Understanding the Gluten Casein Free Diet

Autistic children are sometimes placed on special diets such as the gluten/casein free diet in order to help with focusing and behavioral issues. A gluten casein free is one which removes both of these proteins by eliminating certain foods containing them from the diet. There are some things that you need to learn and keep in mind when deciding to utilize what is often referred to as the "Autism diet" to help ensure that you are actually following the diet.

What is the effect of the diet?

The first days of the diet are the hardest. There are a number of things that you have to learn which means sorting through various resource materials in order to figure out what you're doing. When the offending foods are removed there may be withdrawals such as increased tantrum intensity and violent behavior. These are signs that the proteins were affecting your child; once the withdrawals pass you will begin to see improvement. It is suggested that you give the diet a two month trial to see if you see an improvement in behaviors and a reduction in repetitive behaviors such as spinning.

Improvements found in children that are place on the diet include decreased tantrum behavior and an increase in eye contact. The increased levels of eye contact make it easier for those on the Autism spectrum to process the world around them. Obsessive compulsive behaviors such as lining things up and having to have things a certain way in order to get through the day are also decreased.

Which foods contain the gluten and casein proteins?

Casein in the protein found in mammal's milk and it's derivatives. Items such as whey, sour cream, butter, cheese and even products labeled as non-dairy such as coffee creamer can contain the protein. The label non-dairy does not mean that there is not milk in the product, there can be things such as lactic acid, lactose and even milk in them so making sure that the label is read carefully will help you to avoid mishaps.

Gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley, rye and processed oats. Now that this knowledge is present you have to remember that these items are not always listed on labels in their pure forms by common names. Despite the best efforts to list possible allergy triggering foods on labels it is not always clearly stated in bold print that one of these items in found in the food that you are purchasing.

Verify the sources of items that you are not sure of

When you run across a vague ingredient such as "modified food starch" you should contact the company to ensure the source. The source could be either corn, wheat or any of the gluten containing ingredients. Corn gluten is not the same as the gluten found in wheat and other grains. When you notice caramel color in the ingredient list always verify the source to ensure that there is no gluten or casein found in it.

Alternatives to mammal's milk

Eliminating mammal's milk from the diet does not mean that milk is banned; it simply means that this type of milk is no longer a staple in the diet. There are alternatives that are easily available in the grocery store as both cold items and shelf items. The alternative milks are rice, almond and soy. (Keep in mind some Autistic children have an intolerance to soy milk.) Cow, goat, sheep and even human breast milk all contain similar proteins that can cause the same reaction which is why mammal's milk is avoided all together on the diet.

Going back to basics

The easiest way to follow a gluten casein free diet is to go back to basics. Those on this special diet can have most meats, fresh fruits and vegetables as long as they have not been injected with chemicals or artificial fillers. Meats that have been injected with natural juices should also be avoided. When you first begin the diet all the information that you are bombarded with can get rather confusing going back to basics makes it a lot easier at first.

There are also a number of items that you can make from scratch by searching the isles of the grocery store for gluten casein free ingredients. When it comes to using the gluten casein free diet a number of parents with autistic children have chosen to go organic in an effort to avoid chemicals that they feel are potentially harmful even when food is properly washed and prepared.

Starting out means avoiding 'extras"

When first starting out on the diet going back to basics means avoiding the "extras" that most people have become accustomed to adding to their food. Meats without and vegetables with nothing other than a little salted and pepper cooked in Olive or corn oil may seem to be a bit bland but it's the easiest way to stay true when beginning the diet. Rice and items made from rice are also acceptable to those on the diet.

Items such as soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and various other sauces contain wheat. Luckily each of these items are available in gluten free versions at the local grocery store or health food store. For those the are not sure about items such as vinegar there are alternatives such as rice vinegar. There are also rice flours available for breading and baking.

Specialty Foods

There are a number of companies today that offer specialty gluten/casein free products. These can be found in health food stores, grocery stores and ordered online directly from the companies.

Labeling Foods

When it comes to giving your Autistic child foods you are not going to be the only one feeding them which makes the diet more difficult to follow at times. Creating a system for identifying the foods your child can and can't have along with the ones that you are not sure about will make it easier for everyone to know at a glance what to feed them. Something as simple as colored dots can be used to give family and friends this knowledge to help you avoid mishaps.

Other things to look out for

Various items such as shampoo, make-up, toothpaste and stickers can all contain gluten. There are special versions of these items that you can purchase for your child. A product that is casein free may not be gluten free and a gluten free product may not be casein free.

There are a number of things to consider when placing a child on a special diet among them are the fact that children placed on the diet often lose the main source of calcium in the diet. Discussing the diet with your child's pediatrician and/or a doctor specializing in Autism will help you to address concerns. You can also find out which supplements your child will need to replace the calcium and address other issues they may be having.

Sources:

http://gfcf-diet.talkaboutcuringautism.org/hidden-sources-of-gluten.htm
http://www.autismweb.com/diet.htm
http://www.theallergysite.co.uk/dairy.html
Personal experience as the parent of an Autistic child