Posts Tagged ‘Autism and Diet’

Having a Healthy Body May Be The Key To Treating Autism

Monday, July 12th, 2010

autism

In any child, or person for that matter, it is important to keep the body healthy and balanced. We hear all of the time how the body has too much of some things and not enough of others and it causing havok on the body. With more and more research pointing to the theory that Autism is in fact a biochemical disorder, the benefits of  maintaining a healthy body are becoming more documented and studied especially in Autistic children.

Some of the most commonly studied and practiced methods are diet modification, and vitamin and mineral therapy. Each method has its own purpose but aim for the same goal: maintaining a healthy autistic body to reach increased functioning and decreased symptoms.

Diet Modification

We’ve spoken before about the benefits of changing your childs diet. There have been plenty of studies surrounding the omission of Gluten (wheat, bread) products and Casein (dairy) products. In many children with Autism, there are issues with stomach and gut. The first thing that doctors typically suggest is the removal of gluten and casein from the child’s diet.

Some parents report that getting their children to stop eating wheat and dairy products is similar to trying to get an addict off of drugs. Their children seem to fiend for wheat and milk, and parents end up giving in because they finally feel they can give their child something that they need and want. Think again and maybe a little more literal into the “addict” comparison.

When digested, gluten and casein are broken down into peptides; glutenin and giladin respectively, attach themselves to opiate receptors of the child’s brain. This means that wheat and dairy products can act like narcotics and children can literally be addicted to them.

So, how do you get a child off of Gluten and Casein? Luckily, these days there are many wheat and dairy substitutes in grocery stores with the boom of vegetarianism and all-around body health awareness.

Vitamin and Mineral Therapy

Because of the dietary needs and habits of children with Autism, it has been found that a great deal of children are lacking the proper vitamins and minerals in their bodies. Even as fully-grown, healthy adults we often focus on the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals each day. Specific supplements have been documented as helping aid in the alleviation of autism symptoms and increasing the level of functionality.

One specific mineral that has been often studies is DMG (Dimethylglycine). DMG is found, albeit in small amounts in brown rice and liver. Chemically it resembles vitamin B15. Some of the improvements noted by administering DMG (available over the counter in health stores) are attention span, social awareness, eye contact and speech.

Some parents report an increase in hyperactivity with DMG, but have found success with an alternative, TMG (trimethylglycine).  The same improvements have been reported in TMG as in DMG.

There are quite a number of ways to keep the body healthy. Of course, parents are looking for the methods with the highest result. Which method will decrease symptoms and alleviate some of the everyday frustrations that come with Autism? You know that we can’t answer this directly simply cause each child’s body makeup is different. What might be good for one child, may be counterproductive for another. You may have to try one, two, or ten methods. Stay optimistic, even with minor setbacks, that you will find a method that will work for your child.

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