March 05, 2021 3 min read

Natural Ways for Autism Treatment and the Supplements that Help

Autism is a developmental disorder. It affects the behavior, language and social skills of the child. It markedly starts from childhood. Until now, it is an incurable condition. Some natural autism treatments like gluten-free and casein-free diet reduce the condition. Therefore, these treatments are a source of hope for parents. The causes include exposure to toxins and inflammation. Others are leaky gut, nutrient deficiencies, food allergy, medications and metabolism disorders.

Autism Definition

Autism is also known as an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is a developmental disability, which causes many social and behavioral challenges. Their symptoms include difficulty in communication as well as lack of social interaction. Symptoms generally appear in the first two years of life. It is 4.5 times more common among boys than in girls.

Conventional Treatment

The autism treatment depends on the child’s individual needs. Although no medications treat ASD, some remedies help with better functioning. They can also manage energy levels, depression and seizures. Conventional doctors often prescribe medications to address certain aspects of autism behavior. These include serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, they are of limited ability.

Antidepressant medications are fatal for autism. It is so because people using antidepressant can show signs of suicide. The Adult Repetitive Behavior Questionnaire (RBQ-2) test diagnoses autism in old age people. But, the diagnosis of autism varies from individual to individual.

 Natural Remedies

Natural remedies for autism, likewise diet, improve symptoms. It also includes supplements and other traditional approaches. 

Autism Diet

Foods to Eat

  • Unprocessed, additive-free food 
  • The bone broth provides essential amino acids and minerals. 
  • Poultry; organic turkey produces serotonin.
  • Fermented foods like kimchi have probiotics. They keep a healthy balance of bacteria in the body.
  • Wild-caught fish have high Omega-3s. They are beneficial for brain health.

 Foods to Avoid

  • Gluten-filled foods like bread and pasta
  • Cow’s dairy contains A1 casein. Instead of that, use green leafy vegetables.
  • Sugar-added food items like desserts, sodas and fruit juices, which consequently fluctuate sugar levels
  • Food dyes and food colors create hyperactivity in ADHD children.
  • Soy products irritate the leaky gut.

 The Ketogenic Diet for Autism

Researches on animals and humans showed impressive results of the keto diet. With this purpose in mind, a pilot study on children showed considerable improvement with the keto diet.

Natural Supplements for Autism

  1. Fish Oil 
  • Has omega-3 fatty acids
  • Vital for brain function as well as inflammation
  1. Digestive enzymes 
  • Help to absorb vitamins and minerals
  • Improve digestion and decrease inflammation
  1. Vitamin D3 
  • Essential for healthy brain functioning. 
  1. Probiotic 
  • Help in solving gastrointestinal problems  
  • Maintains the optimal balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut
  1. L-carnitine 
  •  Improves the behavioral symptoms of autism
  • Improves autism severity with time
  1. Multi-vitamin with folic acid
  • Good for pregnant women 
  • Reduces the risk of autism in newborn babies

Homoeopathy

Generally, a specific homoeopathic remedy does not guarantee treatment for autism. Therefore, consult a certified homoeopath who has experience in treating autistic cases.

Ayurveda

Ayurveda treatment includes a daily Ayurveda massage, which especially focuses on dosha imbalances like Vata dosha. As a result, it relaxes a child and controls hypertension. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine

According to Chinese medicine, autism is an energy imbalance. The treatment for this is acupuncture. Basically, the therapy eliminates phlegm, tones blood in the heart, spleen and kidney.

Essential Oils 

The usage of essential oils on children with ADHD has various positive effects. It reduces stress as well as increases mental clarity. Some of the common ones are Sandalwood, Mandarin, Chamomile, Peppermint, Bergamot and Lavender.

Behavior and Communication Treatments

Many programs also prove helpful to address behavior and communication difficulties. Some examples include applied behavior analysis and discrete trial training.

Precautions

Consequently, some of the precautions to diagnose and treat a child with ASD are:

  • Expert opinions to confirm the diagnosis
  • Differentiated treatment program
  • Deep research for finding better treatment programs; every year autism awareness month celebrations tells a lot about these programs.