Welcome to a special page containing information for people who care for somebody on the Autistic Spectrum.

Simple Diet Intervention can Improve Verbal Skills, Bowel Function, Sleeplessness, Hyperactivity, Communication . . .

You may have heard about or experienced how specific changes in diet can bring about spectacular and permanent changes for those with Autism or on the Autistic Spectrum.

If your GP, dietitian or nutritionist isn't yet aware of the diet, don't be discouraged as just the sheer amount of moving stories, conference presentations from professionals in the know and literary examples from both parents and children is more than enough to warrant giving diets like the GF/CF Diet or SCDtm Diet a chance.

In Brief

1. Diet Intervention has helped many on the Spectrum
2. Dietary Needs Direct's primary focus since Nov 2001 has been the supply of products that fit the criteria of the GF/CF Diet
3. The GF/CF Diet needn't be complicated or expensive
4. The GF/CF Diet doesn't involve any drugs or intensive behavioural treatments
5. There is plenty of support to help you get started and implement the GF/CF Diet (see below)
6. There is nothing to lose in trying it, only things to gain

First the basics.

The GF/CF Diet

Although the medical explanation behind the implementation of the diet may seem a little complicated, following the diet is not. It is very manageable and within the scope of most people, particularly with a little help. Very simply, just four things need to be removed:

·  Gluten - the protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats

·  Casein - a protein in all mammalian milk

·  Aspartame - group name to some artificial sweeteners

·  Mono-sodium Glutamate - a flavour enhancing chemical

Collectively the avoidance of these four things is often just referred to as the GF/CF diet.

Whilst this is essentially the basis of the diet and is sufficient for the majority, it should be added that some (often the more severely autistic) may benefit further from the elimination of additional things such as certain fruits, products containing yeast and sugar, nitrates, high salicylates and phenols etc. More information about the 'Advanced' Diet can be found in the book 'Diet Intervention & Autism' (see details below). As the author herself mentioned once however, "There is no such thing as a safe food for this diet (although there are good bets at safer foods!), as all children will vary in their intolerances & their individual threshold levels. What is safe in one portion a day, may well be toxic at 2 portions a day". Questions and answers about other ingredients in addition to the four main ones listed above can also be found and discussed on the Autism Medical website

The Theory

It is not possible to explain it all here and a more detailed description is available from other sources (see below). However as a very brief introduction to it, this extract is printed with the kind permission of Marilyn Le Breton, author of 'Diet Intervention and Autism'

"When you eat, the food you consume is broken down in your stomach. The bits that are not used by the body are flushed out as waste matter. In autistic people, the breakdown of two proteins present in some foods, gluten and casein, is not completed properly.

The resulting fragments of these proteins are called peptides. Peptides are small enough to pass through the wall of the gut, rather than being processed in the normal way.

The autistic individuals who are producing these peptides are likely to have gut walls that are damaged and therefore these peptides find it even easier to pass through them. These peptides get into the bloodstream and the central nervous system. As the peptides journey around the body, they make a pit stop at the brain, where they do untold damage before continuing their journey and finally making their way out of the body, via urine. Both the gluten and casein peptides (gluteomorphine and caseomorphine) are very similar to morphine, a highly addictive drug."

The author then discusses how this can affect an individual's behaviour by using the illustration of her son Jack.

Jack is a 'drug' addict. His body is unable to break down certain foods. . . . Instead, his body converts them into morphine-like substances, which float around his body and brain, causing havoc.

Two-thirds of the time, Jack was as 'high as a kite', which accounted for his lack of eye contact, being in a world of his own, the sensory problems with his sight, his self-stimulation, his bizarre behaviours, his incredibly high pain threshold and his total lack of any sense of danger. . . . The screaming fits that he would have both day and night, when he would attack himself and me, occurred when the poor mite was having the withdrawal symptoms from his drug. He was in pain and totally out of control. Which is why I had found that the easiest way to calm him down was to give him a glass of milk and a couple of biscuits or a bread roll. He had then had his drug 'fix' and he'd 'tune' out again and display all of his classic autistic tendencies. Jack's whole life revolved around being 'high' and going through withdrawal, several times a day"

These are just very brief extracts of a book that is invaluable for anybody thinking of beginning the diet or wanting to find out more. It's a wonderful starting point and source of reference and we would really urge parents to purchase it if at all possible (see details of where to obtain it below

Candida - As many people on the Autistic Spectrum are also affected by Candida (many more than other groups), it warrants a brief mention on this page as it can have a dramatic effect on a child's development. It is something worth investigating and treating at a later stage, perhaps when the body has had a chance to settle down from the changes brought about by the removal of Gluten and Casein.

Put simply, Candida problems are the result of yeast overgrowth in the body and those on the Autistic Spectrum seem to have a particularly high incidence of it. The classic symptoms aren't always obvious in Autistic children, although there are some common signs such as a child pulling at their behind and private parts and craving sugar. It can also sometimes be seen in a child's mouth or as nappy rash or thrush.

As Autistic children don't necessarily show common symptoms and the current level of NHS testing for Candida doesn't always pick it up, it is worth going to a specialist or a GP who is knowledgeable about Autism and Candida or has experience in this area. Unfortunately we can't give out the names and contact details about individual doctors here, but if you would like more information on treating Candida please visit the Autism Medical website or call their helpline.

Contacts

Feedback

Just a few snippets from the Autism Medical Forum (now a closed forum) thread "BOASTING, CROWING & CHUFFED TO BITS!" taken with thanks. To see the full thread, please click here and then select Forum, General Questions and then find the thread with this title

Glossary of further topics that you may come across or wish to find out more about

Biotin - Biotin is a vitamin related to the Bs and is normally produced by friendly bacteria in the digestive tract. Replenishing these flora should ensure enough biotin, but it can also be taken as a supplement

Calcium - Calcium is important for the regulation of impulses in the nervous system and for neurotransmitter production. However, excessive levels of calcium (hypercalcinuria) can result in stupor and have been reported to occur naturally in some autistic people (Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Finding a Diagnosis and Getting Help by Mitzi Waltz, copyright 1999 by O'Reilly & Associates, Inc)

Caprylic Acid - Caprylic acid is a fatty acid said to be active against yeast in the digestive tract

Essential Fatty Acids - "People with autoimmune diseases that involve the nervous system say EFAs are very helpful in reducing symptoms, and there is some research to back them up. EFAs appear to help the GI tract resist and repair damage…. Efamol and Efalex are brand-name EFA supplements made by Efamol Neutriceuticals, Inc. Efalex was specifically created to treat developmental dyspraxia in the UK and is widely touted as a supplement for people with ADD or ADHD as well. Efalex contains a mix of omega-3 fish oil, omega-6 EPO and thyme oil, and vitamin E. Efamol, marketed as a treatment for PMS, combines EPO; vitamins B6, C, and E; niacin zinc and magnesium. . . . It's great if you can get your EFAs in food. (information from Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Finding a Diagnosis and Getting Help by Mitzi Waltz, copyright 1999 by O'Reilly & Associates, Inc).

Garlic - Garlic is said to be active against yeast in the digestive tract

Phenols - Phenols are chemicals found in foods that some people have problems processing and end up with symptoms including dark circles under the eyes, red face/ears, diarrhea, hyperactivity, aggression, headache, head banging or other self-injury, inappropriate laughter, difficulty falling asleep at night, and night waking for several hours. The condition is called PST deficiency (see below). Foods like tomatoes, bananas, red grapes, milk, peanuts and food dyes contain higher phenol levels than other foods. Click here for more information on Phenols (Also see Salicylates)

Phenolsulphertransferase (PST) deficiency-theory that some with autism are low on sulphate or an enzyme that uses this, called phenol-sulphotransferase-P. This means that they will be unable to get rid of amines and phenolic compounds once they no longer have any use for them. These then stay in their body and may cause adverse effects, even in the brain. Treatment is dietary as well as Epsom salts baths.

Probiotics - Probiotics are intended to counteract the harmful affects of antibiotics. As most people who have taken a course of penicillin know, these valuable medications can cause digestive distress even as they heal infection. Probiotics are substances that attempt to restore the friendly intestinal cultures that help us digest our food. Among other things, these cultures (and other probiotics) keep the growth of Candida albicans yeast in balance. Commercial probiotic supplements may combine a number of substances, sometimes including digestive enzymes as well as helpful bacteria, garlic, and the like

Salicylates - Salicylates are a type of Phenol. Phenols are chemicals which all living things and foods contain. Food containing high phenol levels uses up more than the usual amounts of the 'free sulphate' which is held in the gut. In Autistic people, the level of 'free sulphate' in the body is already much lower than in others so eating foods with a high phenolic content leaves even less available for other digestive requirements and for lining the gut walls. There is simply not enough 'free sulphate' available. Not all foods with a high phenol level also are high in salicylates as not all phenols are salicylates. Foods with a high salicylate level typically contain tomatoes, dried fruits, berry fruits, tea, olives, grapes, almonds, liquorice, peppermint, honey, Worcester sauce, citrus fruits, berries and currants, with pears being one of the more 'safe' options. Foods full of phenols but not salicylates include banana and chocolate. Whether a low salicylate and/or a low phenol diet is followed, is often a case of trial and error to see which products produce a troublesome reaction. (Also see Phenols)

Sulphation"The role of sulphation may well be one of the pivotal factors in the causation of autism yet it is poorly understood and has received scant attention. The role of sulphate in the immune system, in the effectiveness of hormones and in maintaining the integrity of intestinal function, kidney function and detoxification systems is deserving of much greater attention than it currently receives. Owens (1998) has drawn the attention to the importance of sulphation issues in chemical bodies called GAGs (Glucosyl Acetyl Glucosamines) which have huge implications for many functions including brain development. Processes involving inflammation, such as that which would result from infections that may be acquired naturally or from introduction through vaccine programmes, will result in stripping of the sulphate containing GAGs from the intestinal wall. Owens has suggested that these GAGs will form the main reservoir of sulphates held in the body. Therefore, any lingering inflammatory process will result in sulphate depletion. Waring (2000b) has also presented data indicating that the conversion of sulphite to sulphate is severely inhibited after immunisation of adult students against hepatitis B. Sulphate ions are only poorly absorbed from foodstuffs but may well be absorbed through the skin. That is the rationale for the use of a cupful of Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulphate) in the bathwater of children with autism" (Taken from The Sunderland Protocol - a paper presented at the Durham Conference 2000. To see the full paper, Click Here
None of the information on this page should be construed as medical advice. Dietary Needs Direct has simply collated bits and pieces from books and other websites as a starting point from which interested parties should follow up and make their own enquiries. Dietary Needs Direct can not be responsible for the accuracy of the contents of this page as a result. The above information has been placed on this website as I felt it could be of interest to some of you who visit my website. It is for or information only  and interested parties to make their own enquiries for further information..