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Danna Korn <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 
>Hi.  My 6-year-old son was diagnosed w/CD at 18 months.  Since he's been GF
>for years, and since he's never been able to articulate the symptoms, I'd
>like to hear from some of you who can tell me:
>(1)  What does it feel like when you get a little bit of gluten?
>(2)  What does it feel like if you get a lot?
>(3)  Are the symptoms immediate?
>(4)  Does gluten (in small/large amounts) make you irritable/sullen?  (He
>tends to sulk; I wonder if it's because he's gotten gluten.)
>
>If there are any parents of 10-15-year-olds, I'd like to know the emotional
>impact  that they're experiencing.  Do they feel "different?"  Isolated?
>Depressed?  I realize it's all very individual, and a lot has to do with how
>we raise him, but I'm curious!
 
Dana,
 
I'm not 6 but it sounds like your son and I have similar reactions to
gluten. I'm 46 and just now finding out that I've had it my entire life.
 
When I get gluten, I withdraw or sulk. It's as if I have a virus with no
physical symptoms(no diarhea, etc.). I go into a state like sleep but I am
still conscious when I get a lot. When I'm not that bad, I can get very
irritable. It's as if the fight again the gluten is carrying over to
relationships with people. Actually, I think that the irritability might
come the following day from the digestion of gluten. I tended to be a loner
as a kid.
 
My 6 year old daughter has not yet been diagnosed with CD but I'm betting
she has it. She gets the cravings for wheat(noodles especially). When she
has a lot of them or cake at a party, she can have these intense outburts
over nothing the following day. She will be irrational over some small
detail. When she is eating the right diet, she is a very sweet, good girl
with a great sense of humor.
 
I hope this helps a little. Good luck and feel free to ask me anything
further if you think it will help. Alec Maines