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Autism in Babies

noreply@blogger.com (newblogger) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:53:00 +0000

By Anthony Ezail Travis

A worldwide occurrence, autism in babies is said to be genetically acquired. It impairs cognitive and neural function. Several studies show that parents usually detect noticeable unusual behaviors at the 1st to 2nd year of life. However, some observe these in earlier age-as early as six months. Early detection in autism, like any other disorder, is an essential tool to best address the concerns of the child. The baby doesn't do the expected developmental activities. Like for an infant, poor sucking reflex may be observed by the mother. This is because motor activities are major areas affected.

By 6 months, normal crawling may be replaced by dragging of legs. By the age of one, the usual mimic of pointing a finger, clapping or babbling may not be observed in the child. This child may not be seen smiling as much as expected. He also does not familiarize with certain faces and voices. Walking may occur later than anticipated. By two years of age, speech may be delayed too-causing confusion of his hearing ability. He may not respond to his name. This child does not maintain eye contact. He may be interested only in one toy in a prolonged period of time or does not fancy any kind of toy at all. At times, autistic children are fond of lining up toys-you'll be surprised at how straight they can line them up! Repetitions are commonly done by autistic children. May it be words (echolalia) or actions (echopraxia). These repetitions are often carried on later in life if not corrected.

Autism in babies raises red flags especially to mothers who have had normal children beforehand. These signs should not be taken lightly. There are a number of organizations willing to help you in dealing with this disorder at the earliest stage. There are numerous programs that are targeted specifically to cope with autism in babies.

Autism should not be a reason to burden your family. Although there is still no cure for autism, early detection can really make a big difference. Visit Autism in Infants and learn more about its causes, symptoms, and how to handle it.

Understanding Autism Causes

noreply@blogger.com (newblogger) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:50:00 +0000

By Gavin Cruise

Current research will argue that autism causes are generally a combination of two factors. A genetic factor, which is transmitted through various DNA types, as well as factors of an environmental nature. This has not been scientifically proven of course, but new studies show that these two factors could be prime autism causes.

Classical autism is considered as being the most severe case of autism causes in children and adults. These autism symptoms can be diagnosed by late language development and in some cases not being able to develop language skills at all. People with this specific autism disorder will also experience not being able to converse with others and have a profound disregard for human emotion and in most situations will lack it completely. Not being able to show affection or feeling of empathy is a major symptom of autism when wanting to diagnose the severity of autism. Although autism symptoms mostly appear in the toddler stage of a child's early development, one can also determine in various ways if a baby displays certain signs of autism.

Exploring the causes of autism can be quite a controversial subject because as already established there isn't one specific cause of this disorder. One theory is that vaccines may cause autism. Specifically the vaccine used to prevent measles as these vaccines could lead to problems in the intestine area which some argue could ultimately lead to autism. This theory has of course not been proved.

The more likely theory is that autism could be a result of a genetic disorder. Families where autism is present are more often prone to having children with autistic tendencies. Also there is a risk that when there is an autistic child in your family, the chances of another child with autism symptoms being born is greatly increased.

There are also researches that believe that autism can develop in those with higher brain growth activity as persons with autism tend to have a larger brain and processing information is also very different to those not diagnosed with autism. However, this is an ongoing research topic at various universities and the theory has not been fully proven to date.

Evidence shows that certain food products may contribute to the causing of autism. These products will include gluten which is wheat and also certain dairy products. The evidence is unfortunately not yet strong enough to support the theory of certain researches who feel that certain food items can cause autism at the early stages of children development.

It is increasingly unclear when trying to establish what exactly causes autism and even though various researches contradict each other the most believable cause of autism can probably be that it is something involving a genetic disorder. Treating this disorder with the necessary attention will only ensure that the person with autism be as comfortable as possible and also be able to gradually respond to certain programs of treatment.

Autism causes may not be determined as yet, but it is clear that various factors could lead to the development of this disorder

Gavin Cruise was born in New York, his mother encouraged him to write and read and his father was a wealthy business man in real estate. Gavin had the privilege of traveling extensively with his father learning about a wide variety of subjects. He attended Harvard where he majored in English and from the age of 26 Gavin supported himself by freelance writing through all the knowledge gained from traveling. If you would like to read more articles about Gavin Cruise, please visit http://www.autism-help.net/

United For Autism - A Non-Profit Organization For Families With Autism. All Things Are Possible!

noreply@blogger.com (newblogger) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:03:00 +0000

By Amber Strong

If you are not happy with the way the world is, you can change it! That is what we are trying to do through United For Autism.

Statistics tell us that 1 in 150 children have Autism. These statistics are based on a study done on 8 year old children. This number does not include everyone on the Autism Spectrum. These numbers would be much higher if the study was done on everyone with Autism. This is why our non-profit organization was formed and founded. United for Autism provides assistance to families living with Autism. We are also an organization that promotes Autism Awareness, Support, Research, treatments and that Autism is completely treatable.

We have strong beliefs that Autism is not going to go away on it's own. It will take the support of everyone in the world to make an impact. United For Autism is a board and member based organization, we function fully on donations, grants, member dues, sponsorships and the support of volunteers. Our mission is to promote Autism to everyone around the world, and this is not possible with out people like you. You may not think that Autism has no relationship to you but it does. What if you or someone you know found out they had Autism, or a child with Autism? I am sure that you have come in contact with someone living with Autism at one point. It will happen, Autism is on the rise and it is time we make a difference and start helping these individuals. We are a new non-profit organization that can not fully function to the capacity we have set unless we gain the support of people like you. Take second and become familiar with Autism.

Ok, so what is Autism? Autism is one of the 5 disorders under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders.

Here is a list of the 5:

Pdd-Nos
Autism
Asperger's Syndrome
Rett's Syndrome
Childhood Disintegrating Disorder

Autistic markers are as follows:

Routine resistance to change
Difficulty in expressing needs/wants
Repeating words or phrases
Distress for reasons not appropriate to others
Anti-social tendencies or prefering to be by themselves
Tantrums
Lack of affections
No Perception of Danger
Poor eye contact
Inappropriate attachment to objects
Unresponsive or ignores when spoken to
Over/Under sensitive to pain
Annoyed or frightened by loud sounds
sustained odd play
Low tolerance to certain textures of food or items

Autism does not discriminate against anyone, it will strike anyone at anytime. It is time that we all stand together and make a difference in families living with Autism. You can be apart of something amazing. I am the founder of United For Autism, and I have a child living with Autism. My child has Asperger's Syndrome, he was diagnosed at the young age of 2 1/2 years old. It was heart breaking to know that our baby had Autism. Being the mother of 3 children, my youngest having Autism. I never would have thought that I would have a child with Autism. I never got involved or concerned myself with it until it hit our family. Autism is a family illness and it is stressful on any family, and it can be emotionally stressful as well as financially stressful. These are the two reasons that United For Autism was founded. Our goal is to provide help for these families in tough times when there is no where else to turn.

Please take a moment to visit Let's Expose Autism Now for more answers to any question you may have. This site is our information site, it has helped many individuals who have questions about Autism. This site will talk about Autism Spectrum Disorders, Therapy, Bio Medical treatments, Supplements, Vaccines, Support links, Helpful topics and articles that are all about Autism. You want to take a moment and become more familiar with what Autism is all about.

We welcome you to take a look at our organization's website as well and see what we are about. We offer a detailed explanation of what we do and who we are. We represent families with Autism. We hope that you too will join us in our walk together. Together we can make it through. My child may have Autism, but it does not have him! Autism is completely treatable with the right tools. Let's give these families the much needed equipment they deserve.

Thank you for taking the time to read a little about Autism, trust me it was worth it, in the time that you have read this article a child has been diagnosed with Autism. Remember every 20 minutes a child is diagnosed with Autism, start now and make that step to help one of those families.

Visit United For Autism now.

Let's Expose Autism Now has alot of helpful information about Autism Spectrum disorders. It touches base on topics most others will not talk about. You want to stop by and check out this site for all the up to date topics on Autism. http://www.letsexposeautismnow.com

Signs Of Autism

noreply@blogger.com (newblogger) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:33:00 +0000

By Katie Franklin

Early Signs of Autism

As a parent, you have so many things to worry about, and it seems every news broadcast and parenting magazine contains a new issue for you to ponder. There has been a lot in the news lately about autism, whether it is linked to vaccines, the broadening definition of this condition, and the increase in the number of autism diagnoses. How do you know whether your child is at risk, what the early signs of autism are, and whether your child may be in need of further testing and treatment?

A Complex Disability

Because autism is a complex developmental disability, it has no easy definition. According to the Autism Society of America (ASA), "autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a 'spectrum disorder' that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees." So, not only is there no concise definition of this disorder, there are no hard and fast rules governing the manifestation of the disorder.

Who is Affected?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in 2007 that autism affects an estimated 1 in 150 births in America, and that the number is on the rise. The ASA estimates that "the prevalence of autism could reach 4 million Americans in the next decade." Autism, according to the CDC, can affect any family or child, regardless of ethnic, racial, or socio-economic status, and is "four times more prevalent in boys than in girls."

Early Signs

The CDC states that autism spectrum disorders can be detected as early as 18 months of age; sings of autism generally manifest themselves when children are under age three. Of course, all children should be watched to determine if they are reaching developmental milestones at the appropriate times, but children who have a sibling or parent with an autism spectrum disorder should be watched more closely.

Autism is treatable, and, like other disorder, early detection is key to obtaining timely and effective treatment. The ASA offers several signs to look for in children, including "lack of or delay in spoken language; repetitive use of language and/or motor mannerisms (e.g., hand-flapping, twirling objects); little or no eye contact; lack of interest in peer relationships; lack of spontaneous or make-believe play; and persistent fixation on parts of objects."

Many of autism's symptoms are associated with detachment. Children who are affected will not maintain eye contact with others or look at objects, appear unaware when spoken to, and are not communicative. Other signs of autism are an inability to adapt to change in routine and unwillingness for physical contact.

It is important for parents to remember that not all children meet developmental milestones like talking at the prescribed guidelines and that not all signs of autism are necessary to suggest evidence of this disorder need to be present in order to warrant further testing.

What if I Suspect Autism?

The first step in obtaining treatment for autism is to obtain a diagnosis, and you should start with your pediatrician. He or she may then refer you to a specialist, and you should also educate yourself of the signs and treatment of this disorder. The American Autism Society's website, athttp://www.autism-society.org, is a great place for starting your research, as is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's autism overview page, located at http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/

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Tips To Handle Behaviours Of Autistic Children

noreply@blogger.com (newblogger) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:14:00 +0000

by Mike Selvon

Caring for autistic children can be difficult, yet there are steps and actions that can be taken by parents of autistic children to help them deal with the situations that will arise. Children who carry this autistic disorder can start showing signs as early as age 2, and if caught early, caregivers can learn to better cope with the disorder, as well as helping the child. Autism affects social skills and communications skills, among other areas, so getting an early diagnosis will help in implementing steps to help the child learn to express themselves better and to deal with the people around them and their surroundings.
Everyone has seen children who behave badly on purpose, and children with autism may exhibit some of these same behaviors, but most often they will do so unintentionally. The bad behaviors that autistic children exhibit may actually be a product of what is going on around them.
If they become startled by someone or something, then they may act in a way that seems inappropriate. While each child with autism will handle situations differently, being calm and directing the child away from the situation will most often work well. It is important to have a routine to calm them when autistic behavior arises.
It is important to understand the cues that each autistic child will give out, as these children may act a certain way when someone approaches them. They may become excited or exhibit certain behaviors when they are in stressful situations. Do they have a sensitivity to bright lights?
An autistic child will most likely have patterns that will show when they are put into some specific situations, so understanding these patterns and cues will help you to advert otherwise stressful situations for the child. Little tips like learning the autistic child's cues can make everyday life easier for the caregiver and the child. Early diagnosis of autistic children can aide in the increased development of their social skills and the ability to better take care of themselves on a daily basis. This can be extremely important to an autistic child and their family. A child with autism will exclude certain behaviors that may be inappropriate or considered as bad.
These behaviors are normally not on purpose, but can be controlled to some extent by having routines in place and being very calm when the child starts acting out. Knowing how to handle situations that come with autism can be extremely helpful for the child and those who are caring for them.

About the Author: Enrich your knowledge further about autistic children from Mike Selvon portal. We appreciate your feedback at our autism spectrum disorders blog where a free gift awaits you.

Premier Toys For Autistic Children

noreply@blogger.com (newblogger) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:57:00 +0000

by S.Batts

Our children are the most important people in our lives. As a mother of three, I try to provide my children with the best and most educational resources possible, this includes toys. There are many toys on the market today and I have researched several of them. What I have found is that most toys are not designed with the child's education and development in mind. Sure they are fun to play with but why not use playtime as a time to also learn. The great thing is that we as parents and educators are becoming more sensitive to the developmental needs of our children.
During my quest to find educational toys that my children would actually want to play with, I came across a company that I had not heard of, DISCOVERY TOYS. They had the same philosophy about toys that I had. They believe that toys should be fun AND promote intellectuality, emotional and physical development.

Entering any classroom, whether one full of preschoolers or school age children, one has no doubt that educational toys are part of most educator's curriculum and the sky is the limit. At DISCOVERY TOYS they are absolutely dedicated and proud to provide quality SAFE educational toys that your children will love and learn with.

Why can't a toy teach a child about a particular subject or help a child develop a particular skill and be fun to play with. Well, they can and I have found that Discovery Toys has developed the best line of toys to support this. They have focused in on creating toys that are designed to encourage developmental milestones within appropriate age groups.

DISCOVERY TOYS has worked extensively with the famous Princeton Child Development Institute to develop their Autism Support Project. It is DISCOVERY TOYS goal to deliver a rich educational experience by understanding the most commonly shared learning difficulties for children with autism and matching their products to support learning. These toys help to develop independent play with some limited instruction. Toys that build skills for cooperative play, promote sustained engagement, create opportunities for children to talk about their play experience and encourage pretend play and much more.

About the Author: I am a wife and mother of three beautiful children. I am dedicated to taking care of my children and taking care of Mother Earth.

Detecting Autistic Spectrum Disorders In An Early Stage Is Of Great Importance

noreply@blogger.com (newblogger) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:51:00 +0000

It was not until the mid 20th century that the world became aware that autistic spectrum disorders existed. In 1943, Dr. Leo Kanner began to study a group that included 11 children and labeled the disorder that affected them as being what we know today as autism. At the same time, Dr. Hans Asperger, a German scientist, was describing a milder disorder within the same spectrum known as Asperger syndrome.
Today, we know it to be one of five developmental disorders that are often referred to as the autism spectrum disorders. Each illness in the autism spectrum will vary in degrees, with regard to an individual's impairment. The impairments include problems with communication skills, the inability to socially interact with others and behavior patterns that are both restrictive and repetitive.

The parents of a child are normally the first to notice the signs of an autistic spectrum disorder. These disorders can actually rear their heads before the child is even three years of age. Children who have autism spectrum disorders do not act like other children.

They may be withdrawn socially and may stare off into space and not respond when their name is called. However, there are instances of the disorder not showing up until later, such as when a child, who once acted as a normal toddler, suddenly begins to show signs.

Disorders may range from the milder form in the autism spectrum, normally referred to as Asperger syndrome, to a more severe form known as an autistic disorder. There is also high functioning autism, which shows symptoms very close to Asperger syndrome. If a child seems to have symptoms of autism, either the mild or the more sever form, yet does not fall under a certain criteria for one of these disorders, then they are normally diagnosed with a pervasive developmental disorder.

While it may not be a concern if a child is showing signs of delayed development, they should be evaluated by a doctor. It is important to let your physician know if you see any developmental delays in your child. If they do indeed have one of the disorders within the autistic spectrum, then there are steps that can be taken to help the child increase their development and also help the family to deal with the disorder.

Even after an autism spectrum disorder is found, individuals can, in many cases learn to be functioning individuals; however, if the disorder is disregarded and nothing is done, then there is a possibility of severe delays in both communication and social skills. It is always important when any developmental delays seem apparent that the child's physician be consulted.

Author: Enrich your knowledge further about autistic spectrum disorders from Mike Selvon portal. We appreciate your feedback at our autism spectrum disorders blog where

Activities for Autistic Children

noreply@blogger.com (newblogger) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:28:00 +0000

By Trevor Gardner

Parents, teachers, and other caregivers often get so caught up in educating and providing structure to the lives of autistic children that they forget that, above all, he or she is a child. Like any other child in his or her age group, your autistic child wants to have fun. While some activities may not be suitable for those suffering from autism, there are a number of fun games to play with autistic children, many of which can get them involved with others or help them further develop motor or social skills while just focusing on having a good time.
Autistic children in the elementary school age range can benefit greatly from song. Even children who do not verbally communicate with words can learn to hum along or play simple instruments, such as tambourines or whistles. Using sounds that are repetitive and with educational lyrics helps autistic children learn school lessons but also gives them an outlet for some of the sensory stimulation they need, such as yelling. Play follow the leader with the instruments to help the children focus their attention and improve socialization skills.
Depending on how mature your child is, he or she may also not only be able to participate in regular childhood games, but greatly benefit from them as well. These activities, including tag and other games, can be learned more easily than you think. Stick with games in which the autistic child is not forced to have close physical contact with other children, as this may be hurtful for autistic individuals. Also, remember to play to your childâ€™s strengths or what he or she wishes to learn. If he or she has a problem with yelling inappropriately, for example, encouraging him or her to be involved with a game of hide and seek may help curb this behaviour.
Autistic children often wish to be included in games with non-autistic peers, and so this may help with the learning process. At home, focus on games that involve closer contact with trusted family members. For example, make it a game to get across the room without touching the floor. Perhaps the only route in some instances is to be carried. Remember that each child is different developmentally, so stay in tune with how challenging the activities should be.
As your child matures, he or she may want to be involved with organized sports. This should be encouraged, but choose your sport carefully. Golf, baseball, and other sports that do not involve strong personal sensory stimulation may be better for your child than something like tackle football. However, be open to all possibilities. Be sure the teamâ€™s coach understands your childâ€™s disability and is willing to work with him or her.
At this later developmental stage, also continue encouraging learning activities. Sensory games work well to further teach these children, and as they mature emphasize the importance of appropriate behavior as you are playing these games. Using things like water balloons in games your child already enjoys is often as fun for children with autism. Also realize that an autistic individual has trouble seeing things from anotherâ€™s point of view. Therefore, they may be less likely to enjoy games in which something must be kept a secret from another person (like go-fish).
Overall, you and your child need to grow together. Remember that although he or she has many special needs, sometimes your child needs to simply be a kid as well. Encourage play along with work, and realize that games and activities for autistic children may fulfil two key elements, socialization skills for life and learning to enjoy playing with their peers.

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Make learning fun for an Autistic Child

noreply@blogger.com (newblogger) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:23:00 +0000

By Trevor Gardner

Autism is a disorder of the brain that is biological in function. It causes anywhere from mild to severe social impairment and an inability to function normally in society. However, there are ways to treat many of the cases of autism. Autistic children can learn and excel and if certain teaching methods are used, their progress can be nothing short of fantastic.
One of the most important things to realize in making learning fun for autistic children is the fact that they learn in different ways than children without autism. Autistic children generally have a disability in social skills. Sometimes this difficulty in communication involves language skills. However, there are a number of ways to make learning these important skills more than just a chore. By injecting fun into learning, it has been shown that autistic children learn at a faster pace. Actually, fun and learning work well for all types of children, but autistic children are special and require more tailored methods.

Children with autism seem to learn best when the instructional material is presented in visual form. In this case it might be worthwhile to try different educational programs via a computer. Using a computer is a fun way to learn. The majority of educational programs are highly visual. Many of the games available involve storylines, plots, and realistic human behaviors. Some of the skills autistic children can learn from carefully selected video games are language skills, reading and math skills, and social skills. Visual learning devices are highly effective and can be accompanied by various rewards to reinforce what is being learned. For instance, food and extended leisure activities can be used as rewards that will encourage the child to want to learn. In addition, the use of positive reinforcement will help develop a bond between student and teacher, and create a sense of trust that will help strengthen the learning environment.

Social stories are another way to make learning fun for children with autism. Since one of the aspects of autism is the inability to interact normally in a social situation, social stories can be utilized in a variety of different ways in order to model appropriate behavior. Autism education pioneer Carol Gray developed this approach in 1991. By using engaging stories, children with autism can learn appropriate and inappropriate responses to situations. The level of fun, of course, is up to the way social stories are used. Usually, the stories are tailored to the child. By modeling situations familiar to an autistic child, they can be better prepared to react in a socially appropriate to those same situations in the future. Social stories usually have three distinct ways of addressing a particular situation. The first describes who, what, where and why in relation to the situation. The second is a perspective sentence that illuminates how others react to the situation being discussed. Finally, the third sentence tries to model an appropriate response. Sometimes the use of social stories can be accompanied by music and pictures. In terms of making the process a bit more fun rewards can be used when a situation is properly addressed.

Children with autism require special education needs to address their social difficulties. It is really important to make these activities as much fun as possible so the student will stay motivated. It is not easy for an autistic child to change his or her response to various situations, so it is imperative that the activities be non-threatening and highly interesting. It has been demonstrated that over time the use of visual aids and social stories are two of the most effective ways to help autistic children overcome social situations they feel are threatening. To most of us, these situations are normal, everyday occurrences, but to children with autism they can sometimes be terrifying moments that they do not have the skills to deal with. These teaching methods, while entertaining and fun, can help children adapt and manage their perceptions of social interactions.

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Caring For An Autistic Child

noreply@blogger.com (newblogger) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:17:00 +0000

by patrik.ewriter

Autism is a disorder which greatly affects the person's perception, attention, and thought. Such condition ranges from mild autism to the severe one. Also, the display of behavior varies depending on the age of the affected individual. Autism is nonetheless grouped among the Development Disorders which largely affect a number of people in the whole world. There are times when autism doesn't readily show up during the child's younger years. Therefore, if the symptoms of autism are reasonably evident, it is only wise to have the child diagnosed by an expert.
The common symptoms of autism include the individual's desire to be alone, his aloofness, the use of body gestures instead of the human language in expressing his ideas, and the difficulty in mingling with people. He also rejects to be a part of a group, poses a poor ability to make use of his senses, and overall, he vividly appears disturbed. He also seems to be so attached to a particular object and he may whine when that thing is grabbed away from him.
An interaction with an autistic child is a lot different with what parents will conventionally do with the normal children. Someone who is heaped with autism needs special attention and a different level of caring. In any case, your motherly or fatherly love and instinct must be made to be deeper and more profound. To set things straight, never think that because your child is special, you should do opposite things in order to interact with him. Don't talk nonsense or act in a way that is far beyond the normal conditions. Treat them with the thought that you intend to develop their skills and intelligence like a normal one. Therefore, arrange activities for him. However, don't be surprised to note that he may not enjoy playing ball games, hide and seek, or following the direction games. An autistic child can be very restless at times. Come to think of it, he has a different world and you must not force him to adjust to your environment. Instead, you should be the one to learn to adapt the nature of his own realm without necessarily diverting him too far from the reality.
Instead of dragging him to play the games like running or do some story reading, first get into an experimental stage of exposing him to different types of toys. Through this, you will be able to figure out the toys or activities that will provide him immeasurable pleasure. Also, teach him the concept of reward and punishment. Celebrate an achievement or improvement he has displayed and then reprimand him when he has done something wrong.

For a further discussion of the tips on how to deal with autism, check out www.autism-awareness.info You will then be enlightened that such disorder is not much of a burden especially if you keep an open mind.

Overcoming Food Obsessions in Autistic Children

noreply@blogger.com (newblogger) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:39:00 +0000

The general public often doesnâ€™t realize what parents of autistic children are keenly aware of: It is a physical condition as much as a mental one. Research shows that more than 50 percent of autistic children have gastrointestinal problems such as Crohns Disease or colitis. Some scientists theorize that autism begins in the gut, with the gastrointestinal walls being damaged and allowing toxins to leak into the bloodstream and affect brain activity.
For this reason, parents of children with autism must monitor not just their childrenâ€™s behavior but their eating habits, too. In particular, products containing gluten (found in wheat, barley and rye) and casein (found in dairy products) seem to exacerbate autism symptoms, apparently because the personâ€™s body cannot digest them properly and the incompletely digested (and therefore poisonous) proteins are leaking into the circulatory system.
A gluten-free, casein-free diet, known as GFCF, has become very popular among parents of autistic children. Some members of the medical community continue to be skeptical of it, but other doctors and organizations -- including those working with Defeat Autism Now (DAN) -- wholeheartedly support the GFCF diet.
Many parents report remarkable improvements in their autistic children after removing gluten and casein from their diets. They find their children having longer attention spans, making better eye contact and in general behaving less aggressively and more â€œnormally.â€�
The difficult part is implementing the diet. Cereals and dairy products comprise a major part of the typical American diet. People with gluten allergies already know how hard it is to find gluten-free products; adding dairy to the list of prohibited items makes it that much more inconvenient.
In addition, many autistic children will latch on to particular foods they like and refuse to eat anything else. Since so many foods have gluten or casein, chances are good that something on your childâ€™s â€œfavoritesâ€� list will be an offender. Also, because gluten and casein foods act as opiates, autistic children may crave them in particular -- the very foods that are doing them the most harm!
So weaning your child off these foods can be difficult. To start with, many parents find it best to eliminate dairy. A lot of people are lactose-intolerant, after all, and dairy products donâ€™t make up nearly as big a part of most peopleâ€™s diets as gluten products do. Itâ€™s fairly easy to replace casein foods with other things.
Gluten is trickier. Not only is it in a lot of foods, but even foods that donâ€™t have it are often contaminated with it, due to having been processed in the same facilities. Youâ€™ll need to examine ingredients lists carefully, and check with the manufacturer directly if youâ€™re in doubt.
Often, parents say their autistic children wonâ€™t eat anything else, and they worry theyâ€™ll go hungry if these foods are taken away. It is necessary to be loving but firm, and not to give in if your child behaves badly in response to having his or her favorite foods taken off the menu. Within a few weeks, youâ€™ll probably see a change in your childâ€™s behavior, and you may be surprised at what he or she will eat that previously was unacceptable.

Author: http://tinyurl.com/6jjxcq