There are differences between gluten sensitivity and Celiac disease and I want to cover what those differences are. As a way to reduce the inflammatory proteins found in gluten, a gluten and casein free diet is a primary dietary recommendation for most children on the Autism spectrum. Wheat products contain gluten and dairy products contain casein, The peptides, which are small amino acid chains, in these foods can also cause drug like effects in children with Autism. The peptides can adversely affect brain chemistry in these kids.

With gluten sensitivity, there is an intolerance in the body to gluten. How that differs from Celiac disease is that Celiac disease is a genetic disorder where the sufferer lacks the ability to break down the proteins, gluten and gliadin, in wheat. Gliadin is an inflammatory subfraction of gluten and Celiac sufferers lack the enzyme to process the protein in the digestive tract. Over time, exposure to these inflammatory proteins can lead to autoimmune reactions which can wear away the surface lining of the gut. So to help understand the differences, everyone with Celiac has a gluten sensitivity but not everyone with a gluten sensitivity has Celiac disease.

Testing can be complicated in regards to Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. You can do an IgG food sensitivity panel to identify reactions to gluten, gliadin or the whole wheat complex. However, to confirm Celiac disease, testing is more in-depth. Reactions to gliadin can be identified through an IgG or IgA test, and an IgA immune test can also be performed to identify something called transglutaminase. You can also look for reticulin antibodies. Some gastroenterologists will place a scope down into the intestinal system to biopsy several different spots to assess cellular changes that are consistent with a diagnosis of Celiac. So the testing for a diagnosis of Celiac is much more in-depth than for that of a gluten sensitivity. You can treat both issues in the same way though, remove gluten from the diet. So that describes the distinction between Celiac and gluten sensitivity. For children who have Autism, removal of gluten can be a very important recommendation both for their digestive health as well as their cognitive health.