GFCF diet for kid not on spectrum?

[Anonymous]

After a multitude of tests from every professional in the area, it is determined that my 5 yo son is NOT 'on the spectrum', just has related issues--anxiety, a bit of sensory integration/aversion. I'd still like to investigage changing his diet--which is, I'll admit, horrible right now. Has anyone had success with a gluten-free or GFCF diet for their child who has similar issues? Also, which dietician did you use? (I have had a very negative experience with Kelly Dorfman (think that's her name) so a recc. for someone else would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I feel like I could have written this note! My four year old daughter also has some ASD markers but is not on the spectrum. On our own we initiated gluten free diet about six months ago and I some immediate improvements in terms of her sleep - no more night terrors and less parroting of language (her verbal skills are fantastic but occasionally she slips into this parroting thing). Kelly Dorfman totally turned me off two -- saw my daughter for two minutes when she was labeling her. I found it so offensive. So, I don't have an alternative for you but would love to see what other people post.

[Anonymous]

DS is GFCF on the recommendation of a nutritionist in Philly where we used to live. He had frequent ear infections and was starting to get hyper, but not on the spectrum, and he calmed down after going on the diet. We're going to try SCD (specific carbohydrate diet) because he has some gut issues (very thin, not absorbing food properly, we think) and frequent diarrhea. I think getting all the artificial cr*p and sugar out of his diet helped at least as much as GFCF, but we're sticking with it because DS is much healthier overall.

[Anonymous]

My DS is 5. I suspected that he was on the spectrum. We have conclusively learned he's not. He has sensory issues. We put him on a gluten free diet only because he has no issues w casein. In two weeks we saw a slight difference inhis behavior. In one month he was so much better. It was so noticeably different that his preschool and OT noticed. We put him on this diet w/o telling them. For a week we were traveling. It was hard to keep him gluten free for that week. When we starting eating gluten again he was back to doing bizarre things, behaving more erratically, stimming more. I was one of those people who never in a million year would have thought gluten could be the culprit but for my son it was. The change in his behavior is startling and he is a different child in many ways off gluten.

[Anonymous]

How does one begin going gluten free? Must you see a nutritionist?

[Anonymous]

http://www.gfcfdiet.com/

No, you don't need to see a nutritionist, but it can help if you find one knowledgeable about GFCF diet. Not all of them are. Ours recommended a food for DC that had dairy in it. You have to read labels, call companies to check ingredients. It can be very involved.

See
http://www.celiac.com/
http://www.celiac.org/lifestyle.php
for lists of gluten-free foods and ingredients that have gluten.

[Anonymous]

we also have a daughter not diagnosed on the spectrum, but she has Down Syndrome. She has some behaviors that our developmental doctor thought were related to diet. I have started her on the diet (but not very strict) and she has improved over the last two months.
I am still trying to work out the last elements of her diet.
I haven't found a nutritionist either and don't want to see Dorfman. Any recommendations?

[Anonymous]

OP here-- Thanks so much for the VERY helpful responses. I have heard over and over that GFCF diets help kids with all sorts of issues, and that was also confirmed here. I have since heard the name, Dana Laake (not 100% sure of spelling) According to some, she does not have the not so positive 'attitude' that Kelly Dorfman shows some parents. Thanks again. We are now on a GFCF mission : )

[Anonymous]

Kelly Dorfman offended me and my child as well. She gave us a condescending lecture, stating to me 'Your people need to stay away from foods that...' When she kept repeated 'your people' I said, "Excuse me, what 'people' are you refering to?" She said, well, South Americans. I told her, "Well we are Greek." Needless to say, we never returned for her 'services'.