The causes of autism and epilepsy are still not fully understood, and dietary interventions for either condition are best considered as complementary or alternative therapies. Some individuals who experience autistic symptoms, epileptic seizures or both, find that dietary restrictions or supplementation can bring about a reduction in symptoms. However, you should consult your doctor for advice before making any significant dietary changes.
Overview: Autism
Autism is one of the developmental disorders on the autistic spectrum. Others include Pervasive Developmental Disorder --- Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger's Syndrome. Symptoms of autism usually manifest in the first three years of a child's life, which may include difficulty with social interaction, language and the interpretation of facial expressions and emotions. Other common symptoms of autism include self-stimulating, repetitive physical movements, language delay and tantrum behaviors.
Overview: Seizures
Seizures occur when an electrical misfiring in the brain leads to neurological symptoms. There are many different types of seizures, some of which involve a loss of consciousness, convulsions or sensory hallucinations. As many as one in 20 people in the U.S. experience a seizure at some point, according to a 2010 article by Dr. Robert Fisher. A diagnosis of epilepsy is typically made when a person experiences a pattern of recurring seizures.
Diet: Autism
The causes of autism are unknown, and may involve psychological, geographical or biological factors. Digestion and diet are believed to play a part in some cases of autism. Mark Brudnak's October 2003 article in the journal "Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients" indicates that children with autism commonly have gut problems leading to incomplete digestion of certain peptides. Brudnak posits that the toxic byproducts formed when wheat or dairy proteins are incompletely digested may have a toxic effect on the brain, contributing to a child's autistic symptoms. Therefore, a gluten-free, dairy-free diet may be beneficial to patients with autism who cannot fully digest these proteins.
Diet: Epilepsy
Epilepsy is typically managed medically, through prescription of anti-seizure medications. For most people, these medications reduce the number of seizures. Since the early 20th century, some patients with epilepsy --- notably children under the age of 12 experiencing "drop" seizures --- have found that a ketogenic diet reduces seizure activity. The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet which has also been studied, without conclusive positive results, as a complementary therapy for patients with autism. Dr. Fisher indicates that the ketogenic diet is of no benefit to most people with epilepsy.
References
- "Encephale"; Substitutive and Dietetic Approaches in Childhood Autistic Disorder: Interests and Limits; H. Hjieh et al.; October 2008
- "Epilepsy"; Overview of Epilepsy; Robert Fisher, M.D., Ph.D., Maslah Saul, M.D.; 2010
- "Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients"; Beneficial Effects of Enzyme-based Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorders; M.A. Brudnak et al.; October 2003
- "Sage Journals Online"; Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities; Effect of a Dietary Intervention on Autistic Behavior; A.M. Knivsberg, et al.; November 2003
