Change Your Child’s Environment to Change Your Child’s Life: Part 2

If you’re unfamiliar with gluten, it’s a protein found in wheat. Many parents assume that if their child has been tested for gluten sensitivity by an allergist, the results are definitive. However, most standard allergy tests only check for specific immune responses, such as IgE or IgM, while overlooking others like IgG, which is also associated with inflammation. Additionally, your child may not react to gluten itself but could be sensitive to other wheat proteins, such as wheat germ or wheat bran. Unless comprehensive testing has been done—including IgE, IgM, IgG, and other immune responses—you might not have the full picture of whether wheat is affecting your child.

This is why I emphasize elimination diets when modifying a child’s nutrition. The best way to determine if a food is causing issues is to remove it for 2–3 weeks. If symptoms improve during this time and then return once the food is reintroduced, you have clear evidence of a sensitivity. In our clinic, we frequently implement elimination diets, often removing gluten, dairy, eggs, or a combination of these. After just a few weeks, we see significant improvements in brain function—better eye tracking, improved balance, diminished primitive reflexes, and noticeable progress in behavior and learning. More often than not, gluten is a major culprit.

Why Is Gluten a Problem?

For many kids, gluten sensitivity is linked to a condition known as “leaky gut.” Compared to food from 50 years ago, today’s processed foods contain much higher concentrations of gluten. Food manufacturers use gluten to enhance texture and flavor, making products more appealing and, unfortunately, more addictive.

When gluten is consumed, the body releases compounds called “gluteomorphins,” which act similarly to morphine, creating a pleasurable response. This is one reason why children seem so drawn to processed wheat products—it’s not just the food they crave but the neurological reaction it triggers. A similar effect occurs with casein, a protein found in dairy. While children become addicted to these foods, their bodies struggle to digest them properly, leading to gut inflammation. Over time, this inflammation can damage the gut lining, resulting in increased intestinal permeability—what we commonly refer to as “leaky gut.”

Understanding and addressing dietary triggers like gluten can be a game-changer for children struggling with developmental, behavioral, or neurological challenges. By eliminating problematic foods and healing the gut, we often see remarkable transformations in a child’s overall well-being.