Autism - What Diet Should Be Followed?

Autism is a condition that afflicts many children around the globe and continues well into adulthood, with far-ranging and lifelong repercussions. While there is no permanent cure for this debilitating condition, one can turn to a number of treatments and management methods in order to take care of the symptoms and suppress the onset of the same. Let us find out more about the causes of the condition as well as the diagnosis, diet and homeopathic treatment for the same.

Causes

This is a neurological disease that children are usually born with. It may arise due to genetic or environmental factors. This is a complex ailment that has a bearing on the social and communication skills of the child and it affects his/her development as the child grows into an adult. Intake of drugs and other kinds of harmful medications during pregnancy are the most notable causes of this disease, while a faulty carrier gene could also bring on this condition in many cases. Exposure to many kinds of chemicals may also lead to the onset of this condition.

Diagnosis

While there are no lab tests that can determine the presence of this condition, doctors usually conduct the diagnosis on the basis of the symptoms, including constant tantrums, repetition of words as well as slurring, and over sensitivity towards pain. Further, a clinical evaluation based on the milestones touched by the child in the development process will also be studied carefully in order to make the right diagnosis. Screening tests can help determine the presence of this condition.

Diet

There is a large body of medical practitioners who hold the belief that the diet of a patient can have a large bearing on how he or she reacts to autism and its symptoms. As per many medical studies, it is known that these patients are not able to digest gluten and casein very well, which is why they should eliminate the same from their diet. Therefore, the patients must stick to gluten-free food like rice, vegetables, corn, soy and even fruits. Further, they should even try to avoid casein-rich food like dairy.

Homeopathic Treatment

These medicines should always be prescribed by a doctor. There are about 20 different types of medicines available to treat and manage the symptoms, especially if they arise due to genetic reasons. These may be prescribed for a period of six months to one year at a time, depending on the severity of the symptoms. The Houston Homeopathy Method has been known to give relief to over hundreds of children suffering from this ailment. Constitutional homeopathy can also be used in such cases so as to bring some respite from the symptoms. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Homeopath.