What You Need to Know about the Gluten-Free Casein Free Diet

There are not always clear instructions when going gluten and casein free. It is easy for someone to  become confused about it's effectiveness.
My children and I have been gfcf for about 4 years.   We have allergies and sensitivities.
When I first started the diet, I did not see a huge difference or withdrawals from my children.  I myself went through the worst withdrawal from when I cut out sugar and starches.  We cut things out slowly and replaced them with substitutes and some things we just stopped eating all together.
One of the biggest misconceptions of the diet, is that there will be an immediate reaction to a food that the child does not tolerate well.  Most of the time, the reaction comes the next day.  It is their mood when they wake up in the morning as well.  They may sleep so hard they wet the bed or sleep for 10 to 12 hours and still feel tired the next day.  Everything will irritate them.  They will CRAVE the food and search desperately for more.  This is not a fun day for anyone.
Another myth is that oats and barley do not contain gluten.  If you are not cutting these out, you may not realize the benefits of eliminating wheat, because they are still consuming gluten.  One way to confirm a reaction to these foods is to look for what I call "the bottomless pit".  The eating of this food usually goes on and on and on as if the child cannot tell when they are full.  They will eat and eat and eat it as long as you put it in front of them.
The severity and timing of the reaction also depends on the status of the gut.  If the child is having regular bowel movements, the reaction might not last as long...maybe 24 hours.  If a child is severely constipated, his bowel being so impacted, he may not react to the food right away because it is not reaching his intestines as quickly as when proper digesting is occurring.  In addition, if a child is not completely expelling his bowels, and sticky feces is coating the intestine, they may not feel the effects as quickly because the sludge lining is not allowing the in-tolerances through and into the blood stream.  Alternately, if a child often has loose bowels  has just had a large bowel movement, or had a laxative of some sort, the reaction to a food may be immediate.
The cravings for foods such as these are severe.  The longer time you space in between infractions the better.        If a person were kicking an addiction to cocaine, you would not give them "just a little" crack because it  "won't hurt".  It DOES hurt, mentally and emotionally, because it sends you back to square one of kicking the habit.
Be careful not to substitute with sugar and other starchy carbs.  These can become just as addictive.  Sugar causes yeast to grown in the intestine causing more cravings and gut dysfunction.  It should be avoided indefinitely.
I have observed many children on the spectrum and their reactions to food.  I myself have food reactions, allergies and intollerences.  My son with Autism reacts to gluten and casein even though he does not have a confirmed "allergy" to them.  My other son who is not clinically diagnosed with Autism, but has sensory issues is allergic to wheat and dairy and has very obvious reactions after eating them, like mood swings, fear and anxiety.
Eliminating foods is an easy way to help children with issues navigate the world.  It is easy because it is only food.  It is amazing because it is only food.  No one would go to that much effort to change their child's diet and then stick to it, if it did not work.