Does gluten intolerance cause behavior problems? No way! (Not to mention bipolar-type behavior, ODD behavior, and others.)

Acknowledging the problem.

Little did I know how much food itself (and gluten intolerance) would become a major turning point in our lives. I had heard of gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance causing symptoms of an upset stomach, IBS, etc … but psychological problems and bad behavior? That was a new concept!

How it affected us.

Introducing my 3 year old daughter, Emily. She was always a challenge. My first daughter, who is now 6 years old, was the perfect baby. Always smiling and always a pleasure to be around. So when Emily came along, I assumed it was the classic case of a good / easy kid and a more demanding one. I definitely didn’t think it was gluten sensitive.

Emily still got up at least once a night until she was around 1 1/2 years old. Sometimes he couldn’t sit up to sleep and other times he just woke up in the middle of the night in the worst possible mood for no apparent reason.

What were we doing wrong?

We always limit sugar for girls, especially before bed. We were even careful to give our girls artificial coloring and sweeteners, as they had been proven to be guilty of behaviors by other family members, such as causing hyperactivity. She showed no symptoms of celiac disease, so we ruled it out from the start.

So what was going on? We thought that once she was able to speak and express her irritation, she would say it and then get over it.

Incorrect.

As she got older, Emily’s tantrums became literally too difficult to handle. These were some of its symptoms and others that some people have.

Tired,

Food cravings,

Eczema,

Unexplained eruptions,

Allergic dark circles (dark circles under the eyes),

Redness of the face / ears, stomach pain,

Loose stools or diarrhea

Constipation,

Alternate diarrhea and constipation,

Mucus production,

Congestion,

Immune, inflammatory and autoimmune reactions,

Abnormal pulse

High blood pressure,

Headaches

Migraines

Ringing in the ears,

Tingle,

Dizziness,

Tics

Depression,

Mood disorders,

Anxiety,

Panic attacks,

Aggression,

Sleep disorder,

ADHD symptoms (decreased attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity),

Humor changes,

Irritability,

Symptoms of autism (poor eye contact, social withdrawal, decreased language, obsessions, repetitive behaviors)

Where are we now?

Much better, thank goodness. Emily has no symptoms.

Children can show behavior and psychological symptoms early on and stomach problems can arise later in life. However, babies can have stomach problems right from the start. Colic could actually be caused by gluten sensitivity from the formula you consume.