This article was presented in the newspaper called USA Today. It discusses how the diet of dairy and wheat products in autism has shown no significant improvements in the symptoms of autism. Susan Hyman, a pediatrician, who led a study of diet and autism states, “subsequent studies have not confirmed this to be true”(Rubin 1). Even though there are still many parents are teacher who are convinced that there has been improvements in autistic children when they stop eating these foods, it has not been declared. Hyman believes that “behavioral therapy, not their diets, deserve credit” (Rubin 1).
The study that was examined in this article was done over an eighteen-month period and consisted of fourteen children, ages 2 ½ to 5 ½. The family members of these children stuck to a strict diet that was free of gluten and diary products. Once the children had been on the diet for four weeks, they were “challenged” once a week with a snack that contains wheat-flour or non-fat dried milk. Professional dietitians created a snack that looked and tasted the same whether or not they had gluten and casein in it. Parents and teachers observed the children’s behavior and completed a survey regarding the their behavior. This survey was completed before the snack and afterwards. The findings showed that there were no negative changes in the children’s behavior after they ate the snacks that contained gluten and casein.
The study that was examined in this article was done over an eighteen-month period and consisted of fourteen children, ages 2 ½ to 5 ½. The family members of these children stuck to a strict diet that was free of gluten and diary products. Once the children had been on the diet for four weeks, they were “challenged” once a week with a snack that contains wheat-flour or non-fat dried milk. Professional dietitians created a snack that looked and tasted the same whether or not they had gluten and casein in it. Parents and teachers observed the children’s behavior and completed a survey regarding the their behavior. This survey was completed before the snack and afterwards. The findings showed that there were no negative changes in the children’s behavior after they ate the snacks that contained gluten and casein.
RSS Feed