A Doctor Explains the Benefits of Using a Gluten and Casein Free Diet:
The gluten and casein-free diet has been a main stay therapy for children on the autism-spectrum for many years. The reason?
It works.
Many kids see a dramatic improvement in their condition.
What Does a Gluten and Casein Free Diet Do?
The GFCF diet helps many children improve their cognitive skills in a number of areas:
* Improved attention and focusing
* More awareness of their environment
* Better eye contact
* Less self-stimulatory behavior
* More capacity for receptive and expressive language skill.
These skills do not always increase with the same intensity for all children, but if you reference the statistics from the Autism Research Institute www.autism.com it is shown that the gluten and casein-free diet is a top therapy that over 60% of parents feel has made significant changes with their child. In some kids, the GFCF diet may not make a significant change cognitively, but children become healthier with improved digestive function. It is not uncommon for autism-spectrum children to have bowel problems such as chronic constipation or diarrhea. I have seen on many occasions chronic bowel problems resolve almost overnight when a child is placed on the Gluten and casein-free diet.
What is Gluten and Casein?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and kamut (and other wheat derivatives). Casein is a protein found in dairy such as cheese, milk, yogurt and dairy products. Both proteins can affect people negatively - particularly autistic children - because of the chemical influence these food proteins have on brain chemistry. Gluten and casein are also called morphine derivatives because part of their influence is similar to opiate drugs on the brain which affect cognitive abilities such as language, awareness and behavior. If you have ever taken a medication like morphine, codeine or Vicodin you have experienced the chemical influence of these drugs both physically and mentally - in essence, many children on the autism-spectrum are being drugged from gluten and dairy foods. Kids can improve both physically and behaviorally with a gluten and casein-free diet as well. Listed below are just some of things I have seen improve with autism-spectrum children when placed on a GFCF diet:
* Better bowel function, i.e. less constipation and/or diarrhea
* Improved skin tone, reduced rashes, i.e. eczema
* Dark circles under eyes improve
* Improved pain tolerance, decreased self-injurious behavior
* Increased appetite for other foods
I recommend a trial period of at least 4 months on a 100% gluten and casein-free diet. By then you should see many of the results listed above in your child.
Don't let ANYONE tell you there is nothing you can do to help your child. Autism really is treatable! Start your child down the road to recovery from autism. Biomedical Autism treatments and therapies have resulted in many, many children improving - even losing their autism-spectrum disorder diagnosis. For more information and a free ebook on biomedical autism treatment go to http://www.AutismActionPlan.org
Dr. Kurt Woeller is an autism biomedical specialist, with a private practice in Southern California for over 10 years. He has helped children recover from autism, ADD, ADHD, and other disorders, and has the information you need to help your child. Get his ebook, "7 Facts You Need To Know About Autism (But Probably Weren't Told)." You can download it right now for free at http://www.AutismActionPlan.org
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