| As more information is found about autism, | | | | having a casein-free diet does help, you won't see |
| researchers are suggesting alternative forms of | | | | the results right away. This is going to take several |
| treatment. One of the ways to reduce symptoms is | | | | months, so you have to be patient. |
| by eliminating dairy from an autistic person's diet. | | | | Casein will stay in a person's system for some time |
| Researchers feel that one of the phosoproteins | | | | so there is no way to know if the dairy-free diet is |
| found in dairy, casein, is responsible for some of the | | | | working yet. The same is the true with a gluten-free |
| behaviors of autism. By eliminating casein from the | | | | diet, but gluten stays in the system longer. Also you |
| diet, an autistic person will be helped out with their | | | | don't want to try too many things at once because |
| behaviors. It hasn?t been proven to show | | | | too many changes can upset the autistic person. |
| improvement in cognitive skills, social skills or motor | | | | If you do eliminate dairy from the diet, you have to |
| ability. | | | | find other ways to substitute calcium. Try vitamins or |
| One thing to note is that this isn't a cure for autism. | | | | calcium-enriched foods. This is especially important in |
| This is only served as a way to help certain | | | | children because calcium is important for the growth |
| behaviors. Casein is found in all dairy products so it | | | | of a child. |
| would mean removing foods such as milk, ice cream | | | | A casein-free diet can get expensive. You also might |
| and yogurt from the autistic person's meals. Casein is | | | | have some difficulty finding milk substitutes at the |
| also used as a binding agent and is found in some hot | | | | local grocery store. You can look through specialty |
| dogs. Another tactic that is used once casein is | | | | shops or check nutritional stores. If you have no luck |
| delimited from the diet is removing gluten as well. | | | | at either of these places, go on the Internet and find |
| Gluten is a protein found in wheat products. This is | | | | special mail orders websites. You can find all the |
| believed to have the same effect as casein. | | | | foods you need here. The Internet also offers |
| Before you start any of these programs, speak with | | | | casein-free recipes. However, with more people |
| your doctor about alternative treatments and discuss | | | | suffering from dairy allergies and wheat allergies, |
| the methods you will read here. At this time you may | | | | many products are available without casein and |
| also want to see an allergist and get tested to see if | | | | gluten. |
| they have any allergies to food. It could turn out | | | | If after some time this method isn't working, you can |
| they are actually allergic to dairy products. When you | | | | safely add dairy back into your autistic child's life. Just |
| first start the casein-free diet, keep a journal of the | | | | because it didn't work, don't feel as though you have |
| activities for the patient. You might want to start this | | | | failed. This is only suggested as a way to curb |
| about two weeks before you actually begin the diet | | | | someone of the behaviors of autism, not put an end |
| so you will have something to compare it with. Right | | | | to it. |
| down all of the activities and note the times. If | | | | |