Cutting Casein And Gluten From A Diet To Help Autism

by Chris Channing

If you or someone you know has an autistic child, you are already familiar with the lack of treatment options currently available. There are some means of relieving the symptoms, but not all treatments show help for 100% of children. One method to try is to cut out gluten and casein from the child's diet to see if it helps.

Gluten is a protein that is found in many grains. As you can probably deduce, it would be extremely difficult to cut out every source of grain in one's diet. This reason accounts for the fact that there haven't been as many studies on the subject of cutting out casein and gluten from one's diet. If you can find a trusted health food store you will be at better odds in making the diet work.

Casein is another protein, only it is found in dairy products and derivatives. Casein is a bit easier to avoid than gluten, since there are many alternatives to the dairy products most of society uses each and every day. Remember that dairy products would include basic things such as milk, but also cheese and even things such as chocolate.

So why would we want to cut out both proteins from a diet of an autistic child? The theory currently being proposed is that both proteins act as an allergen to autistic children- even when they don't show any signs of the common allergic reaction to a food or protein. Unfortunately there hasn't been enough studies on the subject, and the exact conclusion of how much a diet would help, or if it helps at all, is obscure.

Testimonials from some parents conclude that the benefits of such diets have shown autistic children to be more social and productive than what they are on average. This is a good step in the right direction, as parents know that anything they can do to help their child is worth it. When you see the term GFCF diet, it is common to associate the diet with a treatment for autism symptoms.

It's only a matter of time before the link between symptom relief methods and autism are discovered and studied. Once we can study the condition, we will have a better chance at formulating a cure that can one day bring an end to the autism predicament that so many face. In the mean time, you can make use of subtle improvements such as dietary modification.

In Conclusion

A dieting expert or physician will be able to point you in the right direction from here. You must be careful when planning the diet, since a lack of certain foods or nutrients can be harmful to your child. Who knows- maybe you and your child can finally find symptom relief!

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Learn more on Casein-Free Foods and Gluten-Free Foods.