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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/3/2008 4:19:58 PM | Hello. I looked for this subject, but it doesn't quite fit elsewhere, so I'm putting it here. It could also go into a recipe or cooking forum, but the purpose of going on the diet is to treat Autism, as a health issue.
Autism is sometimes seen as a mental health problem, with a physical component, but no one really knows what causes Autism yet so its hard to categorize it.
There is definitely a place for therapy, as in speech therapy, behavioral therapy and relational therapy, and any treatment for Autism should include these to really be successful.
However, I am starting this thread specifically to discuss the GF/CF diet because it there is a lot to discuss about this particular therapy lately.
GF/CF is an acronym for Gluten-Free, Casein-Free.
In brief, this means no wheat, no dairy.
Anyway, my whole family is on this diet. We've done the diet before, but it was difficult to do back then because there were so few resources available on it. This time around has been much easier, and because of putting the whole family on it, we have had a better time following it. After 7 months this time around, I can say that the effort has paid off, and my Autistic son is considerably improved (although it is not a cure.) The rest of the family have never felt better, and because of the many improvements in all of us, my Sister, Mother, a Neice and some others have all gone on it.
Now it seems that about 30% to 50% of Autistics improve on this diet, enough to justify continuing to do it. Many other families I know are following it, including one person with MS who says it helps her with her symptoms.
My question is, Is anyone else on this diet? Is anyone else here considering trying it? If you have, what works for you in following it? Do you have any good recipes that kids like? Have you seen results from it? Are you strict or lenient with following it? Is your child's school helping or not?
I will post more about the diet if this thread stays up and seems useful. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/3/2008 6:15:28 PM | Here's a more detailed description of the diet. It has two parts.
Gluten-free, means you don't eat anything with a protein called gluten in it.
What is gluten?
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Put simply, gluten is a form of protein found in wheat (including spelt, semolina and durum), rye, barley and triticale (a hybrid).To get a little scientific, these grains each have slightly different proteins (gliadin in wheat, secalin in rye and hordein in barley) collectively known as prolamins. These promalins are what cause problems for people who can't tolerate gluten in their diet.
If you mix wheat flour with a little water the result is a sort of stretchy paste. The gluten in the flour is what makes the paste "elastic" and binds it together. In fact "strong" flour, sold for making bread, has extra gluten added.
Wheat gluten itself, is a cheap source of protein. In China and Japan pure gluten is traditionally used as a protein substitute in vegetarian food such as burgers, giving them a "meat like texture." The Japanese call it Fu but it is more commonly known as seitan -- or wheat meat in America -- where it is also sometimes added to breads to increase density or improve the texture. You may even find it in shampoo!
--Source: The Gluten Free Chef dot com
The second part is you don't eat anything with Casein in it.
What is Casein?
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Casein is a protein that is found in milk and used independently in many foods as a binding agent. Technically, it is part of a group called phosphoproteins, collections of proteins bound to something containing phosphoric acid. Casein may also be called caseinogen, particularly in European foods.
Casein is a salt, meaning it has no net ionic charge, of the element calcium. It has a number of interesting properties that make it useful in foods and cooking. Many people believe proteins are healthier if consumed when not denatured – one of the major lines of reasoning used in supporting a raw food diet. Denaturing occurs when a protein loses its inherent structure, due to high heat or acid for example, at which point it no longer acts in the ordinary manner. Casein, because of its structure, is not susceptible to denaturing.
Casein can be found in two main types: edible and technical. Edible casein is widely used in both medicine and food, both for nutritional value and as a binder. Technical casein is used in an enormous range of products, including paints, cosmetics, and many types of adhesives. A not-insubstantial number of people have a casein allergy and may find themselves experiencing negative reactions both to casein-containing food products and to products such as nail polish that contain casein.
Many people who are either allergic to casein and have linked it to milk, or who are vegan and therefore avoid animal products altogether, are not aware of the prevalence of casein in foods. For these people, it is important to note that, although a product may be labeled Lactose Free, it may easily still contain casein for other reasons. Soy cheeses, for example, often contain casein derived from milk, which may stimulate allergic reactions in people who assume that they are dairy free.
Casein has also been linked to negative effects in people with autism. While in most people, casein is easily broken down by the digestive system into peptides known as casomorphins, and then further processed into basic amino acids, some evidence suggests that in autistics, this process does not occur fully. The resulting casomorphins, which fail to break down completely, may have an effect on the body similar to that of morphine or other opiates. For this reason, some experts on autism recommend that people suffering from autism avoid casein in their diets.
--Source, wisegeek dot com
Opioid
Casein has been documented to break down to produce the peptide casomorphin, an opioid that appears to act primarily as a histamine releaser. Casomorphine is suspected by some sources to aggravate the symptoms of autism.
Casein has a molecular structure that is quite similar to that of gluten. Thus, most gluten-free diets are combined with casein-free diets and referred to as a gluten-free, casein-free diet. Casein may also be a trigger of migraines and other types of headaches. Casein may also be linked to the promotion of cancer and other diseases which was discovered in the 1980s by nutrition and health researcher, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study. Casein is often listed as sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate or milk protein. These are often found in energy bars, drinks as well as packaged goods.
--Source, Wikipedia
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/3/2008 6:45:22 PM | Now that we got that out of the way.....
Here's a general description of what is acceptable to eat on a gluten-free diet:
Several grains and starch sources are considered acceptable for a gluten-free diet. The most frequently used are maize, potatoes, rice, and tapioca (derived from cassava). Other grains and starch sources generally considered suitable for gluten-free diets include amaranth, arrowroot, millet, montina, lupine, quinoa, sorghum (jowar), sweet potato, taro, teff, and yam. Various types of bean, soybean, and nut flours are sometimes used in gluten-free products to add protein and dietary fiber. In spite of its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat; pure buckwheat is considered acceptable for a gluten-free diet, although many commercial buckwheat products are actually mixtures of wheat and buckwheat flours, and thus not acceptable. Gram flour, derived from chickpeas, is also gluten-free.
--Source, Wikipedia
And here's more about eliminating Casein from the diet:
The theory is that eating or drinking milk protein leads to high levels of protein by-products, called casomorphines, in some children with autism. These by-products may then affect behavior like a drug would. In these children, casomorphines could reduce their desire for social interaction, block pain messages, and increase confusion. If milk protein is taken out of the diet, the idea is that this will reduce the level of casomorphines, and behavior will improve as a result.
--Source, healing thresholds dot com | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/10/2008 2:48:23 PM | If a person on this diet slips up and eats some gluten or casein, they can take:
peptidase
Peptidase is a digestive enzyme that breaks down the partial proteins (peptides) that gluten and casein can create.
Peptidase is available at most health food stores. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/10/2008 2:53:16 PM | List of foods to avoid:
FOODS WITH BOTH GLUTEN AND CASEIN:
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Artificial cream
Artificial sweeteners
Baby foods
Bagels
Bread
Bread crumbs
Bread rolls
Cakes
Coffee Creamer
Cookies
Croissants
Custards
Doughnuts
Dry roasted peanuts
Prepared Gravy
Prepared Hot chocolate
Hot dogs (the fillers)
Luncheon meat
Malted milk
Milkshakes
Muffins
Pancakes (except those labelled Gluten-free)
Pastry
Pates
Pies
Pizza
Puddings
Sandwich spreads
Soups: canned/packet
Spam
Vegetarian Cheeses (have casein as an additive) | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/10/2008 3:07:43 PM | List of foods to avoid:
FOODS WITH GLUTEN
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Baked Beans
Baking Powder
Barley
Barley Malt
Barley Sugar
Bleached All-Purpose Flour
Boullion Cubes/Powder
Bran (except rice bran)
Bulgur Wheat
Cereal (except Rice Chex, and cereals labeled gluten-free)
Chicken Nuggets (the breading)
Couscous
Crackers (except those labeled gluten-free)
Croutons
Curry Powder
Durum Wheat
Enriched Flour
Flour Tortillas
Graham Flour
Ice-cream Cones
Ice-cream Syrup
Kamut
Malt
Malt Extract
Malt Flavoring
Malt Syrup
Malt Vinegar
Marzipan
Mincemeat
Muesli
Mustard Powder
Noodles
Nougat
Oat Flour
Oatmeal (except certified gluten-free, Red Mill has one)
Oats
Pasta (except labelled gluten-free, Pasta Joy has some good pastas)
Pearl Barley
Pita Bread
Rice Malt
Rye
Rye Flour
Rye Smolina
Soy Sauce (Tamari is ok)
Spelt
Stuffing Mixes
Teriyaki Sauce
Vinegar
Waffles (except for Van's Gluten Free)
Wheat
Wheat Bran
Wheat Flour
Wheat Germ
Wheat Malt | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/10/2008 3:15:35 PM | List of foods to avoid:
FOODS WITH CASEIN
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Bavarian Cream
Butter (except clarified or Ghee)
Butterfat
Buttermilk
Butterscotch
Caseinate
Cheese
Cheese powder
Cheese slices
Cheese spreads
Chocolate
Condensed Milk
Cooking Chocolate
Cottage Cheese
Cream
Cream Cheese
Curd Cheese
Curds
Dried Milk
Evaporated Milk
Fudge
Goat's Milk
Ice Cream
Lactalbumin
Lactalbumin phosphate
Lactate Acid
Lactoglobulin
Lemon Curd
Margarine
Mayonnaise (except labelled casein free)
Milk
Milk Chocolate
Milk Powder
Milk Solids
Mousses
Nonfat Milk
Rennet Casein
Shortening
Skimmed milk
Sodium Caseinate
Sour Cream
Sour Cream Solids
Toffee
Whey
Whey Protein
Whey Sodium Caseinate
Whey Sugar
Whey Syrup
Whipped Cream
Yogurt | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/10/2008 5:00:44 PM | | If I had an autistic kid and could him to eat it, I'd provide a diet of on fresh whole foods, low-carb, low-glycemic, avoiding all processed crap and the chemicals, hormones, etc. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/10/2008 5:51:05 PM | At least some docs and researchers are admitting that downing any old crap your entire life has seriously negative effects, sooner rather than later (teenagers with CVD and adult-onset diabetes). Living for the pleasure of eating ain't working out very well for most Americans. Eating for the pleasure of living well makes so much more sense, and is still pleasureful.
Here's a typical, recent article on food and brain operations:
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=39890 | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/10/2008 6:13:30 PM | I agree. Many parents worry that they will not be able to get their child to change the way they eat, because they are such picky eaters. However, I have found that if the diet is what they are needing, that they seem to take to it pretty quickly, even in a matter of days--and because their minds are clearer, they can accept the change more easily. Autistics like "rules" and sometimes are the "experts" at diets, because they have been self-limiting on their own already.
I like this quote from the site you refer to:
"Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain.
Diet, exercise and sleep have the potential to alter our brain health and mental function.
This raises the exciting possibility that changes in diet are a viable strategy for enhancing cognitive abilities, protecting the brain from damage and counteracting the effects of aging."
-- Fernando G. Pinilla, a UCLA professor of neurosurgery and physiological science who has spent years studying the effects of food, exercise and sleep on the brain. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/10/2008 6:25:23 PM | GLUTEN-FREE WHEAT SUBSTITUTES
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Rice, rice flour, Rice Chex
Amaranth, combines well with three parts rice flour for baking (buy it and keep it refrigerated)
Arrowroot, similar to cornstarch, great for thickening sauces, use one part Arrowroot to three parts other gluten-free flours for baking.
Buckwheat is actually not wheat (related to Rhubarb)
Teff (African grain) is slightly sweet
Tapioca
Potato Starch
Millet, a high-protein grain, not good for baking because it is too crumbly, works in dishes similar to couscous.
CASEIN-FREE DAIRY PRODUCT SUBSTITUTES
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Goat's Milk has only trace amounts of one specific type of casein, so sometimes is a suitable substitute for cow's milk for some people.
Soy Milk--be careful not to ingest too much soy if you have a thyroid problem.
Rice Milk
Nut Milks (Almond, for example)
Soy Ice Cream
Rice Ice Cream
Sorbet, Sherbert, Fruit Ices--check ingredients, some of these contain small amounts of milk. Avoid those with high fructose corn syrup.
Non-Dairy Margarines--Avoid those with yellow dye, and hydrogenated oils.
Non-Dairy Yogurts, Cheeses, and Sour Cream, such as tofu sour cream, soy cheese and soy yogurt. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/10/2008 6:38:06 PM | "Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain."
Supposedly Hippocrates, the father of western medicine, figured that out 2000 years ago: "Let food by thy medicine and medicine by thy food"
Greeks supposedly said: "A sound mind in a sound body". | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/11/2008 2:35:17 PM | The GF/CF diet has shown to improve these symptoms:
poor language skills
bowel disorders
mood disorders
hyperactive behaviors
skin problems like eczema
insomnia, fatigue
cognitive disorders
metabolic disorders like thyroid dysfunction
reactions to foods like swelling, bloating and food cravings
There are four separate and unique ways that gluten and casein can become a problem. An individual child can have one or all of these:
1. Allergic reaction (IgE or IgG food reactions) to the foods, causing inflammation and swelling in both the body and the brain, causing migranes, congestion, ear infections, etc. IgE allergies are more severe, but less common than IgG allergies.
2. The person is lacking the digestive enzyme essential to digest these proteins, called DPP4.
____Lactose intolerance (the person is lacking in the enzyme essential for digesting lactose, called lactase.)
This causes toxins to form during incomplete digestion-- in addition to causing bloating, gas, nausea, muscle pain, restless legs, and IBS type symptoms.
3. Neurological (mood and behavior altering) effects from the opiods produced when gluten and casein aren't digested completely, including an addictive pattern. Causing foggy thinking, hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattentiveness, irritability and moodiness.
4. GI problems (inflammation) cause malabsorption of necessary nutrients that some Autistics are genetically predisposed to be low in, such as Glutathione, and this can result in the child having an inability to detoxify heavy metals from their systems (by methylation.)
A child can have all four problems, so simply supplementing with the deficient enzymes is not enough. There are numerous problems caused by the inflammation from allergic reactions to the foods themselves.
A large percentage of the American population has a deficiency of the particular enzyme that breaks down gluten, DPP4. This enzyme is also involved in the digestion of milk products.
There are lab tests that can indicate whether your child will respond to a gluten-free diet. You can first have them tested for Celiac disease, which is the most extreme form of gluten sensitivity. Then have them tested for IgE and IgG food reactions/reactivity (allergy). However, a child can have damaging neurological effects from the opiod peptides without having celiac disease or food allergies.
The testing can help to provide you with some certainty about the connection between these foods and your child's behavior, but simply going on the diet, and staying on it for a period of about 3 months (after you have the diet completely in place) is acceptable since wheat and dairy are the most common food allergens anyway, and if the child improves on the diet, you will then have your answer. The testing might help with getting insurance coverage for certain things related to your child's care, or can help you to tailor the diet with additional restrictions based on allergic reactions to more foods than are covered by the GF/CF diet.
Taking digestive enzyme supplements can help, but is often not a sufficient solution to the problem of the child's inability to digest gluten and casein. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/12/2008 10:54:46 AM | Here is a link to a list of more than 160 GF/CF foods you can buy in the store.
http://gfcf-diet.talkaboutcuringautism.org/autism-diet-gfcf-foodlist.htm | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/13/2008 11:32:46 AM | Ok, I am not selling anything. But for those who are thinking of trying this diet, I would like to recommend my personal favorite products to get you started. (These are simply things my family and I like. I don't work for them, or know them personally.)
I looked in my pantry, and after being on this diet twice, and over a period of years having the whole family on it, this is what we have in the house.
We love:
Van's Gluten-Free Waffles,
Pasta Joy pastas (they come in all different types),
Purely Decadent Dairy Free "Ice Cream", Yum! I am having some right now!
Bob's Red Mill Oats,
Kinnikinnick Foods English Muffins and Gluten Free bread,
San-J organic Tamari, (wheat free soy sauce)
General Mills Rice Chex
A lot of stuff kind of comes and goes, and some things you don't really need to replace, you just start eating and cooking differently. For instance, pouring melted cheese onto Chinese food doesn't realy make it taste any better. Or serving it over bread instead of rice. You could do it, but why? If it tastes good and works, you don't need to. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/16/2008 2:11:53 AM | EXCELLENT THREAD Thank You! I have been trying to be Gluten,Soy, and Casein free now for over 6 months. I learned alot about the casein..wow..thanks! What do coffee shops have "milk" wise that I can have so I don't get any casein and have a good tasting drink? I don't want to bring a bottle of Rice Milk every time I want coffee! | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/16/2008 9:04:09 AM | Thank you Bass.
Most Coffee shops offer soy milk, which is what I get. I am not trying for soy-free because the diet I am on includes no yeast products also (just too many restrictions.) I don't buy a lot of soy for protein because I still eat meats, mostly seafood and organic chicken. I think investing in small bottles to carry Almond, or Rice milk might be your only choice then. I have a cooler in my van all the time, to put stuff from the Farmer's Market. You can get small individual serving size packages of rice milk in packages of 6, and keep that in your car. I have also used coconut milk for replacing part of the milk in a recipe, but it is a high-fat product. Coconut milk is very healthy and just fine if you aren't overweight.
You can also try a product that is dairy free milk in a powder form, made from potato flour. It is slightly sweetened and tastes like milk. The powder might be easier to take with you. I like this product. You can buy it by the case, and it has a nice mixer-pitcher that helps you mix it to dissolve the powder.
Vance's DariFree 1-800-497-4834 www.vancesfoods.com.
Dari-Free Milk Alternative (now made without honey)
Dari-Free Chocolate Milk Alternative
Because it doesn't dissolve that easily, give it to the Coffee server before they make your coffee to add when they mix it up.
I know a lot of people are removing soy from their diets because it might be a problem for people with thyroid issues and because of the phyto-estrogens. But I think these effects are mainly for people who consume large amounts of soy-based products daily, such as newer vegetarians who haven't changed their cooking style yet, and use a lot of processed meat substitutes.
The amount of soy you are talking about isn't that much, and if you aren't allergic to soy, it might be fine just for coffee. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/16/2008 9:58:05 AM | There have been several studies similary to this one:
http://www.naturalnews.com/z023640.html
It doesn't mention specifically autism, but I think the general idea of removing synthetric, processed crap from kids' diets is valid. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/16/2008 10:30:17 AM | Here's an article about this diet written by another mother of an Autistic child who has had good results with it. It describes some of the points in more detail than I have here.
Lisa S. Lewis, Ph.D.
http://members.aol.com/lisas156/gfpak.htm | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/16/2008 10:44:50 AM | Here's a great magazine that has a section on this diet every month. It has recipes for baked goods, and also discusses how to live well without other foods like corn, soy, peanuts for those who are allergic to other foods.
"Living Without Magazine"
http://www.livingwithout.com/2008/jj08autism.html
This book explains the gastroenterology research, and explains more why this works specifically for Autism, and the interventions which led to the recovery of Karyn’s son:
"Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and PDD – A Mother’s Story of Research and Recovery" By Karyn Seroussi. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 7/21/2008 3:11:58 PM | Ok, I thought I would share with you my personal experience because I am not a Doctor. My personal experience is with a child who had moderate Autism, no language, hearing issues, behavior issues, pica, and all the classic signs of Autism 11 years ago. He was diagnosed by 3 different Doctors so he could be admitted into a research program for Autism. (Dr. Lovaas's Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) research study.) I was trained to do this treatment also, as well as recruiting and training all the therapists who worked with us with supervision from the Wisconsin Early Autism Project.
The ABA therapy helped tremendously. In fact, I don't think my son would have ever learned to talk or read without this therapy. But it doesn't address the organic cause of the Autism, which, at the time, nobody knew anything about or what to do for it. At least in my City.
The diet was only one of many things we tried with our son. I mention many of the other things we have done in another thread I have been posting to, called simply; Autism.
<a href="http://forums.plentyoffish.com/datingPosts5274259.aspx">http://forums.plentyoffish.com/datingPosts5274259.aspx</a>
But the diet is so important to his well-being that we have tried it more than once, even though at the time we first tried it, I struggled with it because there was so little information about it, and I couldn't get the other family members to be on the same page with it.
This time around is so much easier, and I have the whole family on it so cooking is simpler. Everybody seems to like it and I have more specialized products available to replace some of the things we missed the most, like frozen waffles and ice cream.
Also, Oprah went on a diet that is called "The 21 Day Cleanse" which is supposed to be GFCF also, but eliminates meat, too. So more people are looking for GFCF alternatives. The demand is up for more products, and resources.
This is how we started.
His whole life, my son has limited himself to about 5 foods total. Sometimes the specific foods change, but he stays with about 5 choices, period. He screams as if you are trying to poison him if you offer him a food he won't tolerate. He runs from the kitchen if I cook something he doesn't like because of the cooking smells in the room.
So I went to several nutritionists early on, and had a feeding study done at the hospital, and we did specialized "feeding therapy" all to no avail. One time a feeding tube was mentioned (another parent called it a "brain bypass.") I mean, therapy helped to at least keep him from starving, but didn't change his basic behavior around food.
As he grew older, he didn't grow out of his food issues. As he learned to talk (thank God) he started to say he was a vegetarian to help make his case for not eating what he didn't/couldn't/wouldn't eat. He has to smell everything before eating it, and can taste even tiny "adulterations" we might make to sneak in healthy things. He even has to have certain "Brands" of food, with exactly the right label and packaging before he will eat it. So I thought a diet of any kind was out of the question. So I put it off several years after hearing about it, because I just wasn't up to it. (We were running a 30-40 hour a week therapy program out of our house at the time.)
So after many, many small introductions to foods with the help of therapists and family, we got him to eat most vegetables and fruit, because I figured that people seem to do just fine on a vegan diet, which is the most restrictive so-called "normal" diet I could find that would sustain a long life. I figured that if I could get him to at least eat like a vegan, that would be an improvement!!
So introducing this diet wasn't as difficult as it could have been, because a vegan diet has no dairy products already.
Every time he ate a new food we would celebrate, and he would get "points" which we use to reward him with his favorite games and kid stuff.
So as it stands now, here is a list of the foods he will eat, and also fit the GF/CF yeast-free diet:
potatoes, rice, sweet red pepper, romaine lettuce, apples, pears, grapes, kiwi, sweet peas, cucumber, carrots, celery, peanuts, cashews, almonds, rasperries, strawberries, cherries, black olives, raisins, maple syrup, olive oil, 100% fruit juices, popcorn, corn chips, dairy-free chocolate, grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, watermelon, green beans, red cabbage, oranges, bananas, blue potatoes, blue corn chips, cauliflower, broccoli, zuchini, honey, lemon, lime, iodized sea salt, gluten-free ketsup, garlic, onion, blueberries, blackberries, yams, sweet potato, brussels sprouts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cherry tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, parsley, gluten-free cookies, gluten-free crackers, Rice Chex, Gluten-free waffles, sorbet, sherbert, home-made popcicles, natural sugar, tapioca flour, certified gluten-free oats, GFCF granola bars called "Luna".
He takes various vitamins and supplements to balance things out, and are also theraputic. I will list these next post.
When we go to McDonald's, he can have: A side salad with french dressing, an order of fries, apple dippers, an orange juice (not orange drink), and I bring a handful of cashews for protein.
Right now this minute he is eating organic "Spud Puppies" which are usually called Tater Tots, with ketchup, home-made lemonaid, some slices of sweet red pepper, a couple of leaves of leafy green lettuce, 10 maple coated cashews, and half of a peach. He's normal weight and height for his age, speaks with perfect diction, is mainstreamed in school and working at his grade level, has about 6 friends who call him daily and arrange activities, (one of his friends just called now), loves drawing cartoons, and is a computer whiz.
He still needs to be coaxed into eating some of these foods, for instance, if he was cooking for himself he would still only eat 5 foods. But these are all foods he will eat, with just a little coaxing, which is a big difference from running screaming from the room! His description of his diet is "anything without eyes." Which I guess works.
I am perpetually working on a new food with him, which takes several months to a year for him to tolerate. Right now, we are working on garbanzo beans (chick peas.) This means presenting it to him in tiny amounts very gradually (first he just has to tolerate looking at the food without gagging.) Then we go to touching it, smelling it, and then finally tasting a tiny amount. Most foods I present un-cooked (except for potatoes, rice, waffles, and chicken, which he says has eyes and so this will be harder) un-altered, and with no dips or sauces. I think its easier for him because he can "standardize" in his mind the taste/texture of the food better that way.
The longer we follow the diet, and the more carefully we follow it, the easier it is for him to eat things. I think his system is healing, he is thinking clearer, and he can tolerate more tastes and textures than before we put him on this diet. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 8/9/2008 12:05:42 PM | My son is 19 and we have been on GFCF diet now for nearly one year. The positive affect is obvious. His ADD is improved dramatically and that allows him to think more completely and his Autism is supressed.
I have not read the entire thread, Idio you are a wealth of information.
GFCF diet is easy especially if you try to go with lesser processed foods and do not try to use replacement foods. I have become convinced that Gluten and Casein are a much wider problem than recognized and that most people should abandon those foods. I personally lost more than five pounds the first week. I can gain that back in one day by going back to my old diet. Because we don't have many of the old food cravings AND we do not succumb to the snacks constantly presented each of us is down about 20 lbs.
So, lose fat off your belly, have more energy, stabilize your sugar cycle, lose a lot of food cravings and become mentally alert.
I do most of my shopping at the corner market. There are only a few items which I want and must go to higher end markets and specialty shops. Gluten free Vitamins, Wheat free Soy Sauce, Almond Milk, Brown Rice Bread, and GFCF frozen pancakes are the only specialty items we regularly consume. Once in a while we will go crazy with Brownies or I will get sourghum beer. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 8/9/2008 12:17:58 PM | My son is not as restricted in his diet as yours. I have worked with him over the years and will put new food on his plate. The new item will be small and off to the side. He will not eat it and I will not say anything about it until he asks what it is. Whatever it is I will tell him it is "Chicken" and he will laugh. At this point he knows that at some point in the future he will be rewarded for tasting it.
So, after several meals where the food item sits on the plate untouched he will ask if he has to taste the food. This is his signal that he is ready to taste it. He is told he must taste the food. I will tell him he needs to eat three bites and he negotiates down to one bite. I choose his foods carefully and he usually likes the new food but will rarely eat more than one bite his first try. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 8/9/2008 2:12:33 PM | I'm sorry, I am here to play Devil's Advocate.
I have Asperger's Syndrome, which is nominally something in the Autistic Spectrum. I am 48. I was almost 41 before I found out I had Asperger's and why my life was so screwy.
At a basic level, I think Autism is a wiring problem (being an engineer, this is an easy point of view for me, it might not work for you). We actually do think differently. I do believe that if you catch Autism early enough, it is possible to minimize how "strange" we are to "normals". Sorry, I do not think there is a cure. I think that there is more than one cause that pushes people to be Autistic, and I also believe that symptoms of Autism can combine to cause other symptoms. It is this latter thing which cause some people to "change" at an early age, and others to change much later.
I can understand why parents will grasp at anything, such as diets, to try and "cure" their children. Nobody wants to see their children see more hardship growing up than they should. To be different in any regard, is just the excuse that many people need to make life difficult for others. I would hope that if parents realize that there child is never going to be "normal", they will be less willing to grasp at straws to "cure" them. I do think there is reason to make children more normal, I don't think any Autistic will ever be normal.
Many problems the Autistic sees in growing up, are just the problems of discrimination. We don't have a different coloured skin, we have brains that are wired differently. Society grows up with a series of rules, mostly derived from convenience. It was convenient to think that Negro people are inherently stupid. We realize this isn't true. Society has characteristics which are at odds with Autism, hopefully with time, we will move away from these conveniences to be more fair.
The problem that has most effected me, is an inability to sell. Since the employment process presupposes that all humans are capable of selling, my life has been much less productive than I would have hoped. I am capable of being a world class Materials Engineer, but because I can't sell this to anybody, I have spent about 40% of my adult life unemployed. That salesmanship is really only correlated to jobs in sales or marketing is for the present irrelevant. People find it convenient to assume that everyone is capable of selling, and so I continue to get screwed in the job market.
I think everyone should be on a healthy diet. Unless someone comes up with links to peer-reviewed literature about gluten or casein being bad for people with Autism, it is just another fad. As independent adults, you are welcome to practice it with your children if you choose to. However, I suspect that if this was proposed at a university and had to undergo ethical scrutiny, it would not be allowed. It's your quarter. | |
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| Autism Treatments GF/CF Diet
Posted: 8/9/2008 6:16:15 PM | Fortran:
I am a skeptical person. This diet was suggested by a good friend and intelligent woman who was convinced it had changed her son. My personal and non scientific observations have convinced me. At this point there is little scientific evidence that it works for Autism.
I do not want to "cure" my son of Autism. Everyone by now should know there is no "Cure". I do want to make his integration into our present society easier. I want him to have a job, a girlfriend, be able to support himself and be able to find fun on his own. These are goals he has stated to me.
GFCF diet helps him, helps me and is easy. It seems be healthier than the standard american diet. The observed changes in myself and my son are for the better. Because of how we have reacted to this diet I believe others should try it as well.
This is not a professional journal nor a depository of scientific studies. This is a forum, a collection of folk wisdom AND our interaction IS peer review. The rules are a bit looser. | |
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