The Gluten-free diet consists of removing any foods from your Autistic child’s diet that contain Gluten. This can seem hard at first because so many foods have Gluten in them. Gluten is found in most prepared foods. Foods containing wheat, barley, oats, or rye need to be eliminated from the diet. Gluten can also be found in some vinegar and sauces. Artificial flavourings often contain Gluten.
When using the Gluten-free diet you have to be careful and read all labels on foods. Gluten can be in foods you would not think of, like spices. The theory behind removing Gluten from an Autistic child’s diet is that when the child eats food with Gluten it causes their body to react differently than a child without Autism.
The Gluten-free diet can be expensive to follow. Most Gluten-free products are sold in speciality or health stores. These stores usually charge a much higher price. Some major grocery stores are now carrying Gluten-free products. You can find Gluten free flour, pancake mix, waffles, cookies, snacks, and many other foods. Most parents find out it is cheaper to make their own Gluten free food. Recipes can be found on the internet, or in Gluten-free cookbooks. Some parents go together with another family following the Gluten-free diet and buy in bulk. Then they share the food. This can help lower the costs of Gluten-free items.
Autistic children following a Gluten free diet can eat meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, and products made with gluten-free ingredients. It can be hard to keep a child from eating their favourite snacks and treats. Some of these can be made by using Gluten-free products. Muffins and cookies can be made from Gluten free flour. It just takes some getting used to the new way of eating.
Often people following a Gluten free diet will remove all dairy (Casein) products from their diet as well. You can find out if your Autistic child has an allergy to a certain food by having allergy testing done. The doctor can arrange for this testing.
If you are going to try the Gluten-free diet with your child you have to be prepared to follow it for several months to tell if it will make any difference. Gluten remains in the body for a long time. Most people do not give the diet a long enough chance to work. Trying it for a week or two will not provide the body enough time to remove any remaining Gluten from its system. Some people do however see improvements right away in their Autistic child.
If you want to find more information about Gluten free dieting there are several books available. Visit your local library, or bookstore to find one. To find Gluten-free recipes try searching online using your favourite search engine. The Gluten-free diet will not work with every autistic child. The majority of the children that show improvement had a sensitivity to gluten, to begin with.
The Gluten-free diet is not a cure for Autism. It is used to help lessen the symptoms of Autism.