GFCF Diet and autism

[wdwdreamingdcj]

Has anyone seen real improvement with using this diet?? And how long did it take?

 

[LittleDino]

I can only speak for the GF diet and improvements with my Celiac disease. It took 4 months of eating GF before I truly felt really good.

I know you're looking for answers with autism though. I do know one family where everyone ate GFCF for 6 months... their son was autistic, they did see improvements (not sure how long it took). But everyone else in the family felt their best too! I'm not sure why they went off the diet... but they still rave about how great it was.

Hope you find more answers.

 

[wdwdreamingdcj]

Thank you for the response. I am also having him looked at for Celiac Disease so its nice to hear a positive response.

 

[SuperTrouper]

I have autism and I have recently started a GF diet, although it is for GI and allergy reasons mostly. Although, I can't say that I'm not hoping to see other improvements, given that I may be feeling better. I have a lot of symptoms that you'll read about, though, of someone who can't digest gluten well... down to wanting to eat only that.

I'm not doing CF, at least not yet. I have taken out all cow's milk except cheese, as small amounts of cheese do not seem to bother me.

 

[1stluvispooh]

I have to tell you the best thing I have done for DD is put her on the GFCG diet!!! She has been on it for 5 years now. (Boy how time flies!) As for how soon I saw improvement well here is the story I tell people. The day I started to take gluten and casein out of her diet that very night after diner my DH came up behind me in the kitchen and whispered in my ear "Is it just me or can you tell a difference?" My response was I think so but I don't know if because I want to. Well with in a week we were with the extended family and they could tell a difference went to the Dr. (GP) and his nurse asked what we had done to her because she was totally different. So... That's the best answer I can give you.

 

[crabbygal902]

I had no idea how well the diet was working until today...

My Aspie son follows GF/CF, caffeine-free, no food dyes, no nitrates or additives, organic foods when possible. We will occasionally give him an enzyme tablet (approved by the dr) that allows him to eat casein and gluten if there is a really special meal he wants to eat. Well, today I forgot his enzyme tablets and we were at Tweetsie (a NC theme park.) There was literally nothing he could eat or drink in the park except for water! No fresh fruit, nothing!! I thought I'd make the best of it and do a little experiment to see how much food affects his behaviors and let him eat like a 'normal' person today. WOW!!! He has been unfocused, unruly, loud, and just plain mean to his little brother. He seems to have trouble understanding what we are saying and we have to repeat ourselves over and over. He has been flapping his hands and rolling his head around. These are behaviors we haven't seen since beginning the diet.

I am shocked at the difference. Please don't think that I was being intentionally cruel by introducing these foods; I really couldn't remember how bad things were when he was before the diet and had no idea what a huge change it had made in his life. At one point today, I said to myself: "Hey, I remember YOU!"

I am a firm believer, now more so than ever! If you have any questions about the diet or need help, feel free to ask. I am more than willing to help.

We are back on the diet full-force tomorrow and we will all be healthier and happier!

 

[disneycruising]

I can't wait to see what everyone says!

I have a 15 year old DD with Mild Aperger's and ADD. We have only known that she has asperger's for a few years... I think she was 13. Our DR is a little old fashioned and doesn't believe in the GFCF diet.

We decided to try the diet anyway. She just started on Monday. I haven't noticed any changes, yet. I am not sure, how long it will take...or if there will be any. We were going to do it for 30 days...but know I am thinking we might want to do it longer.

Thank you to everyone that has shared their information!

 

[BeckyScott]

DS has been gfcf (and some other stuff too) for about a year and a half. When we did the DAN dr food allergy testing, he came up allergic to a ton of foods, including gluten and "dairy".

We also started doing supplements so it's hard to pinpoint what did what. I haven't noticed much with the autism, but I have noticed a big improvement with his asthma. I personally think it was the dairy, with the asthma, and the DAN thinks it probably was too.

It does make life harder in some ways. You have to plan more. As crabbygal points out so well it's almost impossible to go out in the "real world" and just wing it, short of eating nothing but french fries all day (and not even those are always safe), you have to plan out everything in advance. I think that's why a lot of people do it for a while and then stop.

 

[wdwdreamingdcj]

Had allergy tested is allergic to milk and soy. Took out this weekend and seem to already see a difference. Hoping and praying it continues! Thanks for all the great response I appreciate it!!

 

[Wyatt's Grandma]

We started gradually withdrawing Gluten and cassein from our grandson's diet as soon as school ended. Within a week he was making eye contact, smiling, playing- not always fighting- with his brother. He's made great progress all summer, people we hardly know are asking what we did. The only change we made was diet. I'm a believer now!

 

[scojos]

we have our eldest on the feingold diet, he was diagnosed with ADD at 5, within a week the difference was amazing. we have since found his trigger, calcium proprionate which is used in bread to stop it going moldy, so we have to be especially careful on holiday.
Diet has a major affect on us all, think about how we crave chocolate or empty calories when we have had a bad day. i majored in diet and nutrition at university, and there is still alot we dont know about how things affect our bodies.
I wish you luck, and hope you get what you want from your dietary changes
Tracy