A recent response to a parent asking about dietary interventions: 
Dietary interventions didn't work for my son at all, and his ABA team -- with more than 20 years experience working with early intervention/severe/non- or limited-verbal autistic children -- say they've never seen it make a difference, and that when people do say it makes a difference, it is usually because the child is also in a behavioral program, or that while the child's developmental path was delayed, it was more accelerated than other kids with autism. [
Yay for run-on sentences!]
However, I do have many friends who swear by dietary and DAN! approaches -- in many cases because their kids had food sensitivities that made them uncomfortable, which resulted in exacerbated behaviors. So, you might as well give it a try if you have the energy to do so.
Before then, I would reach out and ask for personal stories of improvement. Do not believe anyone who gives you the Jenny McCarthy "Mommy Instinct" explanation. Especially don't believe anyone who thinks they can change your mind by yelling louder than you. You want documentation.
If you're going to try diet/supplements, be thorough and methodical and record everything. I found Google Docs spreadsheets to be an especially excellent way to do this, as you can share data online with team and family members.
Most importantly: Don't let anyone talk you into anything you perceive as sketchy or scammy. Far too many people take financial advantage of autism parents' desperation.
Two different perspectives on autism and alternative approaches:
The Fleecing of the Autism CommunityWoggle Bug: Blogging About AutismPlease make sure you're fully informed about autism/vaccines:
Vaccines and Autism: A Deadly ManufactroversyWhat do Those Vaccine Studies Actually SayGood luck,
-S
P.S. I have an extra copy of Special Diets for Special Kids if anyone would like it, as I can now make GFCF recipes/food choices in my sleep.
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What experience do you have with Special Diets...and did they work for you?
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Comments (3)
First, you bash instinct. Then you basically tell people to trust their instinct when it comes to determining whether things seem sketchy or scammy. Which is it?
Unfortunately, treating autism is expensive at the moment because the medical community (whose treatments are often covered by insurance) is not interested in finding a cure. They'd rather blame parents for looking for answers, despite not really offering any solutions themselves. There is plenty of documentation of kids who have had great improvements, but if you're looking for those stories through the traditional medical channels, you're probably not going to find them. Yes, there are scammers out there... but there are also a lot of alternative practitioners who sincerely want to help these kids live better lives... not just give them psychiatric drugs and tell their parents to put them in a group home.
From what I've read and experienced, autism isn't solely a disorder of the brain. It involves the whole body, and the immune system plays a large role. A GFCF diet and ABA is probably not going to be enough to bring about a substantial change, since those only affect two areas of the problem. It would be like trying to bake a cake with only flour and sugar; without the eggs, oil, milk, and baking powder, it's not going to stick together, rise, or have any of the attributes a cake should have.
I have created something that is proving to be very successful for children with autism who have issues related to eating and also helping picky eaters who do not have autism. I have a background in nutrition, special education and autism consultant as well as early intervention. With my background and experience I developed this for one child, filed for patent and 2 years later am still creating more....................Jean Nicol (j.nicol@live.ca)
My mother put my brother on the whole wheat-free, gluten-free, sugar-free diet designed for autistic children. Over the past couple of years, there was definite progress. And my brother does not go to a behavioral program. I'd say it could be working.