Special Diets - Food Allergen Lists
My children have been eating a special diet since we learned that they had autism. Actually, we did learn of Davis' dairy allergy before that. Learning that it was suggested by DAN! doctors (Defeat Autism Now!) that children with autism be put on a GF/CF diet, we were already half way there. So, eliminating gluten was certainly worth a try. It was a surprise and a huge relief when we saw results within a few days. I will never forget when I was in the kitchen with Davis and walking out to the hallway. When Davis was almost two years old, he started loosing his ability to have eye contact. He was always looking somewhere else, even when my face was only inches from his. This particular day he kept his eyes on me. He actually looked me in the eyes, more than once. In that moment I knew that I would have to do whatever it takes to keep gluten and dairy out of his diet. The next step was taking it out of his brothers diet as well. The results were more gradual and not nearly as obvious with Jackson. After about two months of a GF/CF diet it hit me that (forgive me for the graphic detail) both boys had started having solid stools. What?! With all that we had going on with learning of their differences and getting their autism diagnoses, having soft stools all of their lives was something that, I'm embarrassed to admit, was overlooked. So, not only did I feel as if I was getting my Baby Davis back a little bit, their tummy's were clearing up. Did they feel bad that whole time? It was becoming apparent to me that there was a connection between the gut and the brain. I was witnessing it first hand.
Gluten and dairy are the foods that are recommended being taken out of an autistic child's diet. It makes sense to me that with autism being a neurological disorder, that a child with a different neurological disorder such as Dyslexia or ADHD could also benefit from adjusting their diet. It makes it an easy decision to make when there is an actual allergy that the child has a reaction to. Taking that food out of the diet is a no brainer. It becomes difficult when there is not an apparent reaction to the food.
Consult with your physician or DAN! doctor about which foods may be affecting the abilities of your child. There could possibly be a multitude of benefits to adjusting your child's diet with the help of a professional. We saw improvements in their gastrointestinal systems and their cognitive ability as well. Then, to top it all off, what a blessing to know that my children feel better!!
If your considering making a dietary change, below you will find some helpful websites that contain lists of which foods contain which allergen.
FOOD ALLERGEN LISTS:
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