Speaking of Food…Are You Allergic to Gluten?

We have been talking to you all month long on our Facebook page and in our last blog post, Convenience is Killing Us, about the importance of feeding your kids healthier foods instead of over-processed, prepackaged junk. If you took the AC healthier school lunch challenge, then you and your young ‘uns are off to a great start. If you want to continue that healthier eating trend and make it a long term goal and lifestyle change (we know you do) then we have another question for you to consider: How can you tell if your kid is allergic to gluten? Here are seven symptoms to check out:

1. Your child is tired all the time. Even after a good night’s sleep and healthy eating, you notice that little Johnny is feeling sluggish after school or having a hard time staying awake in class. This could be a sign of gluten intolerance.
2. Your kiddo has a hard time falling asleep. The flip side of fatigue is your kid’s inability to fall asleep at night because of restlessness or the inability to turn off all the thoughts in his or her head. Does he or she have trouble falling asleep or wake up frequently during the night? This could be a sign of an allergy to gluten.
3. Your little one (or teenager) has trouble focusing. The inability to think clearly is another potential side effect of a gluten allergy. The brain may have trouble focusing and losing its train of thought. This could affect your kid’s performance in school or appear to be a behavioral issue (see #7).
4. Your chitlin is skinnier than most kids. When your little one’s body does not absorb the proper nutrition – a side effect of a gluten allergy – he or she may lose weight or have trouble gaining weight. Even worse, when little Suzie is not getting the vitamins and minerals her body needs, she may get sick more often, and that’s not fun for anyone.
5. Your child complains of frequent headaches. “Mom, my head hurts,” is not something you want to hear each day when your fifth grader comes home from school. Chronic headaches could be a sign that a gluten allergy is affecting the body and the brain is trying to tell him or her that something is wrong.
6. Your kid has stomach and intestinal issues. This might be the most telltale sign of a gluten allergy. Some people suffer from chronic bouts of diarrhea, constipation, or both. It’s all connected, so chances are if your angel is having stomach problems, he or she is having intestinal ones, too. That’s not fun for anyone, either.
7. Your little darling is irritable and cranky. You might be surprised to learn that a gluten allergy can cause a myriad of emotional and behavioral issues. That’s right – food causes these problems! You name it, from autism and attention deficit disorders to depression and anxiety, lack of vitamins and nutrients leads to the brain’s inability to function properly at its normal capacity. That’s alarming, isn’t it?

Here’s the good news: AC Spine and Wellness Center can help you determine if your child is suffering from the side effects of a gluten sensitivity – or a sensitivity to any other type of food. Food sensitivity testing is as simple as fasting overnight and donating a few tubes of blood, in our Lawrenceville office, to be analyzed for adverse reactions to everything from gluten to nuts. The more you know what types of food may be causing your child’s discomfort, the easier it will be to help him or her feel better. Feeding your kids the right foods for their systems could be your next step down the road to a healthier, happier life.