Autism treatment: Can special diets help?

Q: Can special diets help children who have autism? A friend told us that his nephew's autism improved when gluten and casein were restricted from his diet. My daughter has autism, and I wonder if the diet would help her, too?

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There's no evidence that special diets are an effective autism treatment.

Autism is a complex brain disorder that has no known cure. For this reason, many frustrated parents turn to unproven alternative treatments — such as restrictive diets that eliminate gluten and casein — in an attempt to help their children.

Proponents of restrictive diets believe that casein, a protein found in dairy products, and gluten, a protein found in many grains, affect brain development and behavior — causing autism in some children. However, there's no evidence that diet triggers autism or that restricting gluten and casein improves autism symptoms. And for growing children, restrictive diets can lead to nutritional deficiencies.

If you're considering an alternative autism treatment, talk to your child's doctor. He or she can help you identify the treatments that are most likely to be effective for your child, as well as local resources that may provide additional support. If you decide to pursue a restrictive diet, work with a registered dietitian to create an appropriate meal plan for your child.