Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, refers to a wide variety of disorders. It can be as mild as a lack of social skills in an otherwise brilliant young adult with good grades, and it can be as severe as a non-verbal child displaying significant cognitive deficits.

However, while a lot is still unknown about the disorder, we do know that nutrition can have an effect on the symptoms. There are foods that may or may not exacerbate symptoms, while some scams suggest that it can be cured with a special diet. On the flipside, children with autism often have problems digesting certain foods or can be very picky eaters. This is why parents should be aware of nutritional guidelines. Here’s everything you need to know about nutrition and autism.

Special Diets

We need to say this now: autism cannot be cured, and it certainly cannot be cured with a special diet. However, children with autism often have health problems that require alterations to the normal diet.

For example, children with autism typically have thinner bones, which makes increasing their calcium intake essential. Don’t worry about giving them dairy products; there are false rumors that casein, a protein in milk, exacerbates symptoms. Studies show that this protein doesn’t alter autism symptoms one way or the other.

Children with autism may be more prone to digestive problems such as nausea, stomach pain, and constipation. Talk to your doctor about dietary changes that are tailored to your specific child.

Nutritional Supplements

There are nutritional supplements that may calm some symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, while others are said to improve mental and physical health overall. For example, essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 aid in both brain and immune system development.

The body cannot make these vital nutrients itself, so you can either get it from the food you eat or supplements for autism. Given how many autistic children are picky eaters, you’re unlikely to get them to eat enough fish and flax. This makes supplementation the only viable alternative. The same is true of B6 and magnesium; your child may eat poultry and fish, but they may not want to eat wholegrain cereal or vegetables.

Vitamin D can reduce ASD symptoms. You can try to take your child outside to play, but vitamins ensure they get enough of this nutrient throughout the year.

Eating Behaviors

Every parent has dealt with picky little eaters. Unfortunately, many parents of autistic children struggle at the dinner table every night for years. Their children may have less interest in food in general, or they may have uncommon food preferences.

Trouble with motor skills can make it hard for some children to feed themselves, or it may simply shape their dietary preferences by leading parents to give them what they can eat on their own. This can contribute to nutritional deficits. For example, many children with autism are low in iron. While autism vitamins can help, multivitamins with iron can cause digestive problems.

It’s worth looking into natural supplements for autism. The experts at Autism Parenting Magazine suggest a few autism supplements that don’t have these side effects. Consider these supplements for autism if you want your child to experience fewer episodes of anxiety, better concentration, and a better mood in general. They also address some of the deficiencies in the western diet that could be making symptoms even worse.

Furthermore, you can use social stories to address both proper mealtime behavior and in social settings, like in a doctor’s office. Always ask a doctor to verify nutritional deficiencies due to limited food intake or limited food selection.

Avoid special diets or restricted diets without personal, medical guidance, because you increase the odds the child ends up with a nutritional deficiency if they continue their current behavior. You can ask for the advice of a dietician to find ways to improve the nutritional content of what your child will eat or find more palatable forms of foods they recommend your child eats more of.

Avoid Food Aversions

If you don’t want your child to develop some aversions that could lead to deficiencies, you have to understand where these aversions come from. In some cases, it might make complete sense.

Some autistic children will refuse certain foods simply because they make them feel uncomfortable. In this case, a doctor may be able to tell if they’re suffering from some sort of intolerance. In other cases, they might have issues with the color of the food or the texture. Sometimes, for instance, it could be something as simple as the squishiness of a tomato. In this case, you could try to cut it up onto a salsa, and introduce it to them slowly.

Autism can affect your child’s nutritional needs and food intake. Consult with medical professionals to come up with a diet that eases your child’s symptoms and meets their physical needs and consider the merits of supplements for autism.