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Thank you to all who responded to my request for information related to
celiac disease and speech / general developmental delay(s).  I apologize for
the delay in summarizing responses.  In addition to the Thanksgiving
holiday, there were a myriad of responses, which I have divided into the
following categories:  (1) Anecdotal Reports; (2) Therapy Options; (3)
Insurance / Appeal Recommendations; (4) Areas of Research / Resources; and
(5) Professional Opinions.  There were also several replies simply and
similarly indicating a desire to find out more about possible links.

(1) ANECDOTAL REPORTS

(a) My personal anecdotal reports include a 4 ½ year old son diagnosed with
celiac disease at age 3 years, with a moderate to severe articulation
disorder, receiving speech therapy; a 6 year old daughter diagnosed with
celiac disease at age 5 who had subjective speech delay noted at age 2-3
years by us and her pediatrician, with speech evaluation recommended but not
sought secondary to progressive improvement while considering it; and a 2 ½
year old son, as yet undiagnosed with negative antibody screening, positive
gene testing, and increasing suspicion for celiac disease, who is also a
“late talker”, receiving speech therapy.

(b) A four year old son diagnosed at age 17 months with “very delayed”
speech, as well as issues, (including lack of interest), with learning his
colors, numbers and letters.

(c) A son who spoke very early.

(d) A second-hand report of a son who was put on a gluten free diet with
clearing of his speech problems.  (Reference was made to the gluten proteins
blocking that part of his brain and him possibly being taken to a university
in Connecticut.)

(e) A niece in a family in which there are seven who eat gluten free (some
diagnosed via blood testing / endoscopy and others diagnosed via the stool
test from Dr. Fine) who had speech delay without other symptoms.  As an
adult, she began having seizures with no obvious cause, weight loss and an
inability to concentrate and do her job.  She had a positive stool test with
a very high fecal fat.  [She has had one seizure since going gluten free.]

(f) A suggestion to consider autism if diet does not resolve the speech
issues, related to a second-hand report of a son, approximately 4 years old,
who has both speech delay and some developmental delay, recently found to
have a mild form of autism, responding very well after only a few months of
speech therapy and other therapy specific to his diagnosis.

(g) An 11 year old daughter with language and math delays, possibly due to
CAPD (central auditory processing disorder), with her parent questioning
whether celiac disease might be involved as well.

(h) A second-hand report of a child believed to possibly have celiac disease
who has speech problems.

(i) A daughter diagnosed at age 9 years who struggled with language issues
from the beginning.  She was in early intervention for delayed expressive
language (receptive was fine) and received treatment for auditory
processing, working memory, etc. issues.  She is now 10 years old with these
issues continuing to challenge her, but she is functioning well in school.
Upon diagnosis, the parent began to wonder about the effects of
malabsorption during critical periods of her language development and shares
my hunch about the relationship between celiac and language delays and
challenges. 

(j) Of five boys, there was one who talked early and well, however this
child was not suspected of wheat/gluten intolerance until about the age of
8.  Another, at the age of almost 3, did the “full load of tests” and was
enrolled in a Florida program, being seen twice a week one-on-one until the
age of 4 and then three times a week for one hour at school.  Another son
didn't speak well until he was 15 and still has problems intermittently.  He
has a special IEP with the school, is out of mainstream school and in a
great private school paid for with the state’s McKay Scholarship due to his
special and social issues.  All of the family has wheat allergies and some
have gluten intolerance along with other food issues.

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