Am I missing out by using Kirkman Enzymes only?

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I've been keeping up with reading messages on this board for a while

now, hope I can get some input from some more experienced enzyme users.

We have been 110% gfcf (and for several of the early years corn and

soy free too) since my son was 18 months old-he is now 9. This diet

has saved my son, (he is still aspergers and very adhd but since we

homeschool it is manageable) it has been a blessing beyond

description. Now that he is older he is able to tell me how he feels

when he's had a diet slip-up--it is very interesting. I've begun to

think alot more about the future recently, and about how I can

possibly expect him to voluntarily keep on the diet into the teen

years. My heart breaks to think about what would happen if he started

slipping away. I am also scared to death about what would happen if

he was (know this sounds crazy but this group will understand) strung

out on gluten and did something dangerous.

This has me searching for more answers--and I'm wondering if I am

doing enough by just giving him kirkmans dpp forte enzymes when we eat

out to deal with cross-contamination. Are these Houston Enzymes

really allowing your kids to come off the diet? I can't imagine ever

knowingly giving him something not gfcf--after seeing him fall apart

the times it has accidently happened over the years I just don't think

I could do it--but I'm wondering if it would allow him a little more

freedom with the diet--and possibly help heal his gut further. THen

when we get into the teen years I will have them as an option.

He is at this point very scared to eat anything questionable. He

knows how it makes him feel and he hates it.

THanks for your input--also if anyone else out there is in the same

boat and is concerned about the future I'd like to hear your

thoughts. For example, a young adult who is NT enough (not

completely) to go out with friends as long as he is gfcf, how would

you handle it wondering if he might eat something and impair his

judgement???????

Thanks again!

Michele

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I'm not an adolescent and my DS is only 8, but I'll try to give you my

perspective. I wish I could give you a more definite answer, but it seems to

me that some kids CAN go off the GFCF diet with the enzymes and some CAN'T.

It all depends on your individual child's makeup as to whether you can or

not. My own DS's story is that he was PDD with Asperger's tendencies. We

went on the GFCF diet for a year, and he did improve, but we were also doing

a lot of behavioral stuff then too. Then, we went on enzymes but still

stayed on the GFCF diet to see if his behavior improved...we did that for a

few months, and it stayed at the relatively good level it was. Finally, we

went off the diet but kept the enzymes, and he still behaved about as well.

Currently, he is not using either the GFCF diet or the enzymes. But YMMV! I

know a lot of kids on other boards who wouldn't dream of leaving the GFCF

diet because they need to be on it, and a lot of kids on this board that

have really done better when off the diet with enzymes. I'm sorry I can't be

more helpful, but just want to say...go with your gut feelings! Try the

enzymes w/the diet for a while, then try a few carefully planned (e.g, on a

weekend, when you can devote full time to any possible behavior probs)

off-diet foods with enzymes and see what happens. Good luck!

April