Does anyone know about the diet used on autistic children and how sucessful it truely is?

Answer 1

There are several diets out there. While there are families that have tried these diets and seen progress, there have never been any true cures. And, when these diets were tested in reserach situations, they weren't found to have any readily identifiable and reliable effects. Many times, after a period of time of using the diet has passed, it becomes less effective. Also, many of these plans are tough to follow..there can be no deviation or "cheating" and following them can be costly (insurances will not pay for the food or visits to specialists who use these methods as primary forms of treatment) and can involve a rather intense and difficult adjustment period. Truely, they are like many other alternative forms of health care....there are people they do wonders for and then there is the majority that they do little for. If you plan to try one these diets with your child, be sure to talk with your pediatrician to be sure there are no health issues that could be impacted and take the time to research not only the diet, but the resources available to you in your area for getting the needed items. Do not go into it hoping for a miracle, but rather with the attitude of trying something new that, if it doesn't do much, you can move on to try something else.

Answer 2

Hi, there is a trial and error basis with all diets of individuals with Autism. There was a study that gluten free foods are the best so far however; this is not etched in stone. You may want to surf a web-site that will have answers to many of your questions.
good luck,
ls

Answer 3

Many families notice a huge difference switching to a GF/CF diet and just as many do not. I myself tried it with my son and did not. This is not to say I don't believe many autistic children have real food allergy issues.

As other responders have said, it is different with each child. It definetly is not a cure. But if the child does have food allergies, it can certainly help them feel better and therefore, be somewhat more alert and comfortable.

Answer 4

Depends on which diet you're talking about. I assume you're meaning the GFCF, which is gluten free, casein free (the proteins from wheat and milk). I've seen a few kids it really works on, and a few that it hasn't made a difference. In my own family, my son was helped and my daughter was not. My daughter has made large strides on a diet free of corn products (HFCS, down to raw corn, any infraction leads to instant regression)
There's also the Feingold diet, which is a pretty specific elimination diet, and I've seen three kids benefit tremendously from it. I've never known a child PERSONALLY who was 'cured', as the websites claim, but I have seen them become more calm, relaxed and more capable of coping with communication.

HTH...

Answer 5

There are no current, well-designed studies that show effectiveness of "curing" autism- esp. with special diets. One downfall I have seen with families doing this is that often their child already has a restricted diet due to sensory issues and rigidity associated with autism. Nutrition is already often an issue of concern for children with autism because of the feeding/eating issues that can occur, and limiting even more food choices for the child can make a bigger problem.

There is no "one size fits all" treatment for people with autism.