This article describes a well-controlled research study showing that some children with autism can benefit from a casein- and gluten-free diet.
Several researchers have proposed that children with autism may have unusual behavior because they donât digest grains or dairy products properly. Their intestines may leak protein by-products into their systems, and these by-products may act like a drug in their brains. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an elimination diet could help improve the behavior of children with autism who have unusual protein by-products in their urine. The study focused on twenty children with autism (5-11 years old) with abnormal protein by-products in their urine. Ten of these children were put on a strict gluten- and casein-free diet for 12 months, and the remaining children were given a control diet, which included both grain and milk products. Observers who did not know the diets of each child rated the childrenâs behavior. Significant improvements from before to after the 12 months were found in the diet group, but not in the control group. These improvements included: reduction in attention problems, increase in cognitive ability, and improvements in social, emotional, and communication skills.
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