Autism Diet, Nutrition & Supplement Resources

The Autism Exchange (AEX) provides comprehensive resources on autism Diets, including helpful related sites, books, tools, and forums/blogs.  Changing a child's diet is a daunting task that most autism parents face, but our autism diet resource pages provide curated information to help guide parents through the process.  If you have information you would like to share regarding autism diets, please use our Exchange Box tool.  It is simple to use and a quick way to give back to other parents.  If you have an idea for a new diet category, please let us know by using our Contact Us link.

The AEX provides excellent resources and tools to help you determine the next steps for adjusting your child’s diet for autism.  For example, if your child is craving a particular food constantly, then more than likely your child is allergic or sensitive to that food and that food is more than likely impacting behaviors.  In addition, meltdowns or aggressive behaviors over food may be an indication of a food sensitivity. 

Many children with autism crave sugar and carbohydrates, some can't tolerate gluten; others can't tolerate casein (dairy); others can't tolerate grains, chemically processed foods, food additives, genetically modified foods, preservatives and so on.  The Autism Exchange provides you with the research and tools that you need to help you decide which autism diets may help your child avoid allergies or sensitivities.  In addition, users provide The AEX with some very helpful general Diet resources such as the following:

Tips for Implementing Special Diets from the Autism Research Institute:  This video from the Autism Research Institute and V. Kobliner, RD, provides an in depth discussion of dietary interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorders, as well as 11 pitfalls surrounding diet and autism.

Food and Feeding Concerns in Children with ASD:  A video providing help for picky eaters.

What About Ketogenic Diets (KD) and Autism?:  A study of the Ketogenic diet conducted on thirty kids with autism had some very positive improvements in many areas with no complications or deficiencies.

Cilantro Pesto: healing food recipe for making detox simple!:  An easy, quick, and inexpensive way to help your child detox by one simple recipe and only 2 teaspoons a day.

The Autism Media Channel presents: Julie Matthews – certified nutritional consultant specializing in autism for more than 12 years!  Hear Julie talking about witnessing the power of nutrition and diet for autism.

 

Popular Autism Diet Types (more on The AEX)

• Gluten Free Casein Free (GFCF)   The GFCF is a diet for autism which eliminates gluten (found in wheat flour, barley and rye) and casein (found in milk and dairy products).  The GFCF diet has reported improvement in children's behavior, social, speech, and learning skills.  If you notice some of the symptoms mentioned above, you should seek advice from your doctor about starting a GFCF diet.
• Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)   The SCD helps children with Autism who may be experiencing difficulty with digestion or malabsorption in the intestines resulting in GI issues.  The SCD starts to heal and restore balance in the intestines by eliminating complex carbohydrates that the body has difficulty breaking down, whiches causes an overgrowth of bacteria.  To help stop the vicious cycle, the SCD recommends eating foods that are high in protein, fat, and simple carbohydrates such as honey, nuts, oils, fruits, and vegetables.
  
• Body Ecology Diet Recovering Our Kids (BEDROK)   The BEDROK diet is focused on reestablishing a healthy digestive system through incorporating various nutritional changes to your child's diet such as elimination of all processed foods, foods containing sugar, gluten, and casein, to help restore the inner linings of the intestines.  This diet for autism will provide relief of food allergies and promote a stronger immune system.

The Autism Exchange (AEX) Provides Comprehensive Special Autism Diet Info

We hope that you find our AEX resources to be helpful.  We believe in sharing knowledge that can help guide parents to better care for their loved ones.  If you are interested in receiving the full benefits of The Autism Exchange, including discounts on supplements, products, and practitioner consults, please check out our Discount Club.