Author: Rebecca Manari | April 6th, 2022
Soon after my son’s autism diagnosis, I was given a lot of advice, and read a lot about how food choices may affect his behaviour – especially avoiding foods containing gluten and/or casein. Being new to the world of autism and all the myths that come with it, I considered transforming our kitchen! Thankfully I was advised by well-informed professionals about his diet.
FACT: There is absolutely no concrete evidence as yet to support that a gluten-free casein-free diet (GFCF) helps all children with autism.
As parents, we will try ANYTHING to improve our children’s lives. However, I remind myself that what worked for another child, may not work for my boy.
Here’s why:
Lack of evidence: If my decision has no scientific evidence to back it up, then there is hardly a reason for me to take a leap into the unknown.
Limited food choices: As any autism-mom or dad will tell you, the number of foods my child is willing to try is already so limited. Try eliminating some more, and what’s left? An empty pantry? No thanks! I’d rather go for variety resulting in richer nutrition.
False hope: I am often in search of any solution to make things better for my child and the rest of my family. I would wonder if there was some magic pill or quick fix. I know now, there isn’t such a thing.
Spread of misinformation: When I make drastic changes, I am eager to discuss them with other people. If it worked for me, may be it might work for you too! So, when we talk about dietary changes, it may prompt others to try as well, but there’s no guarantee it will work for everyone. I try my best not to give anyone false hope.
The added burden of more labour: Parenting in itself is a full-time, exhausting job. Add to this – labouring away in the kitchen over the stubborn gluten-free dough or making almond milk every morning on top of everything else I have on my to-do list. Is it worth it? No, not unless it’s helping.
Fears of accidental consumption: As my child grows up, and explores his world, I will slowly encourage him to be more open to eating out and trying new food. Sometimes that yummy cookie or cold milkshake may be too hard to resist. On a GFCF diet, this is a complete no-no. I would to monitor my child 24/7. This is just impossible. I have other children who also need my attention.
At Sethu the AATISH (Autism Advocacy, Training, Intervention, Support and Hope) team recommend we look for evidence of change. We can do this by making a food diary and monitoring our children’s behaviour after having certain foods, keep an eye on challenging or unusual behaviours. If we do notice discomfort after certain foods, then an allergy test conducted by a specialist doctor would tell us whether any foods need to be avoided.