The Specific Carbohydrate Diet was originally created by Elaine Gotschall to treat children with gastrointestinal problems, including Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Autism is a disorder diagnosed during childhood that leads to significant difficulties with communication, socialization with others, and unusual behaviors. It has been found that many children with autism also suffer from intestinal problems that are believed to interfere with their brain functioning and exacerbate their symptoms.
Characteristics of Autism
Children with autism show deficits in three core areas -- social interaction, communication, and repetitive or stereotyped behaviors. Poor social symptoms include not seeking to share experiences with others and being unable to understand social cues and read emotion. Poor communication may be a lack of or delay in language or difficulties maintaining conversation. Repetitive behaviors may include hand flapping, head turning, or preoccupation with certain activities or toys. The disorder is on a continuum or spectrum of disorders, which includes pervasive developmental disorder and Asperger's disorder. Each child may show symptoms somewhat differently and varying degrees of impairment in each area. Other behaviors of children with autism may include strong sensory reactions to sights, sounds or touch. They may also avoid eye contact, do not respond to others, prefer playing alone, and have difficulty with pretend or imaginary play. Many children are diagnosed around the age of 3 when delays or oddities in language, unusual behaviors, and difficulties socializing become more apparent.
Rationale for the SCD
The rationale behind the diet is that the bacteria found in the intestines has a link to the symptoms of autism, causing not only intestinal problems but also neurological problems with how the brain communicates. The bacteria in the intestines are maintained by carbohydrates, which include certain starches and sugars. When certain carbohydrates are not broken down, they remain in the intestines and the bacteria multiples to feed them. The presence of this bacteria interferes with digestion and the ability to absorb nutrients. This interference with intestinal functioning also contributes to problems in neurological or brain functioning, resulting in the behaviors associated with autism. It is thought that the elimination of this bacteria can minimize the symptoms of autism.
Process of the Diet
The SCD proposes to remove certain starches and sugars, or complex carbohydrates, from the diet to minimize the amount of bacteria produced in the intestines. This diet removes sugars including sucrose, maltose, lactose and isomaltose and deprives the body of complex carbohydrates. It does not eliminate carbohydrates altogether, but it removes those that the body has trouble digesting and absorbing. The SCD website suggests that parents read the book published on the diet, use the website as a resource, and consult with an SCD counselor as needed to help structure the diet appropriately for the child. Children often experience a period of adjustment, as their body goes through considerable change over the first one to two weeks, adjusting to the absence of bacteria but also the lack of nutrients it is accustomed to.
Approved and Unapproved Foods
Foods that should be removed when on the SCD diet include any refined or processed sugar or fructose, canned vegetables, canned or processed meats, soybeans, potatoes, and yams. Products that include corn, barley, oats, rye, soy and wheat should also be removed. All milk and any cheese high in lactose, such as mozzarella, ricotta, cream cheese, ice cream and sour cream should be removed. Other forbidden items include bread, pasta, mayonnaise, canola oil and chocolate. Foods that are allowed include honey, beans, nuts, unprocessed meats and fruits. Fresh, frozen or raw vegetables, as well as natural cheeses, such as cheddar and Swiss, are acceptable while on the diet as well.
Efficacy of the SCD Diet
The Defeat Autism Now clinics report that the SCD diet has shown consistent success, proposing that 100 percent of children with autism show some improvement on this diet. Although the website provides testimonials from physicians on the efficacy of the diet, no medical studies have been published supporting them. The Talk About Curing Autism website reports that the diet demonstrates an 80 to 85 percent success rate, with improvements in both behavior and responsiveness to others. Overall, it appears that there has been considerable anecdotal evidence supportive of the diet, but no study results have been published to confirm it, as of 2010.
