Hello all, I just wanted to mention what great results we have been seeing with the Gluten Free casein free diet in our home. I started my one dd who I suspect is on the autism spectrum on the diet about a month ago.
Here are a few things I am seeing:
Decrease in cough and wheezing
Dark circles under eyes are better
More expressive language
Little to no constipation
No illness recently
I really feel like it is working and with the consistency in bowel movements I think I can finally get her poop trained. She is urine trained but still uses a pull-up nightly for bowel movements.
I would encourage anyone to give it a try if you are considering it. I feel it has really helped my daughter.
Just wanted to share my exciting results!
Anyone else seen improvement with diet?
Tracey
GGG 2/04

my daughter is also on the GFCF diet. She has been for about two years now. She is not on the autism spectrum, but does have down syndrom. She had horrible reflux as a baby, so bad that the drs wanted to do a surgery to flip her stomach so she would stop vomiting. I was not comfortable with the surgery and started looking into allternatives. I came across this diet and thought I would try. It took about two weeks and she stopped vomiting 100%!!!! We always know if she got ahold of somthing she was not suppose to eat because she will start to vomit. This diet is amazing, and with my little one it is all or nothing. I have to follow it to a "t" because of her severe allergies.

Jessika mom of
identical GGG born 11.21.01
girl 7yrs
girl 6yrs
girl 5yrs
girl 3yrs
boy 9months

Jessika
That is so wonderful that it is working for your daughter! I noticed that it also is very apparent when my DD gets off the diet. It is pretty much all or nothing but it has really done wonders for my DD and I cannot see going off the diet. She just looks and feels too good.
Tracey
GGG 2/04

Tracey, I tried taking mine off the diet and it lasted about a week, it's like her body didnt relize at first that it was having the "toxin" and then it did. I dont think she will ever be off the diet. But, hey, its working, so why mess with a good thin Im glad to hear somone else with just as great results. Let me know if you have any wonderful recepes. I do have one for pumpkin muffins(that even ill eat). Let me know if you would like a copy.

Jessika mom of
identical GGG born 11.21.01
girl 7yrs
girl 6yrs
girl 5yrs
girl 3yrs
boy 9months

Jessika
I would love to have the recipe! Thank you. My email is teossenkop@cox.net. I found a couple of blogs that have some good info too:
http://gfcfblog.blogspot.com/
http://kathi-gfcf.blogspot.com/
I am also trying this diet with my other two triplets that have sensory issues. It seems to be helping them as well.
Tracey
GGG 2/04

Hello Ladies...
I'm going to be starting one of my boys who was recently diagnosed as being autistic on the GFCF diet.
I was wondering if you had any words of wisdom for a newbie, and also if there were any foods in the grocery stores that are "safe" foods? I also read that french fries at McDonalds are a safe food... Is this true? My boy loves VERY specific foods... But nearly all of them are gluten foods.
His favorites are:
Mac & Cheese
Grilled Cheese
Saltines
Cookies
Any help would be so appreciated...
Thanks!!

Im not sure where you live, but if you have a Sprouts close, they are helpful. We use to have Henrys, but they closed down. French fries are a safe food, so you are in luck. Be careful with processed meats. Most have a wheat or dairy darivative(sp). You really learn to read a lot of labels. I have seen a website, I think it is called glutenfree.com. Im not sure, but do a google search and they will give you a whole list of foods and helpful hints.

Jessika mom of
identical GGG born 11.21.01
girl 7yrs
girl 6yrs
girl 5yrs
girl 3yrs
boy 9months

I hate to tell you this but McDonalds fries are no longer safe. I can't remember exactly why but this came out about a year ago and many moms who thought they were gfcf were furious. No more McDonalds

I can't remember the title of the book but there is one written my Lisa Lewis that has great gfcf recipes and lots of ways to adapt your favorite foods.

There are gfcf pastas and cheeses so it may not taste the same but you can still make mac and cheese and grilled cheese. Too, we noticed that once dd was completely gfcf she didn't crave the same foods anymore. She used to want dairy constantly and after the initial withdrawal phase she didn't want it anywhere near as much anymore.

Good luck!

Jessica
Mom to Parker, McKenna, ^Hadley^ born 10/9/07 28w5d
little brother Sawyer
and big sister Ashlyn
www.fourplusanangel.com

My autistic son has been on the diet (just GF) for about 5 years now. He went on for failure to thrive not for the autism itself. His growth has caught up remarkably. The problem with what I did - I belive my son may have Celiac disease. This is a very serious disease with serious complications such as diabetes and intestinal cancer. I have to put my son on gluten for 2 months to get him digagnosed properly now. With him having been on the diet so long he has no antibodies built up and will show up normal in a blood test. Also his body quit producing the enzyme to break it down. I urge all of you to have your child tested for celiac disease before starting the diet. Many people are unsymptomatic with it. You must follow the diet to the letter if you have it including GF shampoo, lotion, sunscreen, play-clay, paints, OTC meds, vitamins, etc. NOT just FOOD! You will never get a school to cooperate with you without the confirmed diagnosis, to make sure all school supplies are safe. I followed my path to save my sons life from an inept pediatrician. I wish I could have done it differently.

Chris

Chris
You make a great point about celiac. I wish I had done the testing before starting the diet just to be certain.
I believe that you can get testing done with a company called Great Plains Laboratory. Not sure if it is the same test for celiac but here is the link for anyone who wishes to do the testing for gluten and casein allergies before beginning the diet. I believe it is a simple urine test and you will need a physician's signature.

http://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/home/eng/peptide.asp

HTH
Tracey
GGG 2/04