Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley and oats and gluten sensitivity can cause celiac disease, which although rare, can be serious. Symptoms of gluten intolerance include loss of appetite, poor growth, and swollen abdomen, pale, bulky, frothy and smelly stools. Foods containing gluten i.e. bread or pasta should not be introduced into any baby’s diet before 6 months.

When buying baby cereals and risks, choose varieties that are gluten-free. Baby rice is the safest to try at first for babies less than 6 months, and thereafter there are plenty of alternative gluten-free products such as soy, corn, rice, millet rice noodles, buckwheat spaghetti and potato flours for thickening and baking, etc.

Although it is rare, some people suffer from a permanent sensitivity to gluten known as celiac disease. Symptoms of celiac disease include loss of appetite, poor growth, and swollen abdomen, pale and smelly stools. Celiac disease can be diagnosed by a blood test and can be confirmed by actually looking at the gut wall using endoscopies.