FOOD INTOLERANCE NETWORK
FACTSHEET
Autism, Asperger Syndrome and
Failsafe
Does
the failsafe diet work for children with autism?
There are many diets - such as the GFCF - offered for autistic children,
but parents often tell us report that failsafe is the most effective diet they
have found. Autistic children can improve right out of the autistic category.
We find that children with autism have the same risk profile as any other
children with behaviour problems: salicylates, preservatives, amines, MSG and
colours are the main problems, in that order, as well as dairy foods, wheat,
gluten and environmental chemicals if symptoms are severe. What this means in
practice is that some autistic children will need to be gluten free and dairy
free but some will not; most will react to salicylates, but some won't. You
need to find which food chemicals provoke your child's problems, through
systematic elimination and challenge.
Research:
autism, diet and 'clean room'
A study of nearly 50 autistic children found that the children's
symptoms appeared to be 'fully reversible' with a combination of diet and
avoidance of volatile organic compounds. 'The children in the program
(universal diet and clean room) returned to normal', said Dr Slimak. She
commented that a broad spectrum of severe and chronic autistic symptoms appear
to be caused by chronic exposure to volatile organic compounds. See full
abstract below. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are organic chemicals,
meaning they consist mostly of carbon and hydrogen, which can turn into gases
at room temperature, move around by diffusion, and may settle out again at
lower temperatures. Pesticides, perfumes and solvents are all VOCs. For more
details, see the Factsheet Fumes & Perfumes. "Clean Room" is a
specific term for a room that is free of all organic chemicals.
Food-induced
autism
Our failsafe contact in
Two
mother's stories about Asperger Syndrome.
[271] Sound sensitivity improves on diet (June 2003)
We discovered failsafe over a year ago when my son Liam was four.
Ironically, because of the failsafe internet support group he was diagnosed
with Asperger's a while later.
He used to hate loud sounds and either shut down, cringing in a corner
with his hands over his ears, or more often, he rose above it with the most
aggressive behaviour and loudest noise he could muster. One time I had the
blender on for one minute and he screamed and threw a chair across the room,
quietening down as soon as I turned it off. This has dramatically reduced now.
It was not instantaneous with the introduction of diet but somewhere in the
course of last year it improved. I have found that this is the improvement
which most intrigues other parents of autistic kids. Liam still doesn't like
loud noises such as fire alarms but he is content to hold his hands over his
ears.
For Liam, the diet has been like unfogging his brain and allowing him to
catch up where he is delayed, mainly socially and in his emotions. But the most
interesting thing was watching his drawing develop. When he first started
kindy, he drew like a two year old, all scribbles. After he started the diet,
his drawing just took off and in a matter of months we watched him improve to
above his age level. Literally every week there were new dimensions. It was so
exciting and a very visible reminder of how the diet now allowed him to
develop.
Liam is gluten, dairy and egg free as well as failsafe and he has soy
only once every four days. I could not say he is perfect, but he is light years
ahead of where we were. - Caroline (finb and Failsafe discussion groups)
[441] Tim's world (shadowings
of Asperger's) (August 2006)
When we had our son Tim assessed for Asperger's, we found that his way
of viewing the world was different from ours. The tests highlighted his
strengths such as maths, eg he scored 17 out of a possible 19 for this area,
comprehension and reading skills. They also highlighted his weaknesses in motor
coordination and his differing ability in various social situations.
Tim's world can be black and white. He doesn't cope well to change and
is like a sponge soaking up written information. He was described as a little
adult trapped inside a child's body. This can vary from day to day, depending
whether Tim is in what I call 'child mode', happy to play with trucks and toys
and his brother, or 'adult mode', needs specific jobs to do, be busy, needs to
know and plan ahead.
Tim's overall score fell just a few points short of the criteria for
diagnosis. When this happens, the person is described as having shadowings or
ghostings of Asperger's, that is, enough of the traits to be a huge concern.
This has helped us to find ideas and strategies to cope with his condition.
An occupational therapist with a special interest in sensory/tactile
areas explained such things as why Tim likes to wear specific clothes, bounces
up and down, spins (though this only happens every now and then) and why his
hearing and sense of smell are so acute. These actions and sometime making
noise help Tim balance himself. We were advised not to stop these actions, but
find ways of directing them into a more socially acceptable form eg bouncing on
a trampoline.
Overall, if we can improve his motor skills, his social skills and
behaviour will improve.
Tim struggled socially at school last year, but this year things seem
much better. We have had friends around to play, though I'm always on hand to
help direct the play and social skills needed for a happy afternoon, and I can
honestly say Tim is not the lonely little boy he was eight months ago.
My advice to other parents who feel there is something different about
their beautiful child, but no one will seem to listen: don't give up. We were
patted on the head by doctors for three and a half years ('he's just highly
strung, he will grow into himself ' - what a great help that was!) and it was
my own sister who suggested Asperger's due to an article she had read.
Having put a name to and found a reason for Tim's behaviour has
empowered us to help our beautiful, bright and unique child to be happy. Tim
seems sensitive to any artificial products, either additives or smells. We have
seen him react to smells such as air fresheners and roadwork smells such as
tar. We were also told to watch if his ears go red as this can often be a
warning that something is not agreeing with him chemically and we have found
this to be true. He can eat salicylates but is limited on amines. - Elaine (pekeely@cybanet.net.au)
Ethan’s
diet
Before Darani from
A nutritional analysis of his diet showed that
Ethan's daily intakes of calcium, iron, A, B and C vitamins and other nutrients
were all above the recommended intake, especially folate which was more than
four times the recommended level. See below for Ethan's menu. In particular,
the hearty chicken noodle soup/stew (recipe in the Failsafe booklet) which was
a mainstay of his diet - he ate a serve
nearly every day - was found to be highly nutritious.
Breakfast: Soy smoothie with soymilk, carob
powder, pear and egg or gf toasted bread or rice flake porridge with pear puree
and soymilk
Lunch at school: 4 rice cakes, home-made
hummus or chickpeas and cashew with carob or gluten free sandwich with rissoles
Morning /afternoon tea: soy yoghurt or pear
muffin (Margie's lunchbox muffins) or baked muesli slice or pureed pear icypole
or packet plain crisps (only on treat days)
Dinner: hearty chicken noodle soup (see recipe
below) or spaghetti with failsafe topping or baked dinner or rice crumbed
chicken nuggets and chips or mince and potato casserole with hidden green
vegies
Darani's hearty chicken noodle soup/stew
This highly nutritious meal was 3 year old
Ethan's favourite during his elimination diet and he ate it nearly every day.
1
whole free-range chicken
1
leek (halved lengthways)
1
tsp salt
1
cup red lentils
12
brussel sprouts or approx 1/2 cabbage
1
swede
4-6
sticks celery
4-6
shallots
1
cup frozen green beans
375g
pkt Orgran rice and corn (5%) spaghetti noodles or Fantastic rice noodles
Place chicken in pot with leek and enough
water to cover, add salt, bring to the boil and simmer until cooked through,
about 45 minutes. Remove chicken and allow to cool a little. Strain stock,
return to pot and add red lentils, then washed and finely chopped vegetables.
Gently simmer until well cooked, about one hour. Meanwhile, remove skin and
bones from chicken, finely chop or process and return to pot with vegetables.
Add noodles and cook for a further 10-15 minutes. This usually makes enough to
fill about 8 rectangular Chinese take-away containers (2 serves in each for my
son) which I then freeze and use as needed. Soup is very thick, more like stew
really, and can be watered down a little if preferred.- Darani
Note that you can blend this soup (without the
noodles) for extra fussy eaters.
FOR MORE DETAILS:
You
can see Darani and Ethan in the interviews on our DVD
Ask
Darani for a booklet of Ethan's recipes, email: darani@xceltek.net.au
See
more recipes in the Failsafe Booklet under FAILSAFE EATING on www.fedup.com.au.
Teaching
Tips for Children and Adults with Autism
Dr Temple Grandin is probably the most famous autistic person in the
world. Now assistant professor at
Good teachers helped me to achieve success. I was able to overcome
autism because I had good teachers. At age 2 1/2 I was placed in a structured
nursery school with experienced teachers. From an early age I was taught to
have good manners and to behave at the dinner table. Children with autism need
to have a structured day, and teachers who know how to be firm but gentle.
Between the ages of 2 1/4 and 5 my day was structured, and I was not
allowed to tune out. I had 45 minutes of one-to-one speech therapy five days a
week, and my mother hired a nanny who spent three to four hours a day playing
games with me and my sister. She taught 'turn taking' during play activities.
When we made a snowman, she had me roll the bottom ball; and then my sister had
to make the next part. At mealtimes, every-body ate together; and I was not
allowed to do any "stims." The only time I was allowed to revert back
to autistic behaviour was during a one-hour rest period after lunch. The combination
of the nursery school, speech therapy, play activities, and "miss
manners" meals added up to 40 hours a week, where my brain was kept
connected to the world.
1.) Many people with autism are visual thinkers. I think in pictures. I
do not think in language. All my thoughts are like videotapes running in my
imagination. Pictures are my first language, and words are my second language.
Nouns were the easiest words to learn because I could make a picture in my mind
of the word. To learn words like "up" or "down," the
teacher should demonstrate them to the child. For example, take a toy airplane
and say "up" as you make the airplane takeoff from a desk. Some
children will learn better if cards with the words "up" and
"down" are attached to the toy airplane. The "up" card is
attached when the plane takes off. The "down" card is attached when
it lands.
2.) Avoid long strings of verbal instructions. People with autism have
problems with remembering the sequence. If the child can read, write the
instructions down on a piece of paper. I am unable to remember sequences. If I
ask for directions at a gas station, I can only remember three steps.
Directions with more than three steps have to be written down. I also have
difficulty remembering phone numbers because I cannot make a picture in my
mind.
3.) Many children with autism are good at drawing, art and computer
programming. These talent areas should be encouraged. I think there needs to be
much more emphasis on developing the child's talents. Talents can be turned
into skills that can be used for future employment.
4.) Many autistic children get fixated on one subject such as trains or
maps. The best way to deal with fixations is to use them to motivate school
work. If the child likes trains, then use trains to teach reading and math.
Read a book about a train and do math problems with trains. For example,
calculate how long it takes for a train to go between
5.) Use concrete visual methods to teach number concepts. My parents
gave me a math toy which helped me to learn numbers. It consisted of a set of
blocks which had a different length and a different color for the numbers one
through ten. With this I learned how to add and subtract. To learn fractions my
teacher had a wooden apple that was cut up into four pieces and a wooden pear
that was cut in half. From this I learned the concept of quarters and halves.
6.) I had the worst handwriting in my class. Many autistic children have
problems with motor control in their hands. Neat handwriting is sometimes very
hard. This can totally frustrate the child. To reduce frustration and help the
child to enjoy writing, let him type on the computer. Typing is often much
easier.
7.) Some autistic children will learn reading more easily with phonics,
and others will learn best by memorizing whole words. I learned with phonics.
My mother taught me the phonics rules and then had me sound out my words.
Children with lots of echolalia will often learn best if flash cards and
picture books are used so that the whole words are associated with pictures. It
is important to have the picture and the printed word on the same side of the
card. When teaching nouns the child must hear you speak the word and view the
picture and printed word simultaneously. An example of teaching a verb would be
to hold a card that says "jump," and you would jump up and down while
saying "jump."
8.) When I was a child, loud sounds like the school bell hurt my ears
like a dentist drill hitting a nerve. Children with autism need to be protected
from sounds that hurt their ears. The sounds that will cause the most problems
are school bells, PA systems, buzzers on the score board in the gym, and the
sound of chairs scraping on the floor. In many cases the child will be able to
tolerate the bell or buzzer if it is muffled slightly by stuffing it with
tissues or duct tape. Scraping chairs can be silenced by placing slit tennis
balls on the ends of the legs or installing carpet. A child may fear a certain
room because he is afraid he may be suddenly subjected to squealing microphone
feedback from the PA system. The fear of a dreaded sound can cause bad
behaviour. If a child covers his ears, it is an indicator that a certain sound
hurts his ears. Sometimes sound sensitivity to a particular sound, such as the
fire alarm, can be desensitized by recording the sound on a tape recorder. This
will allow the child to initiate the sound and gradually increase its volume.
The child must have control of playback of the sound.
9.) Some autistic people are bothered by visual distractions and
fluorescent lights. They can see the flicker of the 60-cycle electricity. To
avoid this problem, place the child's desk near the window or try to avoid
using fluorescent lights. If the lights cannot be avoided, use the newest bulbs
you can get. New bulbs flicker less. The flickering of fluorescent lights can
also be reduced by putting a lamp with an old-fashioned incandescent light bulb
next to the child's desk.
10.) Some hyperactive autistic children who fidget all the time will
often be calmer if they are given a padded weighted vest to wear. Pressure from
the garment helps to calm the nervous system. I was greatly calmed by pressure.
For best results, the vest should be worn for twenty minutes and then taken off
for a few minutes. This prevents the nervous system from adapting to it.
11.) Some individuals with autism will respond better and have improved
eye contact and speech if the teacher interacts with them while they are
swinging on a swing or rolled up in a mat. Sensory input from swinging or
pressure from the mat sometimes helps to improve speech. Swinging should always
be done as a fun game. It must NEVER be forced.
12.) Some children and adults can sing better than they can speak. They
may respond better if words and sentences are sung to them. Some children with
extreme sound sensitivity will respond better if the teacher talks to them in a
low whisper.
13.) Some nonverbal children and adults cannot process visual and
auditory input at the same time. They are mono-channel. They cannot see and
hear at the same time. They should not be asked to look and listen at the same
time. They should be given either a visual task or an auditory task. Their
immature nervous system is not able to process simultaneous visual and auditory
input.
14.) In older nonverbal children and adults touch is often their most
reliable sense. It is often easier for them to feel. Letters can be taught by
letting them feel plastic letters. They can learn their daily schedule by
feeling objects a few minutes before a scheduled activity. For example, fifteen
minutes before lunch give the person a spoon to hold. Let them hold a toy car a
few minutes before going in the car.
15.) Some children and adults with autism will learn more easily if the
computer keyboard is placed close to the screen. This enables the individual to
simultaneously see the keyboard and screen. Some individuals have difficulty
remembering if they have to look up after they have hit a key on the keyboard.
16.) Nonverbal children and adults will find it easier to associate
words with pictures if they see the printed word and a picture on a flashcard.
Some individuals do not understand line drawings, so it is recommended to work
with real objects and photos first. The picture and the word must be on the
same side of the card.
17.) Some autistic individuals do not know that speech is used for
communication. Language learning can be facilitated if language exercises
promote communication. If the child asks for a cup, then give him a cup. If the
child asks for a plate, when he wants a cup, give him a plate. The individual
needs to learn that when he says words, concrete things happen. It is easier
for an individual with autism to learn that their words are wrong if the
incorrect word resulted in the incorrect object.
18.) Many individuals with autism have difficulty using a computer
mouse. Try a roller ball (or tracking ball) pointing device that has a separate
button for clicking. Autistics with motor control problems in their hands find it
very difficult to hold the mouse still during clicking.
19.) Children who have difficulty understanding speech have a hard time
differentiating between hard consonant sounds such as 'D' in dog and 'L' in
log. My speech teacher helped me to learn to hear these sounds by stretching
out and enunciating hard consonant sounds. Even though the child may have
passed a pure tone hearing test he may still have difficulty hearing hard
consonants. Children who talk in vowel sounds are not hearing consonants.
20.) Several parents have informed me that using the closed captions on
the television helped their child to learn to read. The child was able to read
the captions and match the printed works with spoken speech. Recording a
favorite program with captions on a tape would be helpful because the tape can
be played over and over again and stopped.
21.) Some autistic individuals do not understand that a computer mouse
moves the arrow on the screen. They may learn more easily if a paper arrow that
looks EXACTLY like the arrow on the screen is taped to the mouse.
22.) Children and adults with visual processing problems can see flicker
on TV type computer monitors. They can sometimes see better on laptops and flat
panel displays which have less flicker.
23.) Children and adults who fear escalators often have visual
processing problems. They fear the escalator because they cannot determine when
to get on or off. These individuals may also not be able to tolerate
fluorescent lights. The Irlen colored glasses may be helpful for them.
24.) Individuals with visual processing problems often find it easier to
read if black print is printed on colored paper to reduce contrast. Try light
tan, light blue, gray, or light green paper. Experiment with different colors.
Avoid bright yellow--it may hurt the individual's eyes. Irlen colored glasses
may also make reading easier. (see the Irlen Institute's web site.)
25.) Teaching generalization is often a problem for children with
autism. To teach a child to generalize the principle of not running across the
street, it must be taught in many different locations. If he is taught in only
one location, the child will think that the rule only applies to one specific
place.
26.) A common problem is that a child may be able to use the toilet
correctly at home but refuses to use it at school. This may be due to a failure
to recognize the toilet. Hilde de Clereq from
27.) Sequencing is very difficult for individuals with severe autism.
Sometimes they do not understand when a task is presented as a series of steps.
An occupational therapist successfully taught a nonverbal autistic child to use
a playground slide by walking his body through climbing the ladder and going
down the slide. It must be taught by touch and motor rather than showing him
visually. Putting on shoes can be taught in a similar manner. The teacher
should put her hands on top of the child’s hands and move the child’s hands
over his foot so he feels and understands the shape of his foot. The next step
is feeling the inside and the outside of a slip-on shoe. To put the shoe on, the
teacher guides the child’s hands to the shoe and, using the hand-over-hand
method, slides the shoe onto the child’s foot. This enables the child to feel
the entire task of putting on his shoe.
28.) Fussy eating is a common problem. In some cases the child may be
fixated on a detail that identifies a certain food. Hilde de Clerq found that
one child only ate Chiquita bananas because he fixated on the labels. Other
fruit such as apples and oranges were readily accepted when Chiquita labels
were put on them. Try putting different but similar foods in the cereal box or
another package of a favorite food. Another mother had success by putting a
homemade hamburger with a wheat free bun in a McDonald’s package.
Temple Grandin, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Colorado State University Fort
Collins, CO 80523,
Research
Reduction of autistic traits
following dietary intervention and elimination of exposure to environmental
substances
Abstract: Effects of environmental exposure were isolated and studied in
49 autistic children. Elimination of food-related reactions entirely allowed
effects of environmental chemicals to be thoroughly studied indefinitely in the
absence of food-related symptoms. Initially unaffected by social contexts, the
autistic subjects acted out the ways they were affected by their environment
without the altering effects of societal influences; and severity of the
adverse effects made observation and study easier. There was a strong
correlation between environmental exposure levels and autistic symptoms and
behaviors. There appeared to be nothing inherently wrong with autistic children
studied. The children in the program (universal diet and clean room) returned
to normal physically, in temperament, in awareness of surroundings and others,
in emotions and empathy, and in ability to learn. Based on the results of the
present study, a broad spectrum of severe and chronic autistic symptoms appear
to be environmentally based, apparently caused by chronic exposure to volatile
organic compounds, and appear to be fully reversible in the proper environment.
Full text at http://www.immuneweb.org/articles/slimak.html
Further reading: Slimak, K. 2003. Reduction of
autistic traits following dietary intervention and elimination of exposure to
environmental substances. In Proceedings of 2003 International Symposium on
Indoor Air Quality and Health Hazards, National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences, USA, and Architectural Institute of Japan, Jan 8-11, 2003,
Tokyo, Japan, vol 2, pp 206-216; www.specialfoods.com
Further reading
Hitchhiking through Asperger Syndrome, by Lise Pyles, Jessica Kingsley
Publishers,
Aspergers Syndrome: a guide for parents and professionals by Tony
Attwood.
Symptom discussion paper: Pervasive Development
Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)
The information given is not intended as
medical advice. Always consult with your doctor for underlying illness. Before
beginning dietary investigation, consult a dietician with an interest in food
intolerance. You can find a supportive dietitian through the Dietitians
Association of
© Sue Dengate update August 2006
