Sammy's Gold Stars Helps Kids on Special Diets
Many children with food sensitivities, Autism, Celiac Disease, ADHD, Lyme Disease, and other conditions can feel and think better on a special diet.
Introduction
I am the lucky mom of a wonderful son who has Pervasive Developmental Disorder, a form of Autism. Looking for anything helpful, we tried a gluten, casein, soy and corn free diet a few years ago. A special diet doesn’t work for all autistic children, but for some it helps a little, and some it makes a huge difference. Along with other treatments, my son blossomed on the diet. It was like he was the same boy but now he was in color, not black and white. His behavior improved dramatically. Before the diet, he was unable to focus long enough to complete basic tasks, like cleaning up five toys. He had trouble paying attention in school and could not retain the information he did learn.
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Please support my petition for the Girl Scouts to sell a gluten free and allergen free cookie. http://www.change.org/petitions/encourage-the-girl-scouts-to-sell-an-allergen-free-cookie
Posted by: Stacy Malinow | March 11, 2012 at 08:58 PM
Hi Benedetta,
That is a great point. Like many kids on the spectrum, Sammy has been diagnosed with mitochondrial disease as well. We saw a mitochondrial nutritionist and she said the same thing, that it could be just that the GFCF diet is lower in carbs by nature. For Sammy at least, he does seem to react to Gluten and Casein very dramatically, and carbs not as much. I think every child is different in what they react to. Some kids with ADHD have very strong reactions to Red dye #40 in particular. We eliminated corn and soy because they are often genetically modified, which can also be harmful. Corn syrup is very high carb, and unnatural. Overall, I think that many kids on the spectrum are hypersensitive to unnatural foods and probably carbs as well. A clean diet of fresh fruits, vegetables and natural proteins is often beneficial to anyone struggling with a chronic illness. Thank you for the comment, it's a very good point.
Posted by: Katie Murphy | March 11, 2012 at 12:52 PM
For what it is worth Hannah Poling's nuerologist father put her on Atkin's diet of 15 carbs a day. I don't think this is a life long diet, but like the Ketonic diet - should last only a couple of years ????
For mitochondrial disorders and I bet my last, bottom dollar that is what has developed by everyone involved in vaccine reactions ------ it has to do with the carbohydrates!
By eliminating both cassien and gluten -- combining the two - means elimanating even more carbohydrates. So it may not be the gluten Protein and the cassien protein but by eliminating both of them it just gets closer to a lower carb diet.
There is a lot of carbs in MILK. But cream - Cream is practically all that is given on the Ketogenic diet. Cream is used a lot in the Atkins plan. Cream is much needed and a shame to elimanate it.
Also the websites for mitochondrial cyopathy warn about MSGs.
That said; it does not mean that on top of a mitochondrial disorder that a child can not also have an allergy to cassien or/and gluten. Gluten is one mean protein to begin with. As well as peanuts and corn syrup (I am not sure of that advertisment that claims sugar is sugar???).
Posted by: Benedetta | March 11, 2012 at 01:32 AM
Hi Valerie, I wish you luck with trying a new diet. I think that different foods are a problem for different kids. Sammy also has trouble with chocolate coconut milk, go figure. Gluten free is tough, but casein and gluten are very similar proteins. If casein is troublesome, gluten often is too. My son definitely had sensory issues, but never stimming. A diet free of gluten, casein, soy, corn, artificial flavors, colors and preservatives definitely helped my son to focus a lot better. It took awhile to show noticeable effects though. The diet is now pretty routine, and even the gluten free part isn't so difficult anymore. It's been worth it for us, I hope it helps with your son.
Posted by: Katie Murphy | March 10, 2012 at 06:00 PM
I have a son with PDD-NOS who just turned 10. I have been thinking of trying a diet like the one described above for a while. Already soy and casein free, but going gluten free requires some planning. Corn free also shouldn't be a problem. I think I am going to try it since he does have trouble focusing a lot of the time. We are also looking into some problems with his adrenal glands, but I don't see how this diet could hurt. I do wonder if your son had other problems on the spectrum like sensory overload or stemming.
Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Valerie | March 10, 2012 at 01:00 PM