Gluten is difficult to digest and because it has an abrasive effect it can cause damage to the intestines. Wheat should not be introduced into the diet until the child is about twelve months old. Ideally it should be alternated with other grains. Wheat is found in very many foods and it is possible to give a child wheat at every meal from breakfast to supper. Many times wheat is used for mid-meal snacks and lighter meals when bread is used for sandwiches.
Gluten intolerance is the cause of coeliac disease.
These symptoms usually develop a few weeks after grains are introduced into the diet. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. Other common allergic conditions which you are familiar with include eczema, rashes, respiratory problems, asthma, and earaches. If the intestine is damaged for any reason it becomes leaky. A breast-fed child who is weaned properly is much less vulnerable to leaky gut.