newborns and gluten intolerance for Questionland Seattle

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newborns and gluten intolerance

Hi Emily,

Everyone in my family - my mom, grandma, sister, and uncle - has celiac. I don't, though I was diagnosed 3 years ago with a "heightened sensitivity" to gluten, and I don't eat it.

I'm 7 months pregnant with my first child, and I keep reading conflicting things about how to best reduce the chances of our child becoming gluten intolerant - feed them gluten in the first year, don't feed them gluten until they're three, introduce it ONLY in a certain window, etc. Confusing. What do you think?

I do plan to breastfeed for at least a year, and, since I don't consume gluten, the baby won't be getting any from me, so, if it's important that we introduce gluten at some stage, we'll have to be proactive about it.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Holly

Holly Arsenault asked Vesta Nutrition in Feeding the Family 11 months ago | Report

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Hi Holly,

Your question is an interesting one and a little complicated. I'm working on an answer, but I'd like to provide an accurate one, so I need to do a little research. Will get back to you soon.

Vesta Nutrition answered in Feeding the Family 11 months ago | Report

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Thanks! Looking forward to hearing what you discover.

Holly Arsenault commented 11 months ago | Report

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Hi Holly, sorry it took me so long to answer your question.

The prevention of food allergies is a complex issue. Essentially, it is unknown exactly how one person ends up with a food allergy and another does not. Genetics play a significant role, as your family knows all too well. Whether or not a mother can help prevent a food allergy in her unborn baby has not been well-researched and there are many theories available on when to introduce solid and complimentary foods.

In 2008, The American Academy of Pediatrics adjusted their recommendations on the prevention of food allergies after it was discovered that delayed introduction of allergens did not prevent an allergy from developing. The new recommendations highlight the lack of evidence that maternal diet during pregnancy or breastfeeding can help prevent atopic disease (asthma, food allergy, eczema, etc…). They also support exclusive breastfeeding of children who are at high risk for developing a food allergy until 4-6 months of age when they could be started on solid foods. One complicating factor, in your case is that most of the existing studies on this topic look at dairy, egg and nut allergies, rather than at Celiac disease, which is a separate condition in many respects.

There is a study going on currently in the Netherlands that hopes to assess slow introduction of gluten during pregnancy to help prevent Celiac disease. However, the results of this study will not be known for many years and there is not enough existing data to know if this hypothesis is true. As far as we know now, no particular intervention (such as the avoidance of an allergen by the mother during pregnancy) has been shown to have a definitive effect on the development of food allergy.

Because there is a lack of research supporting any one method of prevention, your plan of action as an expectant mother is largely left up to you. Because you have a very strong family history of Celiac disease and you are sensitive to gluten, your baby will likely grow up in an environment that is mostly gluten-free. There is no concrete data supporting any particular method of food introduction as a way to help prevent Celiac in your baby. When the time comes (around 6 months of age) to introduce solid foods into your baby’s diet, you should work closely with your pediatrician or a dietitian to find the best time to introduce gluten to your baby. This will depend on his/her growth, development and any indicators of food intolerance. Because of the strong genetic component to Celiac disease, your baby will be at increased risk for a sensitivity and should be watched carefully during the initial introduction of any gluten-containing food, but, unfortunately, there is no “window” of time that has been shown to help with Celiac development. If your baby does indeed have Celiac as he/she gets older, take comfort in the fact that your family will be so supportive and it is getting easier by the day to follow a gluten-free diet.

I hope this was helpful. For more information on food allergy prevention and the management of Celiac disease, check out these websites: www.aap.org, www.celiac.org, www.foodallergy.org
Please note that nothing I write on this forum should used to prevent, diagnose or treat any medical condition and should not be a substitute for medical care.

Greer FR, Sicherer SH, Burks, W. Effects of Early Nutritional Interventions on the Development of Atopic Disease in Infants and Children: the Role of Maternal Dietary Restriction, Breastfeeding, Timing of Introduction of Complimentary Foods, and Hydrolyzed Formulas. Published in Pediatrics. 2008; 121(1), 183-191.

Zeiger RS. Food allergen avoidance in the prevention of food allergy in infants and children. Published in Pediatrics. 2003 Jun;111(6 pt 3):1662-71.

Du Toit G, Lack G. Can Food Allergy Be Prevented? The Current Evidence. Published in The Pediatric Clinics of North America 58(2011) 481-509.

Hogen E, Elisabeth C, Rosen A, Auricchip R, Romano J,et al. The PreventCD Study design: towards new strategies for the prevention of coeliac disease. Published in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2010 Dec;22(12):1424-30.

Vesta Nutrition commented 11 months ago | Report