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I joined this list to get information on food for a gluten free diet.  My
son, Jordan, age 4, has autism.  Children w/ autism do not (I've heard) test
positive for classic celiac's disease.  I wonder if this is assumed or if any
child has been biopsied and it came back negative.  My son reacts to eating
gluten by having uncontrollable tantrums.  He is non-compliant and
inflexible.  However, he also has had problems with diarrhea.  At age 2 his
Dr. said he was lactose intolerant and diarrhea was much improved after going
lactose free.  Diarrhea was still a frequent problem, though not as severe.
 When we started gluten free diet his bowel movements started to be NORMAL.
 When he accidentally ingests gluten (or we give in, which we DO NOT do
anymore) he has, in addition to the beh. prob., red ears, unidentified rash
(does not itch or burn) on legs increases, runny nose.  He did not look like
a starving child but was thin considering the amount of food he ate and
family tendencies.  I wonder if he would test positive for CD?  I worry about
diagnosis because the school and I agree on nothing where my son is
concerned.  I'm afraid the school won't take the diet seriously.  One parent,
whose son w/ autism is on the diet, KNOWS they are not strict about the diet
at school and think "a little won't hurt him".  If he has a diagnosis of CD
and/or a letter from the Dr. they would be more likely to follow the diet.
 When I mentioned the diet to Dr. about 18 months ago he said people w/ CD
are from certain ethnic backgrounds.

I also wonder if I may have CD.  I don't have the chronic intestinal
complaints (I am 25 yrs. old) but do have occasional prob. w/ diarrhea and
constipation.  I have also read some people on the list who has "mental
fuzziness and irrational anger" as side effects.  Sometimes I have good
reasons for the anger (like incompetent school personnel!).
Any comments welcomed.
JJChopson