Artificial ingredients are another food ingredient to avoid feeding your child with autism. Avoid foods that have artificial dyes, colors, flavors, additives, and preservatives. Once again these are good for all people to avoid but especially children with autism as it can cause issues with development.
If you or a loved one has ASD, paying close attention to the foods being consumed is particularly important. For our patients with autism, we often recommend an elimination diet—eliminating gluten, dairy, sugar, corn, soy, and other categories of potentially allergenic foods for one month.
The best food for children with autism are fatty fish, eggs, grass-fed beef, sustainably raised animal proteins, shellfish, beans, nuts, and seeds. Research has found that fatty fish such as salmon and free-range eggs share the healthy omega 3 acid. Foods that contain omega 3s help fight inflammation in the body.
Autism often comes with hypersensitivity to textures. So remember that it may be how a food feels in the mouth, rather than its flavor, that produces a food aversion. The squishiness of a fresh tomato is a classic example. Try chopping or blending such foods to smooth out the offending texture.
Dairy (casein)
Children with autism (ASD) are much more likely to have a food intolerance to dairy than their peers. This mild allergy could explain why many parents have reported positive changes to their child's autism symptoms -including improved behavior - after eliminating dairy.
Many autistic people experience hypersensitivity to bright lights or certain light wavelengths (e.g., LED or fluorescent lights). Certain sounds, smells, textures and tastes can also be overwhelming. This can result in sensory avoidance – trying to get away from stimuli that most people can easily tune out.
Some more recommended food items that help autism symptoms include: Prebiotic-rich foods (apples, asparagus, leeks, garlic, onions, bananas, and chicory root)
The feeding concern most commonly observed in children with autism is food selectivity, or eating a limited variety of foods. This most often involves preference for starches and snack foods and more frequent rejection of fruits and vegetables.
Advanced parental age at time of conception. Prenatal exposure to air pollution or certain pesticides. Maternal obesity, diabetes, or immune system disorders. Extreme prematurity or very low birth weight.
It's important to note that while these foods have been reported to have the potential to make autism symptoms worse, there is no conclusive research or evidence to support these claims. Sugar: Since children with autism may show signs of hyperactivity, it may be best to avoid sugar to maintain balanced sugar levels.
Find sensory tools that can comfort a child at times of stress. These may include squeezy toys, weighted blankets, a calming video or book, a swing set, or even a pet. If a meltdown occurs, allow your child the time and space to calm themselves down and learn to self-regulate.
Make adaptations to the environment where possible, for example lower unnatural light if too harsh. Try noise-cancelling headphones to reduce sensory overload. Use sensory tools and stimming to reduce anxiety levels, if that works for you. Try relaxation methods such as meditation, mindfulness, yoga and exercise.
Casein is the main protein in dairy products such as cow's milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream. Some research has shown that this diet may improve some symptoms of autism like hyperactivity and communication, but it has not shown to improve digestive symptoms.
fruits such as apples, avocados, blueberries, kiwi fruit, grapes, plums, strawberries, vegetables such as cauliflower, cucumber, mushrooms, radish, eggplant, spinach, tomato, broccoli. nuts such as peanuts, pistachios, almonds.
Vitamin B6 and magnesium to ease autism symptoms
More than a dozen studies have suggested that supplementing vitamin B6 and magnesium in children with autism helps to ease symptoms, but the treatment remains controversial as each child's body will react differently to varying interventions.
People with autism spectrum disorder are sometimes said to lack empathy (the ability to feel along with others) and/or sympathy (the ability to feel for others). While this stereotype is often used to describe all people with autism, these challenges are not experienced by everyone on the spectrum.
posturing – holding hands or fingers out at an angle or arching the back while sitting. visual stimulation – looking at something sideways, watching an object spin or fluttering fingers near the eyes. repetitive behaviour like opening and closing doors or flicking switches.
While many children with autism feel averse to hugging, some children with autism like to be hugged. Some children can swing the opposite way and want so many hugs that they feel hug deprived when they aren't getting enough.
We call this hypo- or hyper-responsiveness, and it can include a person's response to flavors and food textures. Naturally, a blast of sweetness provides a powerful sensory input that many of us crave. This craving can be particularly powerful for an individual affected by autism.
Eliminating gluten and casein may help to change symptoms and behaviors of autism. Some parents have started their child with autism on a version of the GF/CF diet for a different reason, and later noticed improvement in behavior, social skills, and learning.