Special Diets
Earlier this week, research published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Pediatrics found no evidence that special diets have any influence on autistic children. Candace my non-verbal autistic 9 year old daughter did not recover by changing her diet. But, I did noticed when she eats chocolate she becomes more aggressive (But, what girl don't? LoL!!) So, do I think that diet is a cure for autism? Not for Candace. What ever they did to these kids will take alot more than a change of diet and vitamans to cure. I do give Candace cod liver oil & a good multivitamin. We'll have to keep searching for that cure!!
Therapeutic Diets Have Helped a Multitude of Children
Therapeutic diets have helped a multitude of children. There is scientific documentation in the literature about the help that therapeutic diets of various sorts can be for various comorbid conditions that children diagnosed with autism have (e.g., seizures, gut pathology/inflammation, immune/allergy issues). There are recovered children - children who have lost the diagnosis of autism - for whom therapeutic diet was one of the two most significant interventions, and this includes use of the gf/cf diet.
Therapeutic diets need to be done strictly, without "cheating." If one therapeutic diet does not work, another can be tried. For example, we saw noticeable results with SCD vs. gf/cf.
Chocolate is high in phenols, and this can be linked to aggression. In addition to children reacting to foods/food components to which they are sensitive, if they are having a problem with food components this could further pathology/pain that "creates" what look like "behaviors."
I encourage parents to give therapeutic diet a serious, diligent try. The first key to improving behaviors, function, and health can be found in addressing the child's underlying physiological issues. And a foundational part of this is a diet that is appropriate for that particular child.