There are a lot of things that you want to avoid when using diet as an autism treatment tool for your child. But there are also a lot of things that you want to put in their diet, that can help ameliorate some of the symptoms and help them cognitively and behaviorally.
1. Vitamins
First of all, you will want a diet that is well balanced in terms of essential vitamins. Vitamin B is an important one. It helps increase brain function, can help produce neurotransmitters, and helps the absorption of essential nutrients into the body. This in turn helps improve nervous system function. All of this increases overall health.
Vitamin C improves the immune system, as most people know. Also, though, it helps neutralize free radicals in the body. Free radicals are naturally occurring chemicals that can cause problems for the body; Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant, and as such, helps to control the damage that the free radicals do. Multivitamins are important to take because many people with autism have deficiencies in many vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins can be an essential autism treatment for your child.
2. Probiotics
Probiotics can help the digestive problems that so often plague autistic kids, and can be an effective autism treatment for these symptoms in your child.
Our guts have a lot of "friendly bacteria" that keep things in balance. Sometimes, though, these friendly bacteria can get out of balance and start to bring havoc on our bodies and digestion. Using probiotics as a supplement brings things back into balance.
Probiotics can improve bloating and gas issues, and other digestive issues. Digestive complaints are common with those on the autism spectrum. Yogurt is a good source of probiotics. Plain yogurt is better than the sugary flavored kind, however.
The best way to get probiotics is a full spectrum supplement that has many different strains of probiotics. Your doctor or someone at your local health food store can help you figure out what kind are best for you.
3. Essential Fatty Acids
What are Omega 3s? They are essential fatty acids. Your body can't make them but they do a lot for your health. Omega 3s improve brain function. They seem to "oil" the gears of the brain, especially in the case of the child with autism. Omega 3s also help prevent cancer, heart disease and arthritis. The best way to get Omega 3s is from fish. Salmon is a great source of Omega 3s. Fatty fish, like mackerel, trout, herring, sardines, and albacore tuna also work well. Many nuts, like pumpkin seeds and walnuts, have Omega 3s too. Of course, the easiest thing to do is to get fish oil supplements that have Omega 3s in them. You will want to find supplements that have both Omega 3s and 6s in them. Nordic Naturals is one such company that makes an excellent product.
So you see, adding a few extra things to your child's diet can be an excellent addition to your autism treatment plan for your child. ( Craig Kendall )