It's so overwhelming to read up on diet alternatives for kids like Enzo. While there's no guarantee it will help, alot of the stuff we've read seems to point that it helps with some of the symptoms/behaviors that SPD exhibit. He's not autistic but SPD is on the same spectrum. And even tho he hasn't ever been officially diagnosed with ADHD, that would not come as a surprise if he did.
So here we are...I'm terrified of the initial side effects or withdrawal symptoms that some kids get. Everywhere I've read says that these kids are 'addicted' to casein (dairy) and gluten just like a drug addict. They get the same natural 'high' that druggies get with their choice of drug, it says it's the same effects people get when taking opiates. So withdrawal can be like detoxing from drugs.
That sounds sooooo extreme! Hopefully we don't see anything drastic like that. I know the South Beach diet gives me the nastiest headaches and grouchiest moods....oh oh oh! Someone want offer to take Enzo home for a week or so while he detoxes from his food addiction??
I wanted to start the dairy/casein free today but we weren't prepared for it. All we have in the fridge/pantry is cereal, milk and buttermilk waffles for breakfast. HA! That's all dairy. oops we'll have to try tomorrow. Although I have this crazy thing about starting on a Sunday or Monday...starting Tuesday is so...mid-week? and makes it feel so chaotic and not right...but yes that the OCD in me. hmm maybe I'll benefit from the same diet! We'll have to see...
good luck! It is really hard at first. My oldest had a milk-soy protein intolerance when he was a baby so we had to avoid all dairy and all soy products. I feel like I spent the first three years of his life reading labels. You have to read everything closely, and then read it again since many companies change ingredients. My 4 yr old is intolerant to all corn products - that is nearly impossible too!
ReplyDeletewould love to know how it goes!
Alysia
http://trydefyinggravity.wordpress.com/
Hi there! I meant to comment on your post about "going gluten free" and wanted to let you know that we have bascially done so with huge worthwhile results. Our daughter is allergic to Barley, so we pretty much have to stick to gluten free if we buy store bought items.
ReplyDeleteWe actually suspected our daughter (who has SPD)had food allergies, but were told by her pediatrician and GI Dr. that she didn't really have any symptoms, although we kept taking her in for odd rashes, tummy troubles & of course the behaviorial issues.
We went ahead and had her tested and found out she's allergic to a TON of stuff... eggs, barley, nuts, shellfish & so much more, as well as had an intolerance for food dyes (especially red-40).
We had removed Red-40 and artificial dyes (after reading some articles online & just being desperate for anything to help) before taking her to the allergist from her diet and had that alone made a huge difference in her. Her moods where much more stable and she started not to act so "sensory sensitive".
By the time we found out about all these food allergies and removed those items from her diet, the change is amazing... it makes me feel so bad that we didn't do it sooner.
Honestly people who see her now will ask me if we have given her some sort of medicine, there is that much of a difference. She will sit calmly and will pay attention. I can get her to focus. I can shop at the grocery store (armed with snacks and toys of course), but this is something I have never been able to do.
My daughter still has some sensitivities like not liking to get her hands wet or dirty, loud noises, bright lights in stores, but those are things we can work around... I keep sunglasses in my purse for the stores that are bright and that sort of thing, but even these don't seem as intense as they used to be & we do not have the meltdowns anymore.
After seeing the change in my child I truly believe that some children are just more "sensitive" and that means all around and that their diets can affect their behavior. I have even read that they think there is a "leaky gut" connection between kids with Autism and SPD, so dyes, chemicals and that sort of thing that some kids can handle these kids just can't.
Reading all those labels and making sure only the best goes on my child's plate has been worth it for us and I will keep my fingers crossed that you all see the same results!
I just started reading your blog & I am really glad to have found another SPD family to connect with online! :o)
Hi there-
ReplyDeleteI meant to comment after your "gluten free" post... we basically are gluten free because we found out our little one had an allergy to barley.
I just started reading your blog a month or so ago so I don't know if you have had allergy testing or not, but we had our 3 yr tested because after we kept reading about the link between behavior and food allergies. Our little one also complained of tummy pain all the time and had facial rashes... both of which her pediatrician and GI Dr. just sorta discounted.
When we took her for testing we discovered she was allergic to a ton of stuff- eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, barley, shellfish, apricots, chocolate & the list goes on. They also conformed something we suspected that some kids can be super senstive to food dyes such as Red-40 and that those dyes can cause huge behaviorial issues, mood problems, headaches, sleep issues and more.
Once we basically started a gluten free, natural dye diet and removed all those items which our little one was allergic to...the transformation was amazing! Like night and day. I have even had people aske me if we have put her on medication... it's that big of a difference.
Our little one now will focus and pay attention. She doesn't have just random uncontrollable crying fits. She even knows she feels better, one day she ate something with red dye in it and the next day she felt awful and was crying all day and she even asked me what was wrong withe her... she said "mommy what did I have that's making me feel this way?"
She still is senstive to a few things like loud noises, bright lights and getting her hands wet or dirty, but even those don't seem as intense or maybe the way she reacts isn't as intense. Plus, these are things we can handle... like just packing sunglasses for those stores that have bright lights.
I have to read every label. I find myself cooking a lot of items from scratch, so my whole life has changed in how I shop & plan meals, but the amazing thing is that now I have a kiddo who can actually make it through a trip to the store singing instead of crying.
It's been more work in some ways, but less work in the best ways... don't know if that makes sense or not. I have just seen such a difference that I will cook whatever or do whatever it takes to continue to see these results.
I am convinced that these kids with Autism and SPD are just more "senstive" and that means in every aspect... including what goes into their system. I also agree with the theory that there might be a "leaky gut" conenction between kids with Autism or SPD and that some kids just can't handle the additives or dyes that are in our foods.
Like I said, I just started reading a month or so ago...so I can't wait to read about your journey and the results!
my son's blood work all came back negative...even for some of the seasonal allergies stuff...but that one has me stumped because they have him on singulair and nasonex for environmental allergies. maybe that wasn't part of the test?
ReplyDeletebut we're not into our 3rd day of dairy free...we'll go gluten free in a couple of weeks...so i'm really hoping we see at least some change...at least enough to make this diet feel worthwhile because its very consuming
we're into our 3rd day...i dunno why I typed 'not' haha dairy withdrawals has me confused too hehe
ReplyDelete