Gluten allergy

According to WHO (World Health Organization), gluten allergy is found in 1% of the world's population. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats. The high-molecular protein of these cereals causes allergic reactions and intestinal diseases.

Experts say that most people have a mild gluten intolerance. Abdominal pain, flatulence, and a feeling of heaviness in the stomach after eating flour are the harbingers of a gluten allergy.

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Symptoms of Gluten Allergy

Gluten harms the intestinal villi, under its influence the beneficial microflora dies, and the pathogenic one grows. This process is like a vicious circle, from which there is no way out. The inflamed intestine is not able to absorb even processed substances, which leads to a lack of vitamins, nutrients and building compounds. The body is saturated with decay products, one of them - ammonia through the blood system gets to the brain, poisoning its cells.

Allergy to gluten, the symptoms of its appearance are determined by the degree of sensitivity to products containing gluten: from unnoticeable to painful, changing the healthy rhythm of life. With the active development of celiac disease, weight loss is observed due to impaired intestinal absorption, constant gas, bloating, diarrhea. The main symptoms of an emergency manifestation of an allergy to gluten are:

• intestinal disorders;
• observation of fatty stools floating on the surface and difficult to wash off (steatorrhea);
• abdominal pain – present constantly, for several months or more;
• bloating, excessive flatulence;
• feeling of chronic fatigue;
• lethargic state;
• weight loss;
• pain syndrome, aching in the bones;
• hypersensitivity of the skin - numbness, burning or tingling sensation, tingling, itching;
• headaches;
• peripheral nervous system reaction (a tingling sensation in the fingers and toes);
• a state of spontaneous anxiety after ingestion of gluten;
• burning sensation in the throat.

Gluten allergy in a child

The baby's menu is divided into three groups:

• fatty and carbohydrate (energy source);
• vitamins and microelements (balance of the immune system);
• protein food (building materials for cells).

It is thanks to proteins that the child's body grows, increases mass, forms muscle, connective and nervous tissue. In the intestines, protein is broken down into amino acids, which are absorbed by the body. In children, the digestive system produces fewer enzymes, which increases the risk of allergic diseases.

Gluten allergy in a child can be caused by dysbacteriosis, so it is important to saturate the baby's body with lacto- and bifidobacteria to improve the breakdown of gluten. Until the child reaches 6 months, it is better not to introduce heavy vegetable protein into the diet.

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How does gluten allergy manifest itself in children?

Babies are also susceptible to gluten allergies, which are so abundant in healthy cereals. Gluten allergies in children manifest themselves in different ways. These can be constant whims, excessive irritability, pale skin. A child's hypersensitivity to gluten can lead to an inability to concentrate, developmental delays. Skin dermatitis found on the elbows, head, knees and buttocks can be a sign of illness. The baby loses weight: ribs protrude, legs and arms noticeably become thinner, physiological folds disappear. At the first signs of gluten allergy, parents should consult a doctor. Perhaps it will be enough to adjust the diet and do without products containing gluten.

If a child has a gluten allergy, you should exclude food products containing the allergen. And what to eat? Not everything is as scary as it seems at first glance. Gluten-free porridges include buckwheat, rice, and corn. All of them are good for the body. Corn is an irreplaceable source of calcium and vitamin PP. Rice is perfectly digestible, normalizes the gastrointestinal tract. Buckwheat is rich in iron and a rare vitamin B.

Gluten allergy in infants is a common occurrence. There is no need to remind about the benefits of breastfeeding. When weaning, juices, fruit and vegetable purees are gradually introduced into the baby's diet. The listed types of cereals are recommended for use as complementary feeding after six months. Artificial babies can switch to them from five months. Studies have shown that with late introduction of gluten into the child's diet, the risk of developing an allergy increases. When choosing products for your baby, pay attention to the labels - many yogurts, for example, contain gluten.

Children with autism should follow a gluten-free diet. According to some doctors, the protein gluten and casein are processed in their bodies in such a way that it causes behavioral changes. This is due to the brain's reaction, perceiving the broken down proteins as opiates. The debate on this issue continues, but experts note the acceleration of intellectual development in autistic children who follow a gluten-free diet.

Gluten allergy is also not scary when using: quinoa, sago, soy, beans, peas, chickpeas, mung beans, lentils and other gluten-free products. But you will have to give up bread, pastries, pasta. Fortunately, neither you nor your kids will have to go hungry. Gluten-free products have a logo in the form of a crossed-out wheat ear. For example, the range of the company "McMaster" is represented by pasta, cookies and special compositions for baking. Italian, Spanish manufacturers offer more expensive, high-quality, gluten-free products.

Based on corn, rice, buckwheat flour, you can independently prepare the most delicious and healthy masterpieces. You can look up the recipe for this or that dish on the Internet. Believe me, you will not be disappointed! These types of flour are not just a dietary product. Its nutritional value and medicinal properties are hard to miss. Corn flour has a beneficial effect on cardiovascular diseases, circulatory disorders, problems with the biliary tract, and stops the aging process. Rice flour saturates the human body with micro- and macroelements, vitamins. Buckwheat is a source of fiber. Therefore, you can not only please yourself with all sorts of cakes, pastries, pancakes, but also improve your overall well-being and forget about gluten allergies.

Meat and cottage cheese are the main sources of animal protein and do not contain gluten. Meat normalizes metabolism, and cottage cheese corrects the work of the stomach.

Please note that gluten allergy and celiac disease are different concepts. Celiac disease is a disease present from birth, associated with a lack of an enzyme for the complete breakdown of gluten by the digestive system. A biopsy of intestinal tissue during an endoscopic examination will help to finally diagnose the congenital disease.

Gluten allergy is a temporary phenomenon that may disappear in a child during the process of growth and development, with the maturation of the gastrointestinal tract. To detect it, it is enough to do an allergen test.