ADHD and Gluten Free Diet- Anyone with Experience out there

by Nancy
(Nashville)

We are just beginning our research about ADHD And the gluten free diet. We have a 10 year old son who has experienced some unwanted side effects of ADHD medicine and so we'd really like to explore dietary options.

We have found a lot of people talking about the benefits of a gluten free diet on their children with ADHD.

Anyone have any encouragement for me?

It is hard to make the decision to change our entire families diets when it isn't a true 'life or death' problem. But I guess part of me says- "It couldn't do anything but benefit all of us!". I look forward to hearing from some of you!

Nancy in Nashville

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ADHD and Gluten Free Diet- Anyone with Experience out there

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starstarstarstarstar 		28 days on gf/cf diet for 10 year old son with ADD
by: Carol

I have been thinking about trying the GF diet for my son who has ADD for a little over a year now.

So when I found out that his grades had slipped and he was still having difficulties, I thought that's it, it's time, March 1st we are starting the GF diet no matter what.

He has already been off of casein for a couple of years, and we also watch his intake of artificial ingredients, such as colors, flavors, pesticides, and preservatives, so this was just one more step for us to make.

Well He had been having 2 greens, 2 yellows, and 1 red on the behavior chart at his school for the last month, but on the weeks after the GF diet it was 4 greens and 1 yellow for these past 3 weeks, every week.

Not only that but I asked if he felt any different and the 3rd day he told me that his head felt lighter. He also was remembering things and thinking of things that otherwise he wouldn't of before.

I have also been checking his weight because over the last 3 years, he has only gained a pound each year and only weighed 59.6 lbs. at 10 years old and the average 10 year old weighs around 70 lbs, Anyways, in 3 weeks he had gained 1 lb which on average had taken him a year to do before GF.

So I think you could definitely say that we have absolutely had success on the GF diet and we are continuing it as long as we need to, through the end of the school year, throughout the summer, and will still be doing it when he starts middle school next year.

If you have any questions for me, my email is carols2ndbaby@hotmail.com. I would love to hear from you. Us moms of special kids need to support and help each other as much as possible.

Carol Mom to Shane, my very special boy
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starstarstarstarstar 		Celiac Who Has Experienced ADHD From Gluten
by: Michael

I was diagnosed with celiac disease in middle age. I never experienced being ADHD as a child. After being gluten-free for 7 months, I do temporarily become ADHD when I accidentally get contaminated with gluten. When the gluten is cleared out of my system, I lose the ADHD.
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starstarstarstarstar 		adhd
by: Chris

My wife worked at a school for autism and I know a lot of the students there were on a restricted diet both gluten free and dairy free. Some of the students also had ADHD and assosiated behaviour issues and the ones that had a restricted diet did seem be be easier to control and teach.

I am a firm believer in only taking drugs if absouloutly essential. As stated there are to many side effects.

I have started an info/blog site to try and help. I am a trained chef with a wheat intolerance so hope to bring my experience to you. Please go to www.bakingglutenfree.org to have a look.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Gluten free diet helped my daughter
by: Marcy

My daughter with ADD improved when our house went gluten free 3 years ago. She isn't my celiac but we keep a gluten free home.

She wasn't 100%, but so much better, behavior, etc.

Then I started the feingold program with her (took me about a year to decide this one so glad we did!) .

What a huge difference! We won't go back.

I have told her, until she moves out, this is how we eat. We are all so much better off for it too. I have even seen improvements in myself and one of my other children. Hope this helps.

Marcy
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starstarstarstarstar 		Refreshing
by: luce

I'm so glad to see this posting today. I have had advanced (for lack of a better word) ADD and ADHD since I was young and have been retested recently (still with full-blown) as an adult with the same.

Also, I could not take the medications and had extremely negative results on them and had to teach myself tips to get through Highschool, College, Grad. School and life in general.

Having faced an onslaught of symptoms of "brain fog" and so forth and newly learning of my Celiac diagnosis, I must say, I find your attitude refreshing for wanting to help your child.


From what I've researched and even my almost month on this diet, my mind is beginning to clear back up again like reports from others.

Although this won't cure a Learning Disability, it certainly will help. I believe anything you can do to help your son have a better overall success in life, and help your family's health, is to be commended. Best of luck to you and your child.

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Copyright© 2007. Please note I am not a doctor, just a fellow sufferer of coeliac disease.
Therefore no information on this site should be taken as medical advice.
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