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Okay, this is a tough one. I asked the list whether or not my friend's
pediatrician was crazy in having a 5 month old baby eating barley cereal to
"prevent" Celiac Disease Autoimmunity. The list sent a LOT of great info,
including a link to the original article in JAMA. I purchased that article
for my doc to read, and she asked a local GI doc who has a particular study
in CDA.
Many of you thought it was ridiculous to feed a baby gluten at the ages of
4-7 mos, as this study recommends for infants at risk of CDA. A few of you
recommended it as the study says that it decreases the risk of CDA if given
at the right time - please see the links below for exact info.
I will include a few representative responses below. MY PEDIATRICAN
recommends not giving gluten until the baby is one year old, at least, to a
prone child - even after reading this study and referencing the GI doc. She
says this is one study, of only 55 children (there is a larger sample here,
but only 55 of them actually developed the disease for them to study at what
ages they were given gluten). There have been no studies that have
determined this before, and none since. She feels that given many years and
many studies with evidence to the contrary, it would be unscientific to go
against traditional thinking. However, if more studies are done and more
info from bigger study samples comes out, she will consider it more
compelling. It is a good starting place, this study, but in her 30+ years
of practice, she does not think that it is compelling enough to \change her
recommendations.
You have to speak with your own docs and use your own judgement. I am not
condoning either theory, but I will not be feeding my child gluten until
he's a year. Here is a summary of your responses, for which I am very
grateful.
*****
No, this is the opposite from everything I have heard or read.
Last April I saw Dr. Murray give a talk and he showed the results of a study
from countries with extremely low rates of Celiac Disease. He said that
gluten is hard on your system, even an adult digestive system has a harder
time digesting gluten. The reason CD was so low in those countries was
because they introduced gluten much later in life, not giving gluten to
babies. I can't remember what age he suggested gluten be introduced.
*****
months - before this window, they aren't able to handle the gluten and after
this timeframe, the babies are older and will tend to eat more, thus giving
their systems more gluten then they are able to handle. ABC News had a
piece out on this recently summarizing the findings. I'd send it to you,
but can't find it right now.
I have a 10 month old little girl and I was diagnosed with celiac when she
was 4 months. I asked her dr. if we should hold off giving her gluten for a
year (that is what I had heard before these studies came out). He said no,
it was better to start feeding her gluten right from the beginning - no
advantage to waiting - if she's prone to getting it, then she will - waiting
won't change that significantly. I started her with barley, oatmeal and
wheat cereals at about 5-6 months. So far so good, altohugh the dr. saiid
it takes about 6 months of eating gluten to determine if she has celiac or
not. They will do a blood test when she is a year - I have my fingers
crossed that she doesn't it.
*****
Our board-cert allergist & immunologist has told us that DELAYING
introduction of the most common food allergy offenders (wheat, corn, soy,
cow milk, egg white, etc.) until at least one yr of age may be helpful in
reducing the tendency to food allergies. Which if the opposite of what your
friend understands her doc said.
Of course, celiac disease is a different immune response than food allergy.
It is a genetically-based autoimmune response. I cannot believe that early
feeding of gluten would turn off the genetic predisposition switch.
Does your friend's baby have celiac genes on Mom or Dad's side? If so, I
would urge a second opinion on the baby food.
******
your friend's doctor is actually correct, even though it sounds
backwards...this is the newest info on prevention of celiac in babies who
are at higher risk for it (ie parent with celiac)
I am a pediatrician who also has celiac, and I work with the Univ. of
Chicago Celiac Disease Program to educate other doctors about celiac. This
newest research study recommends that for babies considered higher risk to
develop celiac, gluten SHOULD be introduced into the diet between 4 and 6
months of age. Starting earlier or later increases the likelihood that
celiac will develop.
Note that this is NOT the same advice given to classic food allergy patients
(such as for peanut/milk/egg). But remember, celiac is not a true food
allergy.
Sara Star Nussbaum, M.D.
******
The past few months, there have been many articles that say a baby should
not have any cereal for 6 months. It cuts down on the % of babies getting
celiac. Your friend's doctor is wrong
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/74/89328.htm
*****
I talked to my soon to be doctor sister about this (because there was
just an small study put out about this) and she said they don't have
any evidence that starting early or later will make a long term
difference. But she did say as she and my husband are celiac's that
you wouldn't give a child gluten till they are beyond breast feeding
stage anyways especially since the high rick of celiac in the family.
She said that if you are celiac and have a baby she would advise to
stay off gluten till an age where actual foods are introduced then
reasses. Because she said their is no conclusive study if you should
or should not introduce gluten and its long term effects.
****
he's an idiot. You are celiac because you have the gene....diabetes and
alcoholism are on the same gene strand.
eating gluten will increase the reaction not the other wasy around
you know that md's get 1 day in all the medical training dealing with
nutrition. sound like your guy slept thru the class
******
I haven't heard this but I have 4 children and the one I gave cereal to
early is the child showing the most symptoms.
****
Hi! I have a 3-month-old and am wondering the same thing. My older son is 3
years-old and has celiac, as do I. Recently there was a study on introducing
cereal to babies. The best time is apparently 6 months of age. Here is the
article. I hope it helps!
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/DietNutrition/tb/1059
******
The insanity continues. Feeding infants gluten at 4 months is foolish
and contrary to current best information on nutrition. ...... but
politics intervene, and there is sure to be some authority who
advocates such nonsense.
*****
There was a story early in the summer about this. And the study did
conclude that introducing gluten earlier could help with CD. I did not save
the story but you might want to check the archives or medscape or things
like that for it.
As the mother of a celiac I have some personal comments.
1. I was at a lecturer last fall and the speaker referred to a study. She
said, a single study is just that a single study. There may be 10 studies
out there that say the opposite.
2. Breast feeding is supposed to help delay or avoid celiac. Well I breast
fed for over a year and my daughter was still diagnosed celiac at age 3.
These things (the breast feeding and the early gluten) are supposed to limit
the likelihood of CD they are not magic pills that prevent CD>
GOOD LUCK
joanna
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