Research summaries for autism therapy: diet

definition of diet: Diet is the use of food and drink to nourish and heal the body. Nutrients that are only obtained from the diet are called, essential nutrients.
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Of Rain Men and Snowcakes: The Presentation, Pathology, Aetiology and Management of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Summarized Jan 23, 2009

Autism may be treatable with early medical/biomedical and behavioral intervention.

This review article is written for doctors and describes some basic autism therapy options. The authors note that the treatment approach should be tailored to each child. Intervention should be started as early as possible in order to increase IQ, improve social skills, and decrease behavior problems. Children with autism can often be helped by biomedical intervention such as diets, vitamins, and other supplements. The parents of the child with autism should also receive help because they are at a high risk for anxiety and depression. Read more...

Gluten- and Casein-Free Diets for Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Summarized Jan 9, 2009

This article reviews research on whether gluten- and casein-free diets can help improve the behavior and/or health of children with autism, and concludes that, even though there is some evidence that a combined gluten- and casein-free diet can be helpful, more research is necessary. Some researchers think that the symptoms of autism can be explained by high levels of protein by-products affecting the bodies and brains of children with autism. These by-products are made by the body from the proteins found in grains (gluten) and milk (casein). The purpose of this article is to critically review the research showing that gluten- and casein-free diets help improve the behavior of children with autism.... Read more...

Behavioral Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Young Adults with Severe Autism: An Open Label Study, Summarized Nov 13, 2008

Fish oil may not be helpful for adults with autism.

Studies have shown that diets rich in fish oil can help with problems of the brain. This study was designed to test the effect of fish oil on adults with autism. The authors did not see any benefit of fish oil in the 19 adults of this study. The patients were treated with 2 fish oil capsules per day (0.93 g of EPA and DHA) for six weeks. The authors note that the study may not have been large enough to see subtle changes in behavior. Read more...

Inherited Metabolic Diseases in Neurodevelopmental and Neurobehavioral Disorders, Summarized Nov 12, 2008

High protein diets and creatine monohydrate may help some children who have inborn errors of metabolism that result in autism.

This paper reviews autism that is caused by problems in getting energy to the brain (inborn errors of metabolism). Inborn errors of metabolism can include problems with creatine biosynthesis, gamma-aminobutyric acid catabolism, purine and pyrimidine metabolism, and glucose transport across the blood-brain barrier. Creatine biosynthesis problems may be treated with store-bought creatine monohydrate. Patients with glucose transport problems may be treated with the high protein, low sugar ketogenic diet. Other inborn errors of metabolism are harder to treat. Read more...

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Synonyms for diet include: autism diet, autistic diet, diet therapy, diets, essential nutrients, nutrients
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