Autism Diet - Reduce Autism Symptoms Through Diet

Much has been written in the popular press about the dramatic behavioral improvement in children with autism when they are put on a special diet. This diet, devoid of gluten and casein, two major proteins in the Western food supply, is touted as being a power weapon to reduce autism symptoms through diet.

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Scientific research has turned up conflicting data on the efficacy of the low-gluten, low-casein diet. Autistic children have abnormal intestinal motility and have a rate of nutrient absorption lower than the general population, according to a study done in New York in 2006. The study was conducted using a very small sample of 50 children. New research, using a much larger sample size, is due out shortly from the University of Rochester.
On the other hand, researchers in the United Kingdom and in Massachusetts have not found absorption problems to occur more often in children with autism.

There exist alternate hypotheses as to why the diet appears to work, too. Similarly, much of the research failed to control for the single variable, the diet, during the experimental design phase.

Treating autism on many fronts and with many different strategies muddies the picture further. Is the elimination of certain foods really what caused the improvement in behavior? Or was it the encouragement of regular toileting habits that improved the behavior?

One of the biggest concerns among research nutritionists is the removal of important sources of protein from the diets of growing children. Gluten, actually composed of two separate proteins, glutenin and gliadine, is ubiquitous in the Western diet. Wheat, rye, oats, soy sauce, bread, and many prepared foods contain significant amounts of this protein. Casein, a phosphoroprotein, is the major protein source in milk and dairy products.

Given the rigidity of thought processes and ritualistic behavior of children with autism, there is also concern among dietitians that the children’s finicky appetites could cause them to reject a diet that does not include some favorite childhood foods like yogurt, ice cream, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Switching an average child to a gluten-free, casein-free diet is difficult to initiate and maintain over long periods of time. Doing so with an autistic child would be even more so.

Parents will do just about anything to ensure the safety and well-being of their children. Before they attempt to reduce autism symptoms through diet, a consultation with their usual pediatrician is very advisable.

There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in, Autism: Everything Parents And Caregivers Should Know About The Disorder