Autism

Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by severe deficits in social interaction and communication, by an extremely limited range of activities and interests, and often by the presence of repetitive, stereotyped behaviours.

Autism is usually evident either at birth or within the first two-and-a-half years of life. Although the causes of autism are unknown or controversial, there is increasing evidence that many factors contribute to the disorder, including nutritional deficiencies, environmental toxicity, gut flora abnormalities and genetics.

Conventional treatment for autism usually includes behavioural therapy or medication (antidepressants, stimulants or antipsychotics). In contrast, biomedical treatment of autism includes treating underlying nutrient deficiencies, digestive problems, unbalanced immune systems and toxic overload. Furthermore, gluten-free and/or dairy-free diets are often suggested.

In this section, you will find an overview of biomedical treatments of autism as well as helpful information on gluten-free casein-free (GFCF) diets and ways to reduce exposure to everyday environmental toxins.

There are many good websites on the research and latest biomedical treatments of autism. For links to some of these see our educational resources section of this website.