How do I know if Gluten-Free is right for my child?

Diet and lifestyle choices are inherently personal, right? They reflect our cultures and our values. Yet they also reflect our needs and sometimes our health as well. It makes sense to constantly question "is this right for my child?" when making decisions about their nutrition.

So, is "gluten-free" a fad diet? Is is dangerous for kids? Which kids need gluten-free diets and why?

Simply put, it's not dangerous, and almost all people could switch to a gluten-free diet safely, without worrying about major nutritional deficiencies. Some families choose this diet to reduce sugars. Some choose it because it improves mental concentration, promotes maintanence of healthy weight, and helps the parents with their health as well. Yet some kids are particularly in need of this intervention. Let's discuss....

Gluten-intolerance vs. Gluten-allergy

Many times these terms get tossed around interchangeably, and are simply meant to indicate that children who have one of these diagnoses get sick when they eat gluten. The technical difference lies in how sick they get, and what kind of sick. Gluten-intolerant kids have trouble digesting this protein. It fails to break down quickly in their guts, and the sugars involved sit around and ferment. This causes cramping, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and even nausea. It's miserable, but it's not deadly. It will cause discomfort, but it won't cause lasting damage on a cellular level. Gluten-allergic kids have a disease called Celiac-Sprue. This is a genetic disease that prevents their bodies from processing gluten, and causes their immune system to attack their intestines when they eat it. It means that Celiac kids lose weight, fail to hit developmental growth milestones, plus all the gas and diarrhea. With continued exposure, they can even develop shock-like symptoms, seizures, and fatal anemias. For Gluten-allergic kids, the only treatment is a Gluten Free diet.

So why is everybody going Gluten-Free all of a sudden?

Studies show that Celiac Disease (CD) is on the rise in the Western world. As of 2007, and estimated 1 in 80 people in the developing world was born with this condition. That's not taking into account the number of folks for whom gluten doesn't digest well. Some theorists have linked the rise in gluten-intolerance and allergy to decades of genetically hybridized grains. Multiple strains have been cross breeding over many crop cycles, and it's possible that these mutated grains are now different enough that some of our bodies don't know what to do with them anymore.

Still curious about these theories, diagnoses or facts?

Check out this paper from registered dietitians at the University of Virginia for more in depth info about Celiac Disease. For more info about the links between gluten intolerance and genetic food modification, please check out this article from about.com.