At the end of July 2010, we decided to place our son on a gluten-free/ casein-free (GFCF) diet. He has been diagnosed as autistic and is on the high-functioning end of the spectrum. We are also working though processing issues, proprioceptive sensory issues, and speech/communication deficits.
The diet is a controversial one, as most diets seem to be. (Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and some oats. Casein is a milk protein, though it can appear in products labeled as non-dairy, such as vegan cheeses.) In the families-with-autism community, I see many arguments for and against going this route. We opted to try the diet for various reasons, though one of those reasons was NOT because we are in denial of our son's diagnosis. I was surprised to see that is often brought up in gfcf/ autism conversations.
At the risk of sharing TMI, my son's bowels have always concerned me. 5 months after removing gluten and casein, he started eliminating the way I thought he should. When that began, his speech improved tremendously. Being able to communicate more effectively is a relief for everyone, and we are loving every moment of it. When I think of the many comments suggesting parents who choose GFCF diets because they are in denial of who their child is, I wonder if their children have healthy bowels. If I can find a way to bring comfort to either of my kids and their digestive systems, I'm going to do that-- autistic or not. I think many of the success stories come from families whose children never had "normal" eliminations until the diet.
There is another diet called the GAPS Diet (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) that connects gut health to psychological health. We haven't checked it out in detail, though I'm very intrigued. Not just for my son, but because I find it fascinating. I'm a nerd; what can I say?
Recently I was on Dr. Gupta's section of CNN's website and saw an article stating the GFCF diet is ineffective for children with autism. It was a poorly done study, yet it exemplifies what most parents who are looking into this option will hear. Medical community doesn't officially recognize it as a viable treatment, but a good number of parents will swear by it.
For us, we saw many improvements in the course of a year, with the vast majority occurring post-diet. This time last year, our son was almost completely echolalic and had never originated speech. A couple weeks ago, while visibly upset, he sat and told me, "I am very frustrated!" Not bad for a 3 year old!
Currently, we are re-introducing casein. I can't say with certainty whether it has affected him or not (some unexpected variables cropped up), but hopefully in a month or so we'll know for sure. As of right now (2/23/11), I'm having some concerns. Frankly, I'd love to have either the dairy or the wheat back. One or the other isn't so bad, but BOTH... Both can be a challenge. A challenge we will readily face for as long as necessary.
Currently, we are re-introducing casein. I can't say with certainty whether it has affected him or not (some unexpected variables cropped up), but hopefully in a month or so we'll know for sure. As of right now (2/23/11), I'm having some concerns. Frankly, I'd love to have either the dairy or the wheat back. One or the other isn't so bad, but BOTH... Both can be a challenge. A challenge we will readily face for as long as necessary.
I think I was planning to share some GFCF meal ideas here, but ended up writing this. I'll try to sprinkle in some recipes on the main blog page.
*March 2nd Update: We will be returning to the GFCF diet. I'll update again in a month.*
