Nutrition and Your Autistic Child

It seems like common sense that a well nourished child is a happier child. Many parents have noticed moody or cranky behavior in their young children before meal time or after school when they arrive home hungry. For an Autistic child, however, who may not be able to accurately communicate his or her needs, this hunger may go unnoticed. Or they may not want to eat and may have many food aversions. For these reasons, integrating nutrition therapy into treatment for children with autism is critical.

In many cases, nutrition is not an integral part of overall therapy at diagnosis. Yet many parents who eventually seek out this information on their own, are getting nutrition information from questionable sources. Some parents may not take nutrition therapy into consideration at all.

Autism is complex and involves a spectrum of challenging behaviors, so it is natural for both parents and caregivers to initially focus directly on controlling those behaviors. In many cases, the health care team includes a physician, occupational therapist, speech therapist and behavior therapist; but does not include a registered dietitian to provide nutrition therapy. What is interesting is that almost all autistic children have nutritional deficiencies, food intolerance, or gastrointestinal disorders that often are not thoroughly addressed. While studies involving the significance of the effect nutrition status has in the management of autism are preliminary, there is good reason to consider filling this gap in treatment.

The goal of nutrition therapy in autism is to support the structure and function of the child’s brain and body to perform at their optimal level and to maximize the child’s brain function so that the response to other treatment is enhanced. Proper nutrition therapy should include a comprehensive nutrition assessment and also address feeding problems, any gastrointestinal problems, or need for vitamin and mineral supplementation.

Imagine a child who has difficulty communicating his or her needs, feeling uncomfortable every time he eats due to unknown food sensitivities or intolerance. This sends a negative message to avoid those foods or avoid eating all together. Children with food allergies are at higher risk for nutrition-related problems and decreased growth, but children with autism are more negatively affected due to their problems with sensory integration dysfunction.

Allergy symptoms may include hives, coughing, eczema, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, gastrointestinal reflux, watery eyes, nasal congestion or sneezing. To determine which foods are problematic, an “Elimination/Challenge Diet” is applied. Once problem foods are removed from the diet, the discomfort is resolved, and the child becomes more open to mealtime. A well-nourished child is a better-behaved child. In many cases, children who undergo nutrition assessment and treatment, have a formed bowel movement for the first time in his or her life. Imagine how eliminating this discomfort helps a child!

Many autistic children may also have a subclinical nutrition deficiency. This is a deficiency of a particular vitamin, mineral, or essential fatty acid that is not severe enough to produce a classic deficiency symptom, but rather has more global, subtle effects that result in loss of optimal health and impairment of body processes. These subclinical deficiencies can cause irritability, poor concentration, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances or loss of appetite. While it is best to determine which vitamin or mineral the child may be deficient in, minimally a standard multi-vitamin and mineral supplement is recommended. Look for supplements that have the USP label on them, and those that are free of colors, allergens or artificial flavors to eliminate any possible food intolerance issues. Using liquid forms that can be mixed into favorite foods (such as applesauce, yogurt, juices, or sherbet) is one strategy for children who have difficulty chewing or swallowing vitamins. Asking a pharmacist to compound a multivitamin and mineral supplement that is age appropriate is another option.

In addition to the multivitamin/mineral, omego-3 fatty acids have been shown to be helpful as well. Numerous studies indicate that Omega-3 fatty acids are deficient in those who have ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia. Abnormalities in fatty acid metabolism may account for many features common in these conditions. There is some preliminary evidence that it is also deficient in children with autism. For children ages seven and older, 650 milligrams per day of an Omega-3 that provides both EPA and DHA is recommended. For children four to six years of age, 540 milligrams per day is recommended, and for children aged one to three, 390 milligrams per day is needed.

Much more research is needed in the area of nutrition and autism, but clearly nutrition is a key piece of the treatment puzzle that is often missing. Speak with your health care team about a thorough nutrition assessment for your autistic child.

Austin Real Estate Market Steady

After a rather neutral start in 2008, the real estate market for residential homes in Austin has increased its inventory of homes for sale, according to statistics from the Austin MLS. This is happening despite a continuation of one of the highest metropolitan growth rates in the country and a strong and growing local economy.According to different Austin real estate agents, bad economic news from other parts of the country are causing prospective buyers to hold off as they wait and see what the economy might do. Some of them may be hoping that prices will fall even more before they buy, even though buying prospects are strong right now. Current mortgage rates are the lowest they have been in 35 years. The last time rates were this low during a buyer’s market was in 1973.This wait-and-see approach has caused a slight drop in prices in some areas, but most area properties are holding steady in value. The market is slow right now, but is not depressed like it is in some other areas of the country.Statistics from the U.S. Census bureau and compiled by the Texas A&M Real Estate Center and published on July 3 this year in the Texas Real Estate Market Reports show that the population in the Austin/Round Rock metropolitan area has increased by about 43% since 1997. Almost 1,600,000 people now live in the area. The city of Austin expects this growth trend to continue as far ahead as 2020, according to the report.Experts also expect an increase in jobs and a low unemployment rate to continue during the next ten years. Austin and the Texas Hill Country will continue to be one of the fastest growing areas of the nation and is expected to enjoy one of the healthiest economies as well.Some experts have pointed out that the rise in real estate values in Austin has remained steady over the years. The area has not seen increases in property value of 200% to 2000% as has been seen in some areas of California and Florida, for example. This, coupled with an equally consistent growth in jobs and a high rate of population increase, has worked to protect real estate from attaining overly inflated values which make it vulnerable to bubble bursting in times of economic difficulty.The Texas Real Estate Market Report shows that Austin/Round Rock led the state in population growth between 1997 and 2007. The area consistently ranks in national top 10 lists for growth. For example, from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2007, Austin was the 5th fastest growing metropolitan area in the US, according to Census Bureau population estimates.All these new people moving into the city and its outlying areas(more than 65,000 of them from 2006 to 2007) need a place to live. Many will buy homes. It is this kind of growth that is helping to keep Austin real estate values from falling as much as they are in other parts of the country.However, ironically, it may be that Austin’s tech recession in the early 2000′s that is helping to bolster the market today. According to a report published by the demographics department of the city of Austin, “We never had a housing bubble here because of the lingering effects of the tech recession, and ironically it was the depth of our local recession that then gave us protection from the ruinous fallout from a bursting bubble in residential real estate that has dramatically altered the economic landscapes of Florida, California, Arizona, New England and the Midwest.”One thing seems certain; the Austin real estate market remains one of the surest and safest in any of the metropolitan areas in the country. That coupled with the nationally recognized quality of life that the city offers makes Austin one of the “sexiest” urban areas in the country.

There is an excessive amount of traffic coming from your Region.

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