Behavioral Issues In Autistic Children

Nutrition is important to understand because it is a significant contributor to the health and wellness of a human being. Nutrition can determine the weight of a person, the performance of organs and the body’s ability to prevent or accelerate certain diseases. Health and nutrition can be influenced by several factors such as family, friends, peers as well as physical and mental stress. As a young child, the immediate family is the biggest influence on nutrition because they are the first role models and establish the initial habits that the individual will develop. Through daily meal plans given to children, they can develop a standard of care in regard to nutrition and then incorporate key food groups into their daily diet. A child’s

Autism is a rare disease that can be characterized by a “neurodevelopmental disorder categorized by the inability to relate to and perceive the environment in the realistic manner.” (Anthes, 1997) The signs of autism are mainly found in infants to young children usually between the ages of newborn to two years. The main symptoms that are discussed are “impairment in social interaction fixation of inanimate objects, inability to communicate normally, and resistance to changes in their daily routine.” (Anthes, 1997) Autism is a very understood disease but one thing most people do not know is that autism not only effects a child’s life mentally and physically, it also effects their social ability to have friends, play normally and even grow up

Children and young people’s health and development is closely linked to their dietary choice as they need the right amount of nutrients necessary to keep their energy and to maintain the body for growth, tissue repair, healthy skin, hair and teeth, red blood cells and strong immune system.

Looking at behavior of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders it can often be categorized in four broad categories. Attention/access is behavior that occurs so the child can obtain something that they want. (Heflin & Alaimo, 2011) Avoidance/Escape is a behavior that allows the child to escape something that is undesirable. (Heflin & Alaimo, 2011) Sensory-based is behavior that occurs to solicit pleasurable feedback. (Heflin & Alaimo, 2011) Pain attenuation is a behavior that so that a pain does not hurt so much not seen a lot in education. (Heflin & Alaimo, 2011) Three of the four behaviors will be addressed in how they manifest in the classroom, examples of these behaviors and recommendations to deal with behaviors.

A major part of any culture is food and dining, and children are a part of that. Children often lose some of their appetite between ages two and six, and because parents worry, bad food habits are put into place. Sugary foods are offered if a child finishes a meal, and many foods have vitamins and nutrients added. However iron, zinc, and calcium are seen to be deficient because juices and sodas are replacing milk, and cereals and processed foods replace fresh fruits and vegetables (Berger, 2006). It is also hard to maintain good eating habits during this age, because children often

When the word autism is stated what is the first picture that comes to mind? Is it a child throwing themselves on the ground and having an uncontrollable fit because the situation has changed from the standard routine all of a sudden? Or a child that is rocking back and forth constantly, or playing with one or two toys for a very long time without getting bored. “Currently one out of 88 children is diagnosed with having an autism spectrum disorder also known as ASD”. Smith R, Hannah S, Sengmuller E (2014 p9) Is there a way to help a child on the autism spectrum without the need for them to be on medication that has its own side effects on how the child behaves? Can a change in the diet help to control some of the side effects of being on the autism spectrum? To answer this question, we need to look at several things 1. How can a specialized diet help a child on the autism spectrum? 2. What are the common diets for autism and what is the difference between these diets. 3. What is the gluten free casein free diet all about and how do you implement it for a child with autism? 4. What evidence is there in support of specialized diets for autism from the medical profession and the parents point of view? 5. How does being on a special diet compared to the national guidelines set by this date for childcare facilities?

Dana chose the article "Dietary, Complementary, and Alternative Therapies" to review for this discussion. According to Hyman and Levy (2011), many families use complementary and alternative medical treatments to lessen the symptoms of autism (CAM). Some use biologic treatments which includes taking vitamins and herbs. The problem with taking vitamins and herbs is that it is not regulated for quality as medications are. There are unknown active ingredients that make it hard to determine if the intervention is working with the allotted dosage. To determine the effectiveness of CAM, researchers need to have placebo control conditions so that it does not affect the results and prevent bias.

Johnson, Handen, Zimmer, Sacco, and Turner (2010) executed a randomized and controlled study to examine the efficacy of a GFCF diet on children with ASD. They hypothesized that a GFCF diet would improve ASD symptoms and behaviors in children. The 22 children participating in this study were all preschool aged (3 – 5 years) with ASD diagnoses. The children were randomly assigned to a GFCF diet or a “healthy diet.” There were 8 children in the treatment group and 14 in the control. To further enhance the experiment, children in both groups were given changes to their diets in an attempt to control for structure. However, the parents were aware which group their child was in. The study design included an Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule to evaluate each child for a baseline ASD diagnosis. From there, dependent measures were acquired before the start of treatment and at the end of 3 months of treatment. The 3 dependent measures were the Mullen Scales of Early Learning AGS Edition, Child Behavior Checklist, and Direct Behavior Observation Measure. Parents were also counseled by nutritionist on how to maintain a balanced diet for their children on the GFCF diet to supplement for the lack of calcium and vitamin-D.

Children 's nutrition is a loaded subject. At no other time in our lives is building a solid foundation for health more important. Yet, at no other time in our lives are we so completely at the mercy of others making decisions for us.

Conclusion: There is no cure for autism and therefore lifelong gluten and casein free diet is essential for best result.

The gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free diet can improve Autistic children's lives. The GFCFSF is known as the Autism Diet. It has helped many people with autism spectrum disorders improve their health and functioning. “ASD children usually limit their diet to a few things. Once children are the diet, they expand their food to include more nutritional choices (Bortfeld, 2017, May 14).” These healthier choices improve the overall nourishment of the child. The nutritional selection also helps with health issues the child may be suffering from. Research by Dr. Harumi Jyonouchi shows that 91% of people with ASD… who tried a GFCFSF diet reported improvements in GI symptoms and some autistic behaviors (Bortfeld, 2017, May 14). The diet can have a positive affect Gastrointestinal (GI) problems and behaviors associated with Autism. These diets can improve an Autistic child and their parent’s way of life in many ways. “According to the Autism Research

One the biggest psychological disorders in our society is childhood autism. Childhood autism is defined as “A pervasive developmental disorder defined by the presence of abnormal and/or impaired development that is manifest before the age of 3 years, and by the characteristic type of abnormal functioning in all three areas of social interaction, communication, and restricted, repetitive behaviour.” (MHresource.org). Furthermore, boys are three to four more times likely to develop childhood autism than girls (MHresources.org). Statistics also show that the prevalence of childhood autism in births is one in fifty-nine and has grown 119.4 percent from 2000 to 2010 (CDC). Now, researchers are looking into what causes childhood autism. They are

Temple Grandin, a doctor in the field of animal sciences who suffers from Autism, once said, “People are always looking for that single magic bullet that will totally change everything. There is no single magic bullet.” Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a general term for a group of complex disorders of brain development. The Autism Spectrum can be split into many subtypes, including Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, and Pervasive Development Disorder- Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Starting from an age as young as infancy, symptoms of Autism may be conveyed. Repetitive behavior, any loss of speech or social skills, and attachment to parents are three of the many symptoms expressed by children with Autism (“What

This journal article examines the challenges that parents of autistic children face on a daily basis. The author’s point out that due to the complexity of an autism diagnosis and life-long continuation of treatment, parents of autistic children experience high levels of stress leading to depression, feelings of helplessness, guilt and marital problems. The research herein shows that the most common stressors associated with parenting an autistic child include persistent behavioral issues, the inability to communicate, a lack of social support, financial issues related to the cost of autism treatment and worries about children transitioning into adulthood and the workforce. Siblings of autistic children also experience higher stress levels

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is known as a neurodevelopmental disorder that is capable of weakening communication, behavior and socialization. The term ASD includes three major subtypes which is Autism Spectrum Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Asperger’s Disorder. About 9.0 in 1000 children have ASD and certain types of autism might not be identified until three years of life. The probability of boys being diagnosed is higher compared to girls (Bravaccio et al. 2013). Autism is not curable, but it can be controlled using certain type of treatments as there is no specific or one treatment for autism. The question that arises for this literature review, if the treatment used for autism is effective?