? need for GFCF-Constipation

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Hi All,

This is the second time I try to post this message. I hope it

goes through this time since it is taking me a long time to write it

twice.....argh!!

Anyways, we have a 9 year old son who we started on the GFCF diet

several years ago without any previous testing since a pediatrician

said the peptides test were inaccurate. He suggested to try the

diet and see if we saw any benefits. The GFCF diet helped with his

constipation in that it made his stools longer and softer (no more

marble size balls) but did not help with his obsessive tendencies,

behavioral rigidity, and small amount of stimming. We recently had

the peptide test done and it came out negative for casein and gluten

despite three minor infractions last year (communion at church.)

One of Dana's or 's post stated that not all kids need to be on

the diet, so my question is, what is the indication (medical tests,

and/or behavioral signs) that one should be on the diet, therefore

one should take enzymes to try to get off the diet? If I did not

see any behavioral changes does that mean that the diet is not

working or should I take it that since his stools are softer, the

diet is working??

Now to up the ante..... He recently learned to swallow pills, so

I was able to increase supplements and an enzyme I was trying to

introduce, but about 2 1/2 weeks ago he had a severe case of

constipation. So I deleted the enzyme after " talking " to Devin about

the specific enzyme I was giving him which had a lot of carbohydrate

enzymes in it leading to a slow down of BMs which was not good for

our son. He suggested No-Fenol since it has a tendency to loosen

the stools and after four days of 1/2 capsule per meal (3 meals/day)

he now has the softer stools with a few " round marbles " inside the

softer stool, but they are once again long, and about 1 1/2 "

diameter. Should I increase the No-Fenol to 1 capsule at each

meal? It seems at this point that No-Fenol is beneficial for him,

therefore can I use the No-Fenol instead of the GFCF diet? Devin

mentioned that the other enzymes (ZP and AFP) had the carbohydrate

enzymes in them so may not be a benefit for our son but suggested

Peptizyde. What would be the benefit of adding Peptizyde? Would

that help to get him off the GFCF? I guess I am wondering if the

GFCF didn't have much of an effect on him, does he really have a

problem with digesting gluten and casein? Has anyone done a

challenge test and if so, how do you do it and what signs do you

look for to see if there is an intolerance? How long does it take

for an intolerance/reaction to show up after reintroducing gluten

and/or casein?

Thanks in advance for all your insight and suggestions.

Take care, Becky