Anyone re-introduced dairy or gluten?

[Tiger]

Hi ny son has had tic since 2012. I slowly took him off dairy and gluten and noticed a reduction in the tics. So he's been without dairy and gluten for over 2 years now.

I still get a hard time from family members telling me I'm making him suffer nutritionally and socially and yes whilst I'm able to ignore it most of the time, I still do question myself every now and then, if what I'm doing is good for him .

I just wonder if this is it for him.....DF/GF for life?

 

I havent been brave enought to re introduce either yet to see what happens. Figured I'd start with dairy and would appreciate any advice. I've found the 'dairy ladder' re introduction advice but not sure if this is more geared up for stomach issues. Is it better to be gradual or just start eating as normal again?

 

Things is I have a slight complication to this re- introducing as he still will have an unexplainable epsiode of tics (eyes, eyebrows or neck). So my problem is how will I know if its the dairy triggering the tics or just another unexplainable episode.

 

My partner uses the unexplainable epsiodes as evidence thats its not dairy or gluten that are the triggers - so adds to his argument that he should be eating them.

Anyone else seen tics occur even after a long period without and also being DF/GF for the this long period ?

 

I guess i thought i had his triggers controlled but maybe they arent the triggers and maybe I am causing him to be DF?GF unnecessarily maybe he is having health and social consequences from being DF/GF.

 

So hard to know what to do for the best - my gut tells me leaves as is but maybe being DF/GF for so long would be detrimental .

Tiger x

 

 

[Wombat140]

Hi Tiger. As far as the nutritional side goes, I can't see that being off dairy products and gluten would in itself be bad for your son's health - I mean, thinking about it, there are many people who have coeliac disease and have to follow a gluten-free diet for life and I've never heard of any suggestion that that means they're nutritionally worse off. And similarly, lots of people are vegan or lactose intolerant and are OK.

Of course, you can be eating a bad diet whether you eat gluten or dairy products or not. The important thing would be to look at his diet in general and just see whether there is anything missing from it or not, for instance, I suppose, whether he's getting enough calcium without dairy products. (There's some in some other foods and there are various fortified foods, but I suppose the simplest way to make sure of that one would just be to put him on a calcium and magnesium supplement, if he'll swallow it). If not, then what he's eating is OK, gluten or no gluten.

 

I do see the point about it being socially awkward though. I don't know what to suggest about whether to re-introduce them and how you'll know whether it's having an effect. (The fact that he's better but still has some episodes logically suggests to me that it was gluten and dairy but also something else, rather than, as your partner said, that gluten and dairy have nothing to do with it - in that case it shouldn't have improved at all.) Hopefully someone else will reply.

 

While we're talking about food, would you mind answering a question I asked about apple sauce? http://latitudes.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=24242#entry184891 Reply to that on the thread it's on, please, not this one - Sheila's keen for us to drum up a bit of activity in the other forum sections.

Edited August 22, 2016 by Wombat140

[Tiger]

Thanks Wombat its feels good to have some support. I'm sure I'm doing the right thing - I just have the odd wobble especially as he is a 'particular' eater. (I used to think it was down to sensory issues - food textures or tastes being misinterpreted but I'm starting to lean more towards the idea that its OCD/anorexia or associated anxiety in line with possible PANDAS.)

I try to keep all food groups covered but its hard the only veg he'll eat each day is a quarter of raw carrot and maybe some sweetcorn. I give him a magnesium supplement will look into a calcium supplement too. Seem to remember the the two cancel each other out in someway- compete for absorption - will try and do a bit more reading about it. Yes of course I'll look at the applesauce link although not sure I'll be much help its not something we can buy in the shops here in the UK. I often see it in recipes and wish we could get it here as the is no subsituate either other than making it from scratch. x

[Tiger]

haha just seen realised you're from uk too!

[Wombat140]

No problem, glad if I helped. Hey, I'd forgotten you were from the UK too! Now I think about it, I do remember seeing you around the forums.

Haha, if that's the situation then I think the not eating any veg is the thing that wants talking about with his diet, not the GF/CFness! Although if he will eat fruit instead then I suppose that'd be not such a problem.