2 Weeks On Gluten Free Diet And No Improvement

[mommytoE&E]

I've had my 2.5 year old on a gluten free diet for two weeks and she still has not made any improvement. (She still has quite a bit of bowl movements and diarrhea.)

I have not taken dairy out of her diet completely, but she doesn't get milk or yogurt or ice-cream. But, I have given her cheese almost on a daily basis....mostly because she is SUPER picky eater and pizza and macNcheese are her staples, sadly.

Ugh. Is it too early to tell with the gluten free diet, or do I really have to remove all dairy to really tell?? This is so frustrating. Seriously the prospect of removing dairy too makes me a little depressed.

Thanks for your help.

[Ursa Major]

Unfortunately, yes, you may have to remove all dairy to see any improvement at all. And don't substitute with soy, either, as she may react to that as well.

Your little one may stop being so picky once food won't make her feel bad any more.

[mommytoE&E]

Do I have to remove it when I bake too? Like, no milk in baked goods too? How about butter?

[Ursa Major]

Do I have to remove it when I bake too? Like, no milk in baked goods too? How about butter?

Yes, you do. You have to look at it the same as you would at gluten. You wouldn't ask the same kind of question if it was gluten you were talking about. As in, 'How about just a little bit of barley malt, or dusting my cake pan with flour, that wouldn't be a big deal, right?"

Well, you wouldn't ask that, because you know better. You can substitute almond or rice milk in baked goods without tasting or seeing the slightest difference (many of us do it). I use lard in baked goods, others use other sources of fat. But no, no butter for now.

Once she is completely healed (in three to six months) she may be able to digest dairy again (no guarantee, but possible). But for now you will have to be just as strict with dairy as you are with gluten.

[gfpaperdoll]

Yes, you have to take it all out , sorry...

After she heals she might be able to tolerate butter - real butter, it is low in casein.

Please do not use margarine - the human body does not know what to do with that stuff.

try cooking just meats & veggies without doing casseroles... until you get more comfortable cooking without cheese.

make a roast, roast a chicken, baked pork chops... boil some eggs - oh yea it IS Easter time!!! & make egg salad or deviled eggs...

I use coconut milk in place of dairy - that stuff makes everything taste better! When I open a can if I do not use it all, I freeze the leftovers...

Be sure she gets plenty of good meat fat in her diet & oily fish is good & coconut oil is great & taste yummy & any leftover bacon fat is good to cook eggs in or anything else!!!!

[home-based-mom]

I have not taken dairy out of her diet completely, but she doesn't get milk or yogurt or ice-cream. But, I have given her cheese almost on a daily basis....mostly because she is SUPER picky eater and pizza and macNcheese are her staples, sadly.

I'm hoping that should read "pizza and macNcheese were her staples"

She might reject her new diet at first, but she won't starve herself to death waiting for you to give in. Eventually she will just eat the new stuff because that's all there is, and sometime after that she will come to actually like it. (Yeah, right - easy for me to say! )

Anyway, if she is still getting any gluten or dairy or even soy, you may not see any improvement.

As I keep saying, pretend those things are dog poop and keep what she eats as far away from those things as you would if they really were dog poop!

[itchygirl]

As Ursa pointed out, kids often become picky eaters because food causes them pain (I spent nine months of the first year of my life in the hospital for failure to thrive-so lots of first hand experience) once she is no longer in pain from eating, her dietary horizons may expand considerably. I'd like to add ripe avocado to the other suggestions. My friend Jen knew her kid was getting better when she started snagging the avocados off the counter -have to keep an eye on that though, they can choke on the pits.

[mommytoE&E]

I'm hoping that should read "pizza and macNcheese were her staples"

She might reject her new diet at first, but she won't starve herself to death waiting for you to give in. Eventually she will just eat the new stuff because that's all there is, and sometime after that she will come to actually like it. (Yeah, right - easy for me to say! )

Anyway, if she is still getting any gluten or dairy or even soy, you may not see any improvement.

As I keep saying, pretend those things are dog poop and keep what she eats as far away from those things as you would if they really were dog poop!

Actually they are still one of the few things she eats. Since going gluten free I have been using Annie's rice pasta and cheddar cheese mix. And I use the kinnickinnic pizza crusts, homemade sauce, and mozzerella for her pizza.

But, I guess I have to kiss that stuff goodbye too.

[mommytoE&E]

You know what is weird? I keep reading here about kids being picky due to pain associated with foods that make them sick.

But, my daughter is EXTREMELY picky and the only food she chooses to eat has either wheat and/or dairy in it. Isn't it odd that she picks those foods over meats, veggies, potatoes, and natural things that won't make her sick...? Or is that normal?

She refuses to eat vegetables in any form

She refuses to eat potatoes in any form

She refuses to eat eggs in any form

She refuses most meat (deli, roasted, grilled, chicken nuggests, etc...)

She won't eat beans or rice.

We offer all of these things every night during dinner, but she still won't touch them.

The main meals that she will eat are macNcheese, cheese quesadilla, PB&J, pizza, dry cereal, and pizza. She does eat fruit which is good. And I've been buying or making gluten free equivalents of the above for her. But, it sounds like I'll have to pull all cheese and soy from her diet. And I'm just worried that she will be living off of dry cereal, peanut butter, and fruit for a while.

Anybody have any suggestions on ways for me to get her calcium?

[Ursa Major]

It sounds like she is addicted to gluten, and if she can't have it, carbs and sugars.

Maybe she has a candida infection, too?

Plus, kids her age are often extremely picky to begin with and will only eat certain things. She will outgrow that.

Don't give her the foods she wants, and don't make a big deal out of you wanting her to eat others. Serve the food (plain, don't mix things, at that age they rarely like gravy and want plain food), put in front of her and let her decide if she wants to eat. Don't try to feed her, force her or nag her to eat it. Just let her sit at the table with it in front of her.

If she chooses not to eat it, don't make a fuss. Just remove the food, and let her leave the table.

Leave snacks out (but not enough to replace a whole meal) like cut up fruit, a few gluten-free crackers, a Lara bar. Offer her water frequently, or leave a sippy cup with water sitting out where she can get it. Maybe have the cup and the snacks on a low, kid-height table.

Then, for the next meal, repeat the procedure.

It is VERY important that you don't show any anxiety when she doesn't eat. Food may be her way of control.

Eventually she will eat, because kids will NOT starve themselves. You will likely find at first, that the snacks disappear (when you are not looking). And soon she will start eating the food served at meal times.

She may initially lose some weight doing this. Don't weigh her, it won't matter. She will soon regain any weight lost. Weighing her and stewing over it, and fussing about it won't be helpful to you or her.

Try to be VERY relaxed (at least outwardly) about this.

Tell her that in order for her tummy to feel better, she will need to stop certain foods, and start eating others. That you will absolutely not be serving her the forbidden foods any more. That if she wants to grow big and strong she needs to eat other things now.

When you serve her meals, say, 'that is what we are having today, and you can either eat it or stay hungry'. And unless the food is so revolting to her that it actually makes her gag (which is what raisins have always done for me), stick with it.

To avoid that, you can just serve ordinary food, like plain potatoes, rice, vegetables, fruits, and yes, plain gluten-free pasta as a side is fine.

If all she eats for a while is rice crackers, meat and fruit, that is fine, too.

[okgrace]

I think it's pretty common that people crave the foods that they are allergic or sensitive to. I know that my daughter craves sugar, but when she has it look out. Her behavior is awful and she acts almost manic. She's gone as far as sneaking handfuls of sugar out of the cabinets she craves it so much.

Another thought it perhaps your daughter has sensory processing difficulties. This means that some kids or adults don't process sensations through their senses they way you would expect and instead of feeling pleasurable or not eliciting a response at all, these items elicit a noxious response. Is your daughter picky about what clothes she wears because of how they feel, or doesn't like certain grooming/hygiene tasks such as hair washing or nail clipping or hair cuts?

[rick-spiff]

I agree with the other posts that her body is craving the foods she is alergic to.

We are going through the same thing. It will get better over time but you can't give in.

they have liquid calcium that you can put in a smoothie or drink that is real easy so you don't have to give a pill. Also give her probiotics, that will help her intestines.

[mommytoE&E]

It sounds like she is addicted to gluten, and if she can't have it, carbs and sugars.

Maybe she has a candida infection, too?

Plus, kids her age are often extremely picky to begin with and will only eat certain things. She will outgrow that.

Don't give her the foods she wants, and don't make a big deal out of you wanting her to eat others. Serve the food (plain, don't mix things, at that age they rarely like gravy and want plain food), put in front of her and let her decide if she wants to eat. Don't try to feed her, force her or nag her to eat it. Just let her sit at the table with it in front of her.

If she chooses not to eat it, don't make a fuss. Just remove the food, and let her leave the table.

Leave snacks out (but not enough to replace a whole meal) like cut up fruit, a few gluten-free crackers, a Lara bar. Offer her water frequently, or leave a sippy cup with water sitting out where she can get it. Maybe have the cup and the snacks on a low, kid-height table.

Then, for the next meal, repeat the procedure.

It is VERY important that you don't show any anxiety when she doesn't eat. Food may be her way of control.

Eventually she will eat, because kids will NOT starve themselves. You will likely find at first, that the snacks disappear (when you are not looking). And soon she will start eating the food served at meal times.

She may initially lose some weight doing this. Don't weigh her, it won't matter. She will soon regain any weight lost. Weighing her and stewing over it, and fussing about it won't be helpful to you or her.

Try to be VERY relaxed (at least outwardly) about this.

Tell her that in order for her tummy to feel better, she will need to stop certain foods, and start eating others. That you will absolutely not be serving her the forbidden foods any more. That if she wants to grow big and strong she needs to eat other things now.

When you serve her meals, say, 'that is what we are having today, and you can either eat it or stay hungry'. And unless the food is so revolting to her that it actually makes her gag (which is what raisins have always done for me), stick with it.

To avoid that, you can just serve ordinary food, like plain potatoes, rice, vegetables, fruits, and yes, plain gluten-free pasta as a side is fine.

If all she eats for a while is rice crackers, meat and fruit, that is fine, too.

THANK YOU. Seriously, for some reason I just needed to see this typed out. Your suggestions seem simple enough, though I'm sure she is going to fight me tooth and nail at first. I'm going to start on Monday after all the Easter activities and do this exactly as you typed it out. It is going to suck, but I need to bite the bullet and so does she.

[mommytoE&E]

I agree with the other posts that her body is craving the foods she is alergic to.

We are going through the same thing. It will get better over time but you can't give in.

they have liquid calcium that you can put in a smoothie or drink that is real easy so you don't have to give a pill. Also give her probiotics, that will help her intestines.

Where do I purchase that liquid calcium stuff you are talking about? At whole foods maybe? We do have a small health food store in town that I could try too. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll have to look for that.

[mommytoE&E]

I think it's pretty common that people crave the foods that they are allergic or sensitive to. I know that my daughter craves sugar, but when she has it look out. Her behavior is awful and she acts almost manic. She's gone as far as sneaking handfuls of sugar out of the cabinets she craves it so much.

Another thought it perhaps your daughter has sensory processing difficulties. This means that some kids or adults don't process sensations through their senses they way you would expect and instead of feeling pleasurable or not eliciting a response at all, these items elicit a noxious response. Is your daughter picky about what clothes she wears because of how they feel, or doesn't like certain grooming/hygiene tasks such as hair washing or nail clipping or hair cuts?

Hmmm? Never heard of that before. But, she never really complains about her clothes or her baths or nail clipping. thanks for the suggestion though.

[rick-spiff]

We saw the liquid calcium at Fred Meyers they also have the probiotics (in the refridgerated section) which will help but the good bacteria in her. Very important!

My husband says that 3 consistent weeks of the same feeding (change of no dairy, setting meals out letting her eat on her own terms but the food you provide) and she will be adjusted mentally. But you have to stay consistent!! that is the key!!!

If you're real worried you can always give her rice or hemp protein powdert. Good luck!

[CeliacMom2008]

Your comment about pizza being one of her staples causes me to want to interject some very unscientific thoughts. We've been struggling with our son having occassional setbacks over the course of his 3 months of gluten-free life. I've bounced all over as to the cause, so that's where the definitely unscientific part comes in. But we keep coming back to pizza causing trouble for him. We took him off dairy after the last episode thinking it might be the mozzarella, but the dietician (a Celiac) and the GI nurse were doubtful it was the cheese (he's never had any reaction to cheddar, which he eats frequently in quesadillas) and there was no improvement (in fact symptoms peaked at that worst after dairy free).

I started with purchased gluten-free pizza crust and Ragu sauce. Then went to homemade crust and Ragu. Then to homemade crust and homemade sauce. The only common item is the mozzarella, and even with that I switched from Kraft to Wal-Mart on the last pizza.

Since we're so new I don't feel 100% comfortable blaming the pizza, but it sure seems to be a common element. And it also seems to be getting progressively worse symptom-wise. Anyway, that's my 2 cents about pizza. We've decided to hold off on having it again until his stomach is more settled and I can rule out other variables (i.e. accidental glutening in cafeteria at school).

I hope your baby is getting better soon. And do hang in there. Once they start to improve it is such an amazing thing to see! My son's life is so much better now - more energy, not having to try so hard at school, better mood. Good luck!

[ShayBraMom]

Yes! You will have to remoeve dairy for now as well sweety! It took my daughter a little over three month to first of all get better, with her the worsed was the sleeping at night being disrupted. The intestines are already damaged, they are not healing over night, this takes month, for my duaghter that meant she could not have anything dairy until she started tolerating it because her intestine had healed enough! Take her off of dairy too for at least a motnh if not two, then you could try slowly again! Like I said her instenises have to heal first!

Big hugs, I"m stuill struggling too here- my daughter even though not allergic to wheat startts reacting to it with hivbes if she gets touched!

Hugs!

I've had my 2.5 year old on a gluten free diet for two weeks and she still has not made any improvement. (She still has quite a bit of bowl movements and diarrhea.)

I have not taken dairy out of her diet completely, but she doesn't get milk or yogurt or ice-cream. But, I have given her cheese almost on a daily basis....mostly because she is SUPER picky eater and pizza and macNcheese are her staples, sadly.

Ugh. Is it too early to tell with the gluten free diet, or do I really have to remove all dairy to really tell?? This is so frustrating. Seriously the prospect of removing dairy too makes me a little depressed.

Thanks for your help.