All over the web is the great debate regarding various chemical and dietary treatments.  I think it’s a bunch of junk science, but am willing to reserve final judgement based on the results of controlled studies that have been initiated.   What I wish is that people would actually do their own risk/benefit evaluation for the child in the absence of such studies.  I personally feel that the diets are dangerous in terms of not providing adequate nutrition for a growing child.  Supplements are not a good substitute for good old fashioned healthy eating habits and nutrition.

I offer up a challenge to anyone who has their child on a diet (particularly the G&C free) and is actually wondering whether they are seeing any benefit.  To take the challenge you must be willing to do 2 things.  One, go on the diet yourself for you need to actually experience it to weigh out the pros and cons at the end of the challenge.  Two, take the data. Data, Data, and more data is the only way to objectively measure the benefits.  I have heard stories form so many therapists regarding a parent who swears the diet is working for the child, but therapist sees absolutely no change.

If you’re open to trying it and not pissed off yet... here’s what you do.

Step 1) Decide on 4 to 5 metrics to track.  This depends on your child and what you consider are his/hers biggest issues.  Examples: number of tantrums, stemming behaviors (flapping, spinning etc.), compliance during therapy sessions, outbursts at school, refusals to eat or drink, difficulty going to bed, antisocial behavior (withdrawing), staring spells/spaciness, general mood and happiness etc.

Sterp 2) Decide how your will rate and track the data.  Could be a scale of 1 to 5 for good to bad behavior, or a sampling during certain hours of the day and tracking the number of occurrences during a particular time period.  Maybe ask for a little help your behavior professional if you have one.

Step 3)  For 2 to 4 weeks establish a baseline while still on the diet.  Go on the diet yourself  during this period (don’t cheat, if your child can’t).  Track the data.

Step 4) You and your child go off the diet for 4 to 5 weeks.  Slowly over the first week introduce the withheld food.  I don’t mean to go on a junk food diet.  Still eat many of the healthy foods they were on but add in both healthy and some semi-healthy foods.  Keep the fruits and veggies and add in milk, chocolate milk, cottage cheese (my kids love the doubles w/the fruit mix in), yogurt, pizza, mac n cheese, hot dogs, french fries, hamburgers, spaghetti & meat balls, hearty breads ( wheat, oats, nuts seeds) -eat some sandwiches, turkey, chicken, peanut butter and jelly, breakfast cereals (non-sugary), stir fried rice and whatever foods that you like to eat that you have been denying your child (and yourself for the last few weeks while on the diet).  Also sprinkle in some sweets: oreos, cookies, candy, icecream.  Take them to a restaurant and get some chicken strips and fries.  Allow them to make some food choices and try new things.

Track the Data!

Step 5) Review the data.  You may see no change.  You may see improvement in some areas and poorer performance in others.  Also then think about the risk-benefit.  How much benefit?-does it even seem significant- look at the variation of the data from day to day vs. in between the diet and non-diet times.  Look at the possible detrimental effects- nutrition, unhappy with food choices,  limited food choices, not fitting in/can’t participate with other children, etc. Happiness is a big factor.  Think about how you felt (emotionally) while you were on the diet.

Step 6) Think about what is best for your child and family.

And if you feel like I’m a total lunatic write me.   If you feel like I’ve helped you think about things from a different perspective - great - write me too.  I fully expect that there are children out there who may benefit from these diets.  The theories that they are based on don’t come out of nowhere.  I just feel that the percent of the autistic population who would benefit is very small.  I also believe that the metabolic/health condition that these children have may not be related to “autistic behavior”.