Hi everyone
With all the info out there about this diet , pros and cons I have deceided to come to the pros for advice. If you have deceided TO try it , WHY? and how did it help? Did you notice any changes. Did you add any supplements to their diets?
If you chose NOT to try it WHY? personal reasons, Dr's advice etc:
DD and Sil are thinking about it weighing all the pros and cons, still not sure. So I thought I could pick your brains and help her with your GREAT advice. So If you can help please advise me
I tried itfor my son not long after I had his official diagnosis. I had read about it on the internet. It was a fairly new idea here in Australia. I mentioned it to his paediatrician and she didn't think it would help but she had never seen anyone stick to the diet. So I went to a dietician at our local hospital to do it safely. Originally we just went casein free(and this was done gradually) The difference was quite dramatic for my son and didn't take very long. His hyperactivity went right down and his attention span increased. his eye contact improved a little. So then I tried him on casein again, and he was worse than before- running into walls, screaming, handflapping. So we had to go back to casein free. Then my daughter was also diagnosed ASD. She always had terriblle bowel movements and lots of flatulence. So I took away the gluten(which I found harder to do and harder for the kids to adjust to the differnt bread) and within 1 week she had normal bowel actions for the first time in her life. We had her tested for Coeliacs and it came back negative. I think the paediatrician was pretty amazed at the difference. Here in Australia I don't know of very many who do the diet even at my childrens autism specific school they are the only ones who do the whole diet.
I also give the kids omega 3 oil, and my son has iron supplements every few months as his intake of meat/ iron containing foods is not vert good. Despite the work involved and added cost we would never go back. The reaction is so extreme now when they eat the wrong food that it would be cruel.
I tried it for a few months and didn't see any difference in my older son, it's really quite difficult to do but there are so many parents like dizzy that have seen dramatic changes, I really think every parent should try the diet for a few months to see if it helps their child. It doesn't help every child but it makes a big difference for a significant percent and you won't know til you try.Hi
I read about it on the internet and ignored it (too hard basket) but then found a DAN doctor here and she said it needed to be the first thing we do if we were prepared to spend money on testing and supplements.
so I read up on it and started with casein free. saw an immediate difference in bowel motions. Then did gluten and that was hard for a month or two but now 1 year down the track- it is just a way of life.
We also do a lot of supplementing- omega 3, calcium, iron, vit A,D,E,selenium, multivti for ASD, a natural chelator (Pfeiffer protocol), yeast aid,digestive enzymes, extra zinc. Plus he has been on antiviral medication for a year and he does ABA therapy.
Our son is now off all asthma medication, he has only had one cold this year, his physical autism signs have pretty much gone (eg toewalking, flapping etc...) still a bit of eye stimming, echolalia, some sensory.
So I am a convert. Yes, he may have matured and done this on his own but we did not want to test that theory and we are grateful for these changes.
I would recommend casein first to get your head around it.
His language and speech blows us away on a continual basis.
Gluten and casein can cause SERIOUS bowel disturbances in anyone, but for people with ASD, it seems to be even more troublesome.
Casein in milk products causes excess mucus production and can lead to clogged organs due to its gluey texture. Did you know casein is used to hold the labels on beer bottles and to glue furniture wood together? It's also an ingredient in Elmer's glue and various other brands. Imagine what that's doing to the intestines. That's the reason cheese/other dairy products often cause constipation in the general population, too.
The calcium in milk is poorly absorbed, as well. For evidence of this, simply look at the rates of osteoporosis, dental caries, and nervous disorders in this country. Milk is in EVERYTHING! Cheese, yogurt, pudding, ice cream, and virtually every product you can find at the regular grocery store or restaurant contains milk, so why the sky high rates of calcium-deficiency diseases in this country?
Milk also is full of fat, growth hormones, antibiotics, PUS (yes, pus), and any viruses/toxins that escape the pasteurization process. Yum.
As for gluten, our bodies were never meant to digest this substance, which also has a sticky, binding effect on the intestines. Whether or not a person has Celiac disease, many many people have gluten sensitivity, which can lead to Celiac Disease and is capable of causing problems in and of itself. When you eat something you have an immune sensitivity to, your immune function is directed away from things like incoming viruses, bacteria, and even cancer growth to fight off the proteins to which one is allergic/sensitive. It is when the immune system isn't functioning properly that yeast overgrowth can occur, compounding health problems. Celiac disease is the end stage of gluten sensitivity, so avoiding gluten can lift a great burden off the body and prevent problems down the road.
If you're worried about getting enough protein, calcium, grains, etc. in your diet, there are many ways to ensure that you do this. Incorporating gluten-free grains like quinoa (which contains more complete protein than a serving of any meat), corn, rice, and other such whole grains into the diet can ensure that you're getting enough whole grains in the diet, which is very important for good nutrition. There are flours made from rice, corn, and other gluten-free sources, as well. If it's calcium intake you're worried about when cutting out milk, simply eat leafy greens like kale, collard greens, spinach, and broccoli, as well as canned salmon, sesame seeds, and calcium-fortified juices, all of which are more readily absorbed than milk calcium. There are some great casein free milk options out there, too, such as rice milk, soy milk, and almond milk, all of which are rich in not only calcium, but other vitamins/minerals as well. If your child won't eat ANY of the above, you can give them calcium supplements. Just make sure not to choose the hard tablets, 98% of which are not absorbable. Instead, choose a powdered version in capsules or that can be added to foods/drinks.
Remember, it can take up to a year for gluten to completely leave the body, so trying the diet for a month and giving up because you aren't seeing any noticeable results is counterproductive. In fact, you may only notice a WORSENING of symptoms as the peptides are being withdrawn in the first few weeks/months which could discourage you and even make you feel like what you're doing is unhealthy and dangerous. For this reason, it's very important to withdraw gluten and casein one at a time and GRADUALLY, just as you would with an addictive drug like opiates or cocaine. No real damage can be done from these withdrawals, but they can be VERY disturbing for your child and everyone else, so make sure to do some deep research beforehand about supplementation, withdrawal processes, etc.
GOOD LUCK!
Our DAN said the same thing as Aries' DAN. We are almost dairy free (been at it for a few months now - still have slip ups at school and such) and I've seen only a subtle difference in my son. So far the most effective changes have been the addition of fish oil and the B12 shots--I would swear by those rather than the diet for my son.
Thank you all, I will pass on the info to my DD