The relationship between autism and diet has gained popularity since the early 2000s. Multiple studies have been conducted to determine if diet affects behaviors associated with autism. The prevalence of autism is steadily increasing and affects a significant one in 125 children in the United States. Understanding the relationship between diet and autism and any correlation is an important step in determining an effective method for managing autistic behaviors.
Definition
Autism is a spectrum of psychological conditions characterized by socially significant abnormalities or deficiencies in areas such as communication and social interactions. Restricted interests and highly repetitive behaviors are often characteristic of autism.
Signs of autism generally are prevalent before age 3. A neural developmental disorder, autism affects the way information is processed in the brain, causing cognitive and language delays. While there is evidence that autism may be genetic, the direct cause or significance is unclear. Symptoms vary from individual to individual but generally all fall under the umbrella of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Research
While a cure for autism has yet to be discovered, there are a number of treatment options available to children with autism. As of 2003, theory and speculation among the autistic and medical communities have suggested that diet may be directly linked to behaviors associated with autism, particularly a gluten- and casein-free diet. A tightly controlled 2010 study conducted at the University of Rochester, however, found that eliminating gluten and casein from the diets of children with autism had no direct effect on their behavior.
Eat Healthy
While the results of the Rochester University study suggest that diet has little effect on the behaviors associated with autism, there are a number of diet and lifestyle tips that parents of children with autism should follow. In general, children should eat a significant amount of vegetables of the leafy green variety, fruits, whole grains, lean protein meats and lots of water. Sugar and sweets should be limited to one serving per week at most. Furthermore, children with autism may benefit from eating whole foods rather than processed foods, so parents should avoid buying processed grains, sugars and corn products such as corn syrup. While dairy is good for bone health, excess dairy should be avoided and should be limited to low-fat and organic products.
Benefits
A diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, lean proteins and fruits will provide healthy physical and cognitive growth in all children and may be especially important for children with autism. Because there are a number of variables that could lead to or precede certain autistic behaviors, monitoring diet will aid in a certain level of control. With this control, parents can track their child's behavior after meal times to determine if certain foods affect their child's behavior in a negative or positive way.
Considerations
Until more extensive research is conducted on the effects of diet and autistic behaviors, daily tracking of diet and behaviors may lend some insight into how foods affect behavior. Diet should be assessed at the individual level, on a case by case basis, by parents and pediatricians.
