Many parents of autistic children believe that gluten free casein free (GFCF) diets work well to reverse inappropriate behaviors and improve sensory processing. In fact, Alessio Fasana, University of Maryland’s medical director for the Center for Celiac Research, estimates that gluten sensitivity and celiac disease may affect as many as 20% of all autistic kids. Many medical professionals and researchers also believe casein, a protein molecule found in milk, can cause similar issues with inflammation, allergies, and autoimmune reactions.
While special autism diets do work for children who have celiac disease or gluten and casein allergies or sensitivities, the diets themselves are not problem free. Dairy products form a large part of a typical American diet. Most children drink milk or pour it over cereal. They eat slices of American cheese. Mom may use milk or yogurt in her baking and cooking, dress up the child’s veggies with butter or grated cheese, or sneak sour cream into a favorite casserole.
One of the main issues raised against removing casein from an autistic child’s diet is calcium. If the child can no longer drink milk and cannot eat store-bought wheat breads, cheese, or butter, how is he going to get enough calcium? Manufacturers do not fortify organic milk substitutes or grains, so they do not have much calcium – but there are ways to get it into a GFCF diet. It just takes a little bit of detective work, some thought, and a willingness to experiment.
Why Are Calcium-Rich Foods Important?
Under normal conditions, calcium is a tightly regulated, well-stored mineral. Like blood glucose, the amount in the blood available to body cells and tissues does not fluctuate much. The body stores it in bones and teeth, and then withdraws it as needed to keep intracellular fluids, muscles, and blood levels as constant as possible. Calcium is essential for the development of:
- strong bones and teeth
- normal blood clotting
- nerve transmission
- muscle function
- enzyme activity
- hormonal secretions
However, according to the National Institutes of Health’s “Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet,” these functions only use about 1% of the body’s total calcium. Most of the calcium remains stored in the bones and teeth where it contributes strength, and helps body functions. For a child, strong bones and teeth are extremely important, not only to support growth, but also to protect them from bone loss later in life. In addition, the body only absorbs about one-third of the calcium intake, making calcium-rich foods a better choice.
Calcium Deficiency Symptoms
In a child who consumes plenty of dairy products, calcium deficiency is rare. However, the inflammation and autoimmune issues from food sensitivities and allergies can interfere with calcium absorption. This malabsorption often leaves an individual’s calcium level below normal. Although a GFCF diet can quiet the inflammation and possible autoimmune issues within only a few weeks, removing dairy products from the diet will not automatically correct deficiencies.
It is always best to have nutritional deficiencies tested by a medical professional who can monitor supplementation and progress in recovery. However, the following signs and symptoms of calcium deficiency are a clue that an individual might not be getting enough:
- bone deformities
- soft flexible bones (rickets)
- stunted growth
- numbness, tingling, or stiffness in hands or feet
- muscle cramps or spasms
- bone pain (osteomalacia)
- brittle and porous bones
- convulsions
- chronic fatigue
- poor appetite
- abnormal heart rhythms
- failure of blood to clot
Besides building strong bones and teeth, calcium is an important electrolyte. It is involved in water balance, acid/alkaline balance, maintaining osmotic pressure, and heart muscle function.
Improve Calcium Absorption Through Sunshine and Exercise
The body always sacrifices lower-priority processes (like building up bone density) for life-saving functions whenever enough of a nutritional nutrient is not available. However, a couple additional ways besides upping intake may encourage the body to assimilate more of the calcium it already has. According to the book Dr. Jensen’s Guide to Body Chemistry & Nutrition, exercise is one of those ways. “We seem to need at least some minimum of exercise to ‘coax’ calcium into the body,” Jensen writes. “It has been demonstrated that calcium is assimilated better by people who exercise regularly.”
While a small autistic child with inferior muscle development probably will not enter into, or enjoy, a strict, formal exercise routine, the idea is to implement some type of weight-bearing activity. Look for something the child may be interested in lifting or carrying – something fun. To encourage bone growth, the item should weigh just a little more than the child can lift comfortably. If turned into a game where he receives encouragement and praise for building up his muscles, a 5-pound sack of potatoes or a small flower pot heaped with wet potting soil can do the trick.
In addition, incorporate plenty of sunshine into the rules of the game. The amount of Vitamin D acquired through at least 20 minutes of sunshine aids calcium assimilation. You can also separate going outside to play, using an outside game as a positive reinforcement for an in-house lifting exercise.
Non-dairy Sources of Calcium
While dairy products are rich, natural sources of calcium, many other items can supply the body’s needs. Start by taking the time to become familiar with a reliable list of calcium foods, like the one offered at the USDA’s website. Some basic GFCF sources of calcium are:
- almonds and other nuts
- salmon, lean pork loin, tofu
- spinach and other dark, leafy vegetables
- broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, peas, summer squash
- carrots and celery
- mixed vegetables
- tomatoes, canned (including sauces)
- corn tortillas
- potatoes, all types including sweet potatoes
- beans and black-eyed peas
- eggs
- peanut butter
- raisins
- blackberries and raspberries
With a list in hand, analyze each food, considering how often and how much the autistic child currently eats. For example, while whole grains, organic milk substitutes, and some vegetables have very little calcium per serving, parents need to take into account the daily volume.
Introduce New Foods with Calcium Slowly
While the difficulty in getting enough calcium depends on the type of food eaten, it also depends on how resistant the child is to change. Organic or sustainable agriculture (fruits and vegetables grown without pesticides) may be best, but if an autistic child’s calcium level is low, it may be better to: initially use calcium-fortified orange juice, almond milk with calcium fortified cold cereals, or white enriched rice – while seeking out and slowly introducing new, healthier food choices the child will actually eat.
Sources
Hobbs, Havala, Living Dairy-Free For Dummies, For Dummies, August 2010.
Jensen, Bernard, Dr. Jensen’s Guide to Body Chemistry & Nutrition, McGraw-Hill, June 2000.
National Institutes of Health, “Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Calcium” (accessed August 13, 2011)
Working Mother magazine, Janis Graham, “The Dairy Dilemma,” June 1993.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her child’s health should contact a licensed medical professional.
Vickie Ewell - Vickie has worked with autistic individuals for 9 years. She has celiac disease and specializes in gfcf living.
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