Autism, CD and GS

[annelb]

There was a recent article No Link Found Between Autism And Celiac Disease

The study found autistic children were no more likely than children without autism to develop celiac disease. Anti-gliadin antibodies were found in four children with autism and two without autism. Biopsies on all six children came back negative for celiac disease.

"This study shows food allergies often associated with autism may have no connection to the gluten intolerance experienced by people with celiac disease," said study author Samra Vazirian, MD, with Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran.

Autism is a developmental disability that impairs social interaction and communication. People with autism often experience food sensitivities, particularly to certain grains. Celiac disease is a disorder that can damage the intestines when gluten, which is found in many grains, is ingested.

This is not a surprise. Most, if not all, of us who post here realize that problems with gluten is so much more than celiac disease.
Anne

[jcc]

It just doesn't mean that much to me when I know that gluten sensitivity happens outside of celiac disease.

However, the peptide problem is a different problem than the immunological one. Kids with autism can have either or both.

Peptide Testing for Milk and Wheat- In most cases people that have food allergies to milk and wheat, also have problems with peptides from milk and wheat interacting with their brain and causing an opiate-like affect. However, there are some people that may not show a food allergy to milk or wheat, but have the peptide problem and vice versa so it is a good idea to have both the peptide and food allergy testing done. If you prefer to have only one of the tests run, we recommend the food allergy testing since it can be assumed that the majority of people who have food allergies to casein and gluten also have the peptide problem. The peptide test is also a urine test and thus may be more convenient.
http://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/autism-test.html

Cara

[RathyKay]

I have to say, I wonder what percentage of autistic kids who respond positively to the GFDF diet are DQ1ers... or double DQ1ers. I did list it in the paperwork I submitted to Tom's DAN! doctor. He didn't seem familiar with the genes. On the otherhand, he automatically tells parents to take their kids GFDF, so it really doesn't matter to him what genes they have. And since a lot of the tests he requests aren't covered by insurance, or covered fully, it's just an added cost with no real benefit... other than satisfying my curiousity.

[jcc]

I've wondered that, too. Or what percentage of children with autism have positive antigliadin antibodies? It looks like a pretty small group was used in the study above... 4 with autism and 2 controls? 6 participants?

I do wish there was a little more info about the DQ1 genetic type.

Cara

[Electra375]

We'll likely never know. I was researching CD testing for my MIL who finally after 2 yrs has ASKED for information (we gave it to her and my SIL attacked us).
Anyway, it looks like "they" are trying to do away with the AGA IgA and AGA IgG test b/c they lack evidence of CD. Well, if that IgG test had not been done on my son, with his IgA deficiency (enough to sque the tests, but not enough to be offically deficient), we would have been told he did not have CD. I still heard from the local doc that he likely didn't have it.

Dr. Fasano, on the other hand understands what the implications of IgA deficiency levels relative to the IgA test requirments and CD are and read the tests with logic of mind. Thank goodness!!!

[halsgluten]

Originally Posted by jcc

It looks like a pretty small group was used in the study above...
Cara

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medi...p?newsid=69934

Researchers compared blood samples of 34 children with autism to samples of 34 children without autism ...
... Anti-gliadin antibodies were found in four children with autism and two without autism. Biopsies on all six children came back negative for celiac disease.

So, given estimated rates for false negatives (See Dr. Fine’s site), there could be that 20-28 of the study’s children with autism 10-14 of the study’s children without autism could have Anti-gliadin antibodies that when undetected by blood test.

Iran has high baseline rates of gluten sensitivity and the highest consumption of wheat.

So, one small study based on unreliable methods overturns previous small studies based on unreliable methods?

Hal