What is Gluten Free Casein Free?
What is GFCF? It is a well-known diet that eliminates foods containing the grains wheat, oats, barley, rye, spelt, semolina, triticale, and kamut. These grains contain gluten proteins that are difficult to digest. Products containing the milk protein, casien, must also be eliminated, because it is also difficult to digest.
When my son was diagnosed with autism at age three, we had already been aware of potential food sensitivities or allergies and had begun by removing dairy products and later wheat from his diet. Dairy proved to make the biggest impact on his behavior. Within the first few days of removing dairy from his diet, eye contact improved, tantrumming lessoned, head banging stopped almost completely, he was more interactive, and his eczima and rashes cleared up considerably. A few months later we removed wheat and saw a smaller, but still significant improvement in behaviors and the rash around his mouth finally cleared up completely.
After my son’s diagnosis, I was desperate for anything that would help him. I was doubtful of anything that promised to be a cure-all, but I did a lot of research on the GFCF diet (Gluten Free Casein Free).
The why behind the diet: Many children with autism have some metabolic problems. Researchers are learning that these problems can contribute to autistic behaviors. One of these metabolic issues can be an inability to break down the gluten and casein proteins.
So why do gluten and casein make such a big impact on behavior for many children with autism?
Research done in Norway, England, and the United States have found the products of broken down gluten and casein proteins in the urine of autistic children. These proteins are called peptides. Peptides are found in the urine when opiates are present in the body. Opiates cause the child to act as though they are on opiate drugs: visual and auditory perceptions are altered, their brains are operating as though “in a fog,” they will sit staring, be unresponsive, and often display inapropriate laughter, headbanging, and increased stimming. Other symptoms of autism are often magnified as well after ingesting the offending protein.
The GFCF diet isn’t easy, but is it worth it? Parent’s like me who’s children have come out of the fog, and are progressing better than ever before would tell you it is. Some of these children have even been “undiagnosed.” Is the GFCF diet the magic bullet for all children with autism? No. Some responded minimally or not at all, but I have talked with parents who have watched their child go from “completely non-verbal, with severe behaviors and sensory issues,” to being able to attend mainstream school with their peers and their teachers being unable to tell they had an autism diagnosis. Removing offending foods poses no danger to your child, and the changes might just change your child’s life.
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