Contents:

1. GF/CF Diet
2. Nutritional Supplements
3. Medication
4. Secretin

See also:

• Resources: Biological Treatments Links

1. The Gluten-free/Casein-free Diet

See also:Definitions: Food Intolerances and Coeliac Disease

There is much controversy on the group about the possible benefits of the Gluten free/Casein free. Although it definitely works for some, others have not found it particularly beneficial. So, I have asked Amy, a mother who has had great success with this diet on her children and consequently, rather a "believer" in the diet, to write this section. As they say on the Internet "Your mileage may vary".

From Amy, mother of 4 children, including one with AS and one with CAPD. Her husband has ADHD and dyslexia.

Many autistic children benefit from a Gluten Free/Casein Free (GFCF) diet. Children who benefit often, but not always, have a few things in common. Many have a history of recurrent ear infections, abundant antibiotic usage, gastrointestinal irregularities, and a viral illness or vaccine reaction at a young age.

In theory, the autistic child may have been predisposed to immune problems. A weakened immune system (caused by infection, virus, or vaccine) combined with antibiotic usage is thought to weaken the digestive system. Antibiotics are known to promote yeast overgrowth in the digestive system. This yeast is thought to weaken the intestinal walls, allowing partially digested gluten and casein to leak into the blood stream as gluteomorphin and casomorphine peptides. These morphine-like peptides are thought to cause behaviors such as: extreme self-absorbency; unusual responses to food and a self-limiting diet; self-stimulatory behavior; sensory over-stimulation; and bizarre occupations, to name a few.

Reported improvements on the GFCF diet include improved eye contact, better sleep patterns, decreased hyperactivity and/or destructive behavior, and greater language and socialization over a period of time.

2. Nutritional Supplements

Many of the parents on our group have experimented with nutritional supplements such as Vitamin B6, magnesium, zinc, fish-oils, evening primrose oil, di-methyl-glycine (DMG) etc. and have reported good results. It is unclear whether this is due to the placebo effect (which can be extremely powerful), due to correcting nutritional deficiencies (many ACs are poor eaters) or due to some unknown effect on the brain.

Used in the recommended dosages, such nutritional suppments are relatively safe, but do use caution. Vitamin B6, for instance, can cause neuropathy (nerve death) if given in excess; mineral supplements can interfere with the absorbtion of other minerals from food and evening primrose oil is incompatible with epilepsy. Do read the labels, obtain your supplements from a trustworthy source, and if in any doubt, seek advice from a dietitian.

Originally compiled by Anna Hayward on behalf of the alt.support.autism newsgroup, November 2000. Original site design and HTML by Kalen Molton. Please address any general queries to Mike Stanton. Broken links and problems of a technical nature should be addressed to John Muggleton by entering details in the comments box of the form here. Any opinions expressed in this article are personal and should not be construed as medical advice. We are not representatives of any of the companies discussed, nor do we receive any form of commission.

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