A Gluten Free Diet Plan For Autism

Autism or autism spectrum disorder is a broad range of neuro-developmental disorders that disturb the child by disrupting his/her ability to interact or communicate socially. These disorders are associated with developmental delays that steer the child towards severe physical issues such as gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, sleep disorders, mental health challenges like anxiety, seizures, depression, etc. To reduce physical symptoms like GI, parents try alternative treatments along with a specialized diet plan for autism.

Symptoms of autism usually appear between age 2 or 3 in a child or sometimes even earlier. Parents must consult the best physician to get the child diagnosed and to help the child regain some of his/her skills and abilities. They can also approach a licensed dietician who can help them in chalking out an autism diet plan according to the child’s health issues and taste preferences. An early intervention can lead to positive outcomes in the life of a child with autism.

Many dieticians prescribes a gluten-free and sugar- free diet that are hazardous to people with autism. They advise a diet of fruits, vegetables or nuts and to avoid using packed or tinned foods as they, at times, contain traces of gluten that are not mentioned in the nutrition label. A diet plan for autism also excludes seafood as they contain toxins like mercury that tends to harm the person’s immune system.  Parents can also visit: HERE

A Gluten-Free Diet for Autism

An autism diet plan is an alternative treatment for autism. Parents are advised to adopt a strict autism diet plan, and avoid foods containing gluten (wheat, barley, rye) and casein (dairy products) in the child's daily consumption. At times the doctor’s advice ‘allergy testing’ to confirm whether the child with autism is allergic to certain components found in his diet.

Gluten is a mixture of proteins found in the seeds and grains such as rye, wheat and barley. According to the doctors, a diet containing gluten has an adverse effect on the brain as the harmful proteins do not help in curing the condition but worsen them. This adverse reaction leads a child to intense negative behaviour.

When on a gluten-free diet, the child with autism is advised an apt diet plan for autism which contains ample fibres, minerals, and vitamins. At times supplements also help to make up for the absence of these nutrients.  For information about professional dietician in your vicinity, visit: https://www.autismconnect.com/nutritionists-dieticians

The use of an autism diet plan reduces the symptoms in a child with autism and improves social and cognitive behaviours and also benefits speech deficiency in the children.

Introducing: A New Food Diet For Selective Eaters

Parents and caregivers are concerned about unhealthy eating habits in a child with autism. Qualified dieticians can help in planning a perfect autism diet plan with nutritive analysis and advice on healthy eating habits. 

Dieticians or health experts are trained in maintaining a healthy eating behaviour in a child with autism. They provide various strategies to introduce healthy food and improve the nutritional balance in the child and work with the parents to understand their objectives before creating a diet plan for autism in achieving favourable results.

When to plan?

Children with autism are more likely to have stomach problems. This picky or choosy eating habits along with other dietary restrictions are associated with the gastrointestinal (GI) trouble in them. Before charting anautism diet plan, the dieticians try to figure out the reason behind the child’s unwavering insistence on special coloured food, why they prefer a particular type of food and a greater number of other feeding issues. Such issues are at times related to the ritualistic or repetitive behaviours and as well as sensory processing issues (smell, texture). Thus, a child with autism and sensory disorder reject foods based on their smell, colour and texture.

For example, he/she may only want to eat:

·         White or yellow foods (rice, bread, mashed potatoes, chicken)

·         Foods with a crunchy or a smooth texture (biscuits)

·         Foods with a salty or bitter taste (chips, pickle)

·         Foods with a sweet flavour (chocolate, sweet)

Why is white food unhealthy?

Some children with ASD avoid certain foods because of exacerbated gastrointestinal (GI) problems associated with reflux and severe abdominal pain. They may cry or hit their head during meals. The doctor advice a gastrointestinal screening before planning a diet plan for autism symptoms. 

A white food diet contains white flour, which does not contain the nutrient husks, lack in fibres and the essential vitamins. The white processed food stuffs contain added sugar too. When consumed, these nutrient deficiencies in white foods can impact the gut and disturb the nutritional balance. A diet plan for a child with autism does not include ‘treat’ like bread, crackers, biscuits, cakes and pasta.

Role of dieticians

Dieticians develop strategies and tools to introduce an improved diet to maintain the child’s nutritional balance. They prescribe a gluten-free/casein-free diet (GFCF) diet. This strict diet eliminates foods containing gluten (wheat, barley and rye) and casein (milk and milk products) from the child's daily intake.

They work with the child’s family to understand their worries and goals and to create a perfect diet plan for autism. They plan to achieve the desired outcomes by exploring the eating habits and the preferred food of the child with autism.

Their diet also consists of strategies that can assist in creating a learning opportunity and to build a positive relationship between the child and his/her food.