The Shock and Despair of Discovering Your Child Has Autism. Where Do You Turn?

Parents experience many emotions when they discover their child has autism. A combination of shock and despair engulfs the parents. The heart may race, as it slowly breaks, and the mind may refuse to function, as the concern of the stability of their child consumes their mind. It is a trying time for parents and one that is definitely emotional.

Autism spectrum disorder is a condition of the brain. It is a range of various neurodevelopment disorders characterized by difficulty in communication, with social impairments, and restricted, stereotypes, and repetitive patterns of behavior. Autism is both a concern to the parent and a challenge.

Parents are faced with lifestyle changes as the child often is treated with medications and therapies to help them with behavioral problems. Diet should be reconstructed and restriction of specific foods should be considered. Recently, attention has been focused on gluten and casein and the restriction of them in the diet.

Gluten is found in such foods as grains and wheat, such as kamut, durum, oats, and rye. Casein is a protein which is found in foods containing milk products and milk. Such foods as ice cream, yogurt, butter and cheese.