What causes autism? While doctors, scientists, researchers and geneticists are trying to solve this mystery, some professionals have the opinion that certain biological factors, such as food sensitivity or a lack of a certain nutrient is the culprit. This biomedical approach to autism has spawned certain ideas on how nutritional supplements can play a role in either curbing the symptoms or bringing an end to the disease.

Food sensitivity is very common in children with autism. The most commonly known sensitivity is to casein (dairy) and gluten (wheat). A specially-created diet for autism is called the Gluten-Free/Casein-Free (GFCF) diet. Many parents will tell you they have seen incredible results when putting their autistic children on this diet. One word of caution: When this diet is being used for medical purposes, watch out for trace amounts of gluten and casein in foods. Even small, trace amounts can linger in the body for days and cause undesirable setbacks.

As for lack of certain nutrients, it has been discovered that many autistic children do have this situation. These nutrients which many of them lack include sulphur, magnesium, zinc, potassium, lithium and iodine.

Many nutritional supplements have been suggested for children who are autistic. Some of these supplements include:

Dimethylglycine (DMG) which strengthens the immune system and helps to decrease the severity of seizures.

Vitamin B6 which repairs excitotoxic damage to brain cells found in some autistic children. Be cautious on how much of a dose is safe for the child. Too much B6 in children can cause side effects such as nausea and diarrhea. It can improve the symptoms of autism for some children, but if it doesn’t show any improvement after 4-6 weeks, discontinue use.

It is best to administer this supplement with magnesium, as it helps the absorption of B6. Our magnesium supply is constantly depleted because of other food sources so it’s essential to add a magnesium supplement to the diet, especially since many autistic children show a profound lack of this nutrient.

Vitamin B9 (Folic acid) has proven to show improvement in children who have autism. Folic acid, or folate, is essential for cell production and maintenance. It also improves mental functioning. Some folic acids include DMG.

Vitamin B12 which helps improve memory as well as mental functioning, and prevents the onset of psychotic episodes can be effective.

A variety of other nutritional supplements have been suggested for children who have autism. One question remains: Is giving these supplements to children with autism safe? Are they even worth the effort?

Many studies have been done to verify the safety of administering nutritional supplementation to children. The consensus is that it is actually safer than prescription medicine. However, be sure to check with your doctor first, especially before giving a child B6 and Dimethylglycine (DMG).

As for whether or not it’s worth the effort, further studies and research have shown a marked improvement in autistic children who have received this type of treatment. The best advice is to talk with your doctor as well as other parents who have provided nutritional supplements to their autistic children. Weigh the pros and cons, do research, and decide on the best approach to take with your child.