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What the hell is Gluten Intolerance?

Nowadays everything is free. I am talking about dairy-free, sugar-free, sodium-free, and preservatives free to mention a few. You might have also heard about Gluten-free food. If your child is constantly complaining about stomach pain, it could be due to gluten intolerance. Fancy term right? Actually, it is not that complicated. Let me explain it to you.

What is Gluten Intolerance?

Gluten is a protein found in some foods we consume daily like wheat, rye, and barley. The inability of the body to digest foods, which contain gluten, is known as gluten intolerance. Members with Gluten intolerance will experience some of these symptoms:

  • Abdominal pain and discomfort
  • Diarrhea and constipation
  • Abdominal bloating
  • Nausea and headache
  • Fatigue
  • Skin reactions
  • Iron deficiency anemia
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Joint and muscle pain
  • Leg or arm numbness

What to do if your child shows the signs of Gluten Intolerance?

Now based on these symptoms do not presume that you or your child is having gluten intolerance. As all the wise men said, you should always consult a physician before presuming any condition or changing medicines or diet based on that. If you think that your child may have gluten sensitivity, it is advisable to get a thorough medical examination by a gastroenterologist.2,3 The doctor will advise a series of tests for a better diagnosis. If the reports are positive, you may consider making changes in the diet of your child as per the guidelines.

Avoiding foods with Gluten

In gluten-related disorders (GRD), the most effective approach is to avoid foods that have gluten and follow Gluten-Free Diet.4 There is nothing to be alarmed about Gluten Sensitivity. You and your child should just be cautious while having certain foods. Nowadays, a variety of food options are available in the market, which are gluten-free. Even many restaurants offer gluten-free options on their menu. This brings us to the next question. What about nutrition, vitamins, minerals, etc.? By avoiding certain foods aren’t we skipping some vital elements? Thankfully, you have several options to manage this concern.

Here are 5 key suggestions:4,5

  • Include naturally available gluten-free grains and seeds such as quinoa, millet, brown rice, amaranth, buckwheat, sorghum, flax seeds, and chickpeas in your diet. 
  • Dairy products such as milk, ghee, cheese, yogurt, and butter all are naturally gluten-free. If you or your child is not allergic to milk products, you should include them in the diet.
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables such as apple, banana, pear, papaya, spinach, carrot, radish, and capsicum are good sources of fiber and vitamins and should be consumed regularly.
  • Include animal and plant-based sources of protein such as legumes, meat, seafood, soy food in the diet.
  • Ask your physician about Gluten-free products that are available in the market. 

As a parent, you have to play an important role in comforting your child and helping him handle his diet better. As I said earlier, the answer is quite simple. Watch his diet carefully and follow the physician’s advice on how to replace the food with other options and manage the overall nutrition. Completely avoiding foods that are causing gluten intolerance may sound to be an easy answer but you should look at the big picture, his overall health, and nutrition in the long term.


About the Author: Dr. Priyankaa Bahree is a Ph.D. in Biotechnology from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. She has worked on understanding Host-Pathogen interaction in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Dr. Priyankaa is passionate about medical writing and medical education. Click here to connect with Dr. Priyankaa on Linkedin. 


References:

  1. Elli L, Branchi F, Tomba C, et al. Diagnosis of gluten-related disorders: Celiac disease, wheat allergy, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. World journal of gastroenterology. 2015 Jun 21;21(23).
  2. Camhi SS, Sangal K, Kenyon V, et al. Pediatric Nonceliac Gluten Sensitivity: A Gluten-related Disorder Treatment Center Experience. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2019;69(2):200–5.
  3. Leonard MM, Sapone A, Catassi C, et al. Celiac disease and nonceliac gluten sensitivity: A review. Vol. 318, JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association. American Medical Association; 2017. p. 647–56.
  4. Bascuñán KA, Vespa MC, Araya M. Celiac disease: understanding the gluten-free diet. Vol. 56, European Journal of Nutrition. Dr. Dietrich Steinkopff Verlag GmbH and Co. KG; 2017. p. 449–59.
  5. The Gluten Free Diet. Available at: https://www.beyondceliac.org/gluten-free-diet/overview/. Accessed on 9 November 2021.

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