GFCF Diet

[Once Again]

I've been reading up on this diet for kids on the autism spectrum, and I have a question that I cannot seem to find the answer to in the books on this subject. If your child does not have any GI symptoms (diarrhea, constipation), is this diet necessary?

[Jmac]

My son has ADD and he is on this diet. He has a marked improvement in his ability to focus and does not have any daytime wetting. We also don't eat artifical dyes or flavors.

[Momto2Ns]

My child did not have any intestinal symptoms and showed tremendous improvement on a GFCF diet. Some kids respond, some don't. Predicting which are which is difficult. The only sure way to know is to try it, but it only works if it is done 100%.

[bookwormmama]

What does GFCF diet stand for?

[Jorsay]

I have three children with autism: 12, 11, and 10.

I put all eight of my children on the diet when my youngest autistic was 16months. My doctor all but made fun of me for trying it. My youngest showed immediate improvement and was dediagnosed at 3 years. My two others showed minor improvement immediately. After about three months on the diet, my doctor was asking for all the info that I had on the diet.

We are very strict.

My autistics have chalk colored stool that is not fully digested. This improved with the diet and I notice that when the stool is bad, their behavior deteriorates as well.

[Jenny in Atl]

Gluten and casein free.

[bookwormmama]

Gluten and casien free? Oh wow... ok.
I have been doing all whole grains, fruits veggies and nuts and seeds, NO sugar, no white flour, no MSG, no hydrogenated soybean oil, no high fructose corn syrup, no food coloring or dyes, no preservatives, etc. We eat lots of whole grain, whole wheat stuff. So if this was gluten free, basically wheat would be out of the picture right? What is the reasoning behind this helping their behavior? I thought whole grain was better for them nutritionally than the empty nutrition from white flour, etc. Also, do you have your children tested for wheat allergy first or gluten sensitivity before attempting this diet? What if your child is not allergic to gluten? Will it not work then? Any good books I can read on this?
and oh my goodness... what can you eat???

[cin]

What is the reasoning behind this helping their behavior? I thought whole grain was better for them nutritionally than the empty nutrition from white flour, etc. Also, do you have your children tested for wheat allergy first or gluten sensitivity before attempting this diet? What if your child is not allergic to gluten? Will it not work then? Any good books I can read on this?
and oh my goodness... what can you eat???


:lurk5:

[Jorsay]

My understanding is as follows: It is not an allergy, but an intolerance. Proteins are chains of amino acids. In healthy humans, they are digested into amino acids before being absorbed in the intestines. Apparently, some autistic individuals do not digest gluten and cassein completely but absorb a resulting dipeptide (two amino acid link) directly in to the blood. This dipeptide resembles a certain neurotransmitter which then competes with the correct one and causes problems. I read this in a book by Karen Serrouzi (spelling).

From my limited understanding, even in normal inidividuals, gliadinin (spelling?), an amino acid sequence found in wheat, is toxic.

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What can you eat?: There are many commercial products available now that are gluten and cassein free. There are also GFCF cook books. At first it takes some getting used to, and is really quite a pain, but after a while it is no big deal. The biggest problem is others feeding your child foods with gluten (candies, cake, ice cream). "Oh, please, a little bite won't hurt!" Wrong!!! Don't feed my kid!!!

[bookwormmama]

Ok I need some books, websites, etc... point me somewhere. this is very interesting to me.
I have a genetic disorder myself... called PKU... and can not break down an amino acid called Phenylalanine. So I have a strict diet that I follow... that resembles quite closely the gluten free and casein free diet! I wonder if somehow this is hereditary? People with PKU can have ADHD like tendencies and have a higher chance of autism than those who don't have PKU. I wonder if there is a link?

I need some material... something to read... please send me some info! Where do I start?

Thank you!

[Wyndie]

http://www.gfcfkids.com/

http://www.gfcfdiet.com/

http://www.autismndi.com/

[chiguirre]

We did the GFCF diet when the boys were first diagnosed. We didn't see any changes starting or stopping the diet. In fact, ds2 learned to talk right after we stopped the diet. I'm glad we tried it even though it didn't work, because I know we've tried everything. I'd give it a try and see if it helps. Even though it only works for a small minority, you might be in that group!