Autism is a group of developmental brain disorders without any known cause. Young children with autism have varying degrees of impaired communication and social skills. Behavioral interventions and medication are commonly autism treatments, along with speech, occupational and physical therapies. Research continues about diet and its effect on behavior in children with this disorder.
Gluten- and Casein-Free Diets
Widespread anecdotal evidence has led to the belief that eliminating gluten and casein from a child's diet could improve behavior. The findings of a University of Rochester study funded by the NIH's National Institutes of Mental Health Studies to Advance Autism Treatment Research and the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), however, does not support this idea. Researchers led by Susan Hyman, M.D., associate professor of Pediatrics at Golisano Children's Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center, found eliminating gluten and casein from the diets of autistic children had no impact on the behavior, sleep or even bowel patterns of these children. Unlike previous studies, researchers took care to account for behavioral treatments in this tightly controlled study. Researchers presented their findings at the May 2010 International Meeting for Autism Research in Philadelphia.
Allergy Sensitivities
Autistic children with sensitivities or allergies to certain foods may experience improvement with regard to behavior and attention after removing these items from the diet. According to the Autism Society, autistic children commonly have food sensitivities due to abnormalities in their digestive and/or immune systems. By removing these foods, the digestive system will heal and a child's behavior may improve simply by virtue of the fact that she feels better. By identifying these sensitivities via a food log, a process of elimination, or allergy blood or skin testing, parents may be able to remove these foods and determine any behavioral changes.
Ketogenic Diets
Ketogenic diets, long used to help prevent seizures in epileptic children, may play a role in the behavior of autistic children, many of whom also suffer from seizures. This strict diet works under the principal that the body should burn fat rather than glucose for energy, and requires a child to eat foods high in fat, low in carbohydrates, and adequate in protein. While some support the notion that a ketogenic diet will help manage autism-related seizures, others hypothesize the diet will help with autistic behaviors. While research is limited, a pilot study revealed promising results warranting more in-depth work. Conducted in 2002 and led by researcher Athanasios Evangeliou at the University of Crete's Department of Pediatrics in Greece, the study looked at behavioral responses in autistic children after six months of a ketogenic diet. Of the 30 children who began the study, 12 had to quit because they could not tolerate the diet. Of those who stayed, two children showed significant behavioral improvement, eight average improvement and eight minor improvement. The study appeared in the February 2003 "Journal of Child Neurology."
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
A limited six-week pilot trial revealed promising results indicating the need for more research concerning omega-3 supplementation as a potential autism treatment. Published in the 2007 issue of "Biological Psychiatry," researchers led by Paul Amminger at the Medical University of Vienna's Department of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry found preliminary evidence that omega-3 fatty acids may improve autism-related behaviors including severe tantrums, aggression and violent behavior.
References
- Science Daily: Popular Autism Diet Does Not Demonstrate Behavioral Improvement
- Autism Society: Summary of Biomedical Treatments for Autism
- NCPad.org: Can Diet Improve the Symptoms of Autism?
- PubMed.gov: Application of a Ketogenic Diet in Children with Autistic Behavior: Pilot Study
- PubMed.gov: Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation in Children with Autism: a Double-Blind Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study
