There is growing research that indicates a link between autism and gastrointestinal issues. In fact, the current research estimates that children with autism are four times more likely to suffer with GI problems. There are additional studies in the works that are investigating the brain-gut connection in children with autism, and I'm excited to read about them.
When children are diagnosed, some people automatically pursue a gluten-free/casein-free diet (casein is a protein found in milk and cheese) in the hopes that it will cure the autism. I never bought into that train of thought. In fact, I wanted nothing to do with it, and fought it with every fiber of my being.
But life is certainly not fair, and we ended up discovering that Lulu has celiac disease. So she went on a gluten-free diet. In my opinion, it did relatively little to help her autism symptoms improve. She had a burst of language shortly after we began the diet, but then that leveled out.
She has now been gluten-free for nearly 13 years. Lulu has made significant progress in that time, but I do not believe for one minute that it has anything to do with the diet.
I am not knocking anyone's belief in the diets. You do what you have to do to make your life a little easier. And who am I to say that they are bogus across the board? Autism is a spectrum disorder....what one thing doesn't work for one person, may actually work for another. And I hope it does!
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