingold Diet
• All bi- and poly-saccharides, such as lactose, fructose, starch, etc. (the Specific Carbohydrate Diet).

Parents report varying success with these diets, and combinations of them. Some have seen major benefits simply from eliminating milk; others need to eliminate salicylates or phenols to reach a tipping point; others have found a workable, effective diet in the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Many parents report no benefit from a restrictive diet at all."

And I would guess IrishTwins has already investigated this as a treatment/management for her ASD child.

Many try a Gluten-free Casein-free diet though some disagree with the approach as too restrictive.

I was just alerting them to things that helped with some of the brain fog issues I  have had that "biomedical intervention" helped me with.

If Zinc  and B-6 can help stemming it would helpful to  be aware of this knowledge. . . and Magnesium has been shown to help some hearing issues once thought related to loud noises (though I can't seem) to convenience my friends of this connection.

But I do try and share what has helped me and my friends.. .with the hope that it will help someone else.

***Again this is not medical advice but I hope it is helpful.

And as always “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” this included. 2 Timothy 2:7

Posterboy by the grace of God,