Autism and Diet Part 2…

Last week, we discussed key foods to add to an autistic’s diet. This week, we discuss items to avoid. My advice is to try one deletion at a time and monitor for improvements.  Autism is a puzzle. Our job as caregivers, is to get to the big picture and that means finding which pieces fit. Here are the biggest offenders:

• Gluten: Some parents of ASD children report worsening symptoms after gluten consumption, which may indicate sensitivity. It’s a wise idea to have your child tested for food allergies, especially gluten. To see if a gluten-free diet helps, avoid all foods made with wheat. According to Autism Speaks, “Many parents of children with ASD report that behavior improves when their children eat a diet free of the proteins gluten.”

  There are also over 140 scientific studies involving gluten and autism. A recently published 2018 study reveals how autistic children who were given a modified ketogenic gluten-free diet significantly improved autism spectrum disorder features assessed by objective behavioral tests after just three months.

• Conventional Cow’s Dairy: The protein in conventional cow’s dairy, called A1 casein, can trigger a similar reaction as gluten and therefore should be avoided in a dairy free diet. This can create a calcium concern. To help balance the calcium loss, consider increasing green leafy vegetables. You may also want to try casein free organic milk or goat’s milk kefir, which provides calcium and other key nutrients as well as probiotics. As a side note, in our home, this one change produced the most noticeable symptom improvement.
• Sugar: Sugar can cause fluctuations in blood sugar leading to behavioral problems. Avoid any forms of concentrated sugar including candy, desserts, soda, or fruit juices. Sugar has also been shown to have major negative effects on the brain.
• Food coloring and dyes: Autistic children can be sensitive to a variety of food dyes and colorings. Many U.S. experts believe that the FDA should require manufacturers to include a label warning that artificial colors may affect hyperactivity in some children. As a side note, this is the second change that has been consistent with in our home for over thirteen years. It is hard to avoid these items, but we saw a clear symptom improvement when we removed artificial dyes from our pantry.
• Soy: Soy is a common food allergy and contains phytic acid, an anti-nutrient that impairs nutrient absorption and can irritate the intestines causing leaky gut syndrome.

As we close autism awareness month, I wanted to say that I am so proud of the high quality person that Elizabeth has become.   I believe that she has been created just as she should be. But, any advantage to help her become more functional deserves our joint attention.  My job as her parent is to advocate for her and to teach her to advocate for herself. Remember parents, you are strong, brave, kind, patient, and courageous. But most importantly, an advocate for your child’s needs.

As always, please leave comments, questions or other topics of interest!