What is gluten allergy? Why does a baby get gluten allergy?
 
Gluten allergy is a genetic based small intestine allergy. It occurs due to the reaction of intestines to gluten found in wheat, rye, barley and whole grains and used as a thickener in many foods today.
 
All food we eat are first digested in the stomach and then absorbed by villus in the small intestine and is mixed with blood. As gluten destroys villus, babies and adults who have gluten allergy are unable to absorb nutrients from the food that passes. And this causes some problems in the immune system.
 
My baby has gluten allergy, does this mean he has celiac disease?
 
Digestive system is very sensitive towards allergens during the babyhood and childhood. Many allergies seen especially until one year old, outgrow in later years. A two-year-old child is more sensitive to allergens than a 6 months old baby. Therefore if your baby reacts to gluten, it does not necessarily mean that your child will have celiac disease in the future. Some children who react to a certain type of food when they were 6 months old, don't react to the same food even after a few months.
 
What should I do to prevent gluten allergy?
 
Especially if there is genetic predisposition, we recommend you not to feed your baby with whole grains containing gluten before your baby is 8 months old. Even if there were no genetic predisposition, it would be good to wait until the baby is 8 months old as a precaution. You may prefer gluten-free whole grains like rice.
 
How will I know my baby has gluten allergy?
 
Gluten allergy is one of the hardest noticed allergies as its symptoms are the same with many other diseases. These allergies that may be seen during babyhood, childhood and adult life appear in different forms in each period.
 
If your baby has symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal swelling, loss of appetite, crankiness and growth retardation after consuming gluten-containing foods, you may suspect gluten allergy. However as gluten allergy is a genetic based disease, if it’s inherent in the family history, it would be better to have your child checked even before you notice any symptoms.
 
Here comes a practical tip! To understand whether your child has gluten allergy apply the  3 day waiting rule. As experts suggest, for 3 days feed your child with small amounts of gluten containing foods in the morning or at lunch. Monitor your child; observe her carefully. If, during these 3 days, your child shows extraordinary symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, crankiness, you may then consider the risk of gluten allergy.

When should I consult a doctor?
 
After applying the 3-day waiting rule, you need to consult the doctor if your baby continues to show gluten allergy symptoms. Your little gourmet will recover when you follow the diet of gluten-free foods that your doctor designs.
 
In a short while after your start to follow the diet, villus in the intestines of your baby that were destroyed due to gluten containing foods, will heal and start to re-function. However as any gluten containing food will cause this problem to recur, you should pay attention to what your baby eats.

 
What kind of foods should I pay attention to when feeding my baby?
 
Wheat, barley, oat and rye are widely known gluten-containing foods. You can feed your babies who have gluten allergy with rice, potato, chickpeas, lentil, chestnut, beans, and hazelnut and with flours and starches made with these ingredients.
 
As most of the products in the market contain gluten, watch that the food you choose for your baby has "gluten-free" label on it. Always read the ingredients stated on the package. Ensure that you feed your baby with foods that almost have the same level of nutritional value as the foods restricted due to gluten content.