GFCF Diet
What does it involve?
Dietary restriction. The name GFCF does not adequately describe the foods that it is recommended you remove. Here in the UK, experience has shown that substances other the Gluten and Casein are commonly problematic. These include (but are not limited to) Soy, MSG, Aspartame (NutraSweet), artificial flavours and presevatives.
Care also needs to be taken with items you don't naturally consider may contain Gluten, such as Playdough, paint, soaps, shampoo, toothpaste etc. Some children are so sensitive that even absorbing these substances through their skin can cause problems.
Removing one or more major food groups should not be taken lightly. You need to ensure substitutions make up the nutritonal value.
How might it help?
Exactly how the diet may help will vary from child to child but if your child is a responder (and you need to give enough time to judge) global improvements can be seen. These may include improved bowel habit, appetite and weight regulation, improved behaviours, sleep patterns, eye contact, speech and sensory issues.
The child may go through a stage of worsening behaviours when the offending foods are removed, this is known as the 'withdrawal' stage.
Is Testing Available?
Yes. A urine test is avialable though the ARU in Sunderland to measure urinary peptides. However, the best test is considered to be a trial of the diet.
Further Reading & Resources
The home of the GFCF diet in UK
Look under Dietary Information, Recipes & Supplies
Good explanation of WHY the GFCF Diet
GFCF in 10 EASY weeks. . . really (Should we try this diet?)
Powerpoint Presentation by Mary Romaniec
Autism One Conference 2005
Autism and Schizophrenia: Intestinal Disorders, Cade R et al. Nutritional Neuroscience, March 2000
". . . A gluten-casein free diet was accompanied by improvement in 81% of autistic children within 3 months. Our data provide support for the proposal that schizophrenia and autism are due to absorption of exorphins formed in the intestine from digestion of gluten and casein."