SUPPLEMENTATION THE WAY FORWARD IN:

The management of Autism

There is a growing body of evidence indicating that supplementation with high quality food supplement can help in the management of children with autism. Autism can be described as a condition involving abnormality of brain development and behaviour manifesting itself before the age of four. It is often characterised by impairment in social interaction, communication skills, restricted and repetitive behaviour.

               Autistic children are known to have rod dysfunction. Rods are the light sensitive receptors that are responsible for night vision. This explains why they are unable to look at you straight in eye and also find difficult to connect what they see and hear. Nutritionally, many autistic children are severely affected due to poor to poor digestion and absorption of nutrients, compromising  the immune system.

               A deficiency in essential fatty acids(EFAs) is a common phenomenon. It is therefore important to supplement with EFAs containing eicosanoid pentanoic  acids (EPA) and decosahexenoic acid ( DHA) as they both help to reduce the activity of the defective enzyme and overall improvement in behaviour pattern. Apart from other nutritional deficiencies, hyperactivity in autistic children has been linked with sugar imbalance resulting in reduced brain function such as the ability to focus, concentrate and unsociable behaviour. Medically, many are prolonged courses of broad spectrum antibiotics for ear or other respiratory infections during their first year before correct diagnosis of autism. Such treatment often destabilises the population of normal gut floral by killing both the good and bad bacteria, weakening the intestinal membrane, resulting in a condition referred to as `leaky gut syndrome’’. This may cause retardation in growth rate.

FOODS TO AVOID

Refined carbohydrates( junk or fast foods) as they contain little or no fine, sweets, sodas, sugar loaded juices, food enhancers such as mono sodium glutamate (MSG) containing excito-toxin which can trigger seizures. Additives and artificial(the ``E’’ numbers) food colouring are also among the list of the culprits to be avoided. Also avoid food containing gluten (wheat) and casein found in milk protein. Drinking of water should be encouraged apart from diluted natural fruit juices. Consumption of fruits, especially the colourful ones and vegetables should be part of the diet.

               Autistic children are sensitive to environmental toxins such as cadmium; lead, mercury etc., it is therefore important to limit their exposure to them. The use of aluminium sufuria for cooking should be avoided. In conclusion health should be considered as number one in life.