GFCF Diet Withdrawals

[Mama T]

Has anyone tried the GFCF diet (gluten free casein free) and had seizures because of withdrawals? My son is 5 and has been on the diet for 5 days with no seizures then today he's had 2 and he's only been awake for about 2 hours. I didn't know if it was from withdrawal or maybe he got into some gluten somewhere? I tried looking online but haven't been able to find an answer, so if anyone could help, that would be great, thanks!

 

[AnnaM]

I wondered if this might happen to my son, so I am interested in the answer. He's only just partially started the diet tho (he just turned 4)....I have also heard to eliminate soy and corn so am trying to do that as well

 

[Mama T]

I haven't eliminated soy and corn, that's the, I believe, GARD diet. If we need to we'll try that but so far haven't gotten there yet. I'm trying to restrict as few foods as possible because he's a very picky eater.

 

[AnnaM]

I hear ya...Both my kiddos are picky eaters! (Kaden just turned 4 - epilepsy and Carson 2yrs 4 months) ....Kaden is starting to open up...a 'bit' ...Carson will look at the food and say 'I don't like' ... sigh...After 20 minutes we end up going to rice cereal (krispies) or cheerios (need substitutes) ...Still waiting for tests to come back (on Carson, Kaden will be tested Wednesday)
- celiacs .. bacteria or food allergies? ... If he has any, atleast the diet that my eldest son is on, should help! Help us all cause I said we will stick together as a family ... So, we will all eat the same.

Above said ....sneaky is the age of our kiddos..He could have gotten into something...Another thought - did you purchase anything new gluten free? I have read that some of the foods that say they are gluten free...really are not..

I have also been considering slowly building my son up to the GARD diet...I am trying to think of it as if he were on meds (he has one more then he is off), titrate up. Just a thought...

 

[Mama T]

Everything gluten free we have is new, lol, we've never tried it before. I read labels pretty close though, so I don't think he got any. He had 4 generalized tonic clonic seizures today before I had to give him his emergency meds to stop them, he's been fine since, a few partial absents but that's nothing new. Are rice krispies safe? I read on the celiac forum that they use wheat starch on the sweetners in both corn flakes and rice krispies, but that info was from 2009 or so, has it changed? I hope so because Sam loves rice krispies. Sam is my only child that is a picky eater and he's the only one that needs the restricted diet. Funny how that works out huh?

 

[Nakamova]

Were you asking whether your son's seizures were from withdrawal from meds, or from withdrawal from his old diet, or withdrawal from his new diet?

If your son has only been on the diet a few days, then it's probably too soon to make the call about how well it's working. Usually it's a good idea to phase in the diet slowly, and then evaluate if it's making a difference after a few months. It could well be that he was exposed to some gluten, but it could be just that his system is still adjusting. Keep doing what you're doing -- paying attention to what he eats, and double-checking foods that might be problematic or contain hidden sources of gluten.

Kellogg's makes a special gluten-free version of Rice Krispies made with brown rice: http://www.ricekrispies.com/products/gluten-free-brown-rice-krispies-cereal.aspx

 

[Mama T]

He's still on his meds, we just started the diet. We started off gluten free and then went casein free as well a few days later. I just was curious of the detox because I have read stories where the parents are saying their kids went nuts for a day or 2 while detoxing from gluten and wasn't sure if Sam's was manifesting as seizures or if that was even possible.