Nutrition strategies for kids with autism

When I heard that Temple Grandin was speaking an hour away, I jumped in my pickup and made the trip. Grandin is a hero in these parts and elsewhere — a well-known animal behavior professor at Colorado State University (my alma mater) and an advocate for autistic populations.

Grandin knows first hand about autism; she was diagnosed as a child. Autism is really a spectrum of neurodevelopment disorders related to changes in brain development, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Communication difficulties and awkward social interactions that show up at an early age are characteristic of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“I didn’t talk until I was 4 years old,” Grandin told her standing room only audience. Yet as an adult, she earned a degree in psychology plus master’s and doctorate degrees in animal science. Today she is a noted speaker and author and the subject of the 2010 award winning film, “Temple Grandin.”

What role does nutrition play in ASD? No one knows for sure. Genetic as well as environmental factors (including nutrition) appear to be involved in the development of autism, say researchers

Whatever the insult, it may start as early as pregnancy, according to a recent study at Boston Medical Center. Researchers there found that women who were obese before pregnancy and developed diabetes during their pregnancy — a condition called gestational diabetes — were at higher risk of having children with autism spectrum disorder.

Children with ASD need a balanced healthful diet to help them learn, manage emotions and process information, according the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Yet these kids are often sensitive to certain tastes, colors, smells and textures. Try these strategies,:

• Introduce new foods in a low pressure way. And don’t fret if the child still refuses it. The goal is to help your chid become familiar with new foods over time.

• Make meals predictable. Routine meal times help reduce stress.

• Seek professional guidance before trying overly restrictive diets. Research is still lacking, for example, on the effectiveness of gluten- and casein-free diets for children with ASD.