Full Description

Autism & ADHD Diet

"Huge changes"| "A different child"| "A miracle" | "Vast improvements"

This is what parents are saying about an amazing diet that is showing extraordinary results in helping children eliminate many traits and symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, celiac disease, and other conditions. The Gluten-Free, Casein-Free (GFCF) Diet, as well as removing all artificial dyes and preservatives, is hugely effective for thousands of families.

The Autism & ADHD Diet is your complete guide to the GFCF Diet. Barrie Silberberg, a mother who honed her skills using the GFCF Diet with her son, who was diagnosed with ASD, gives you everything you need to know to put the diet into action with your child, including:

• What the GFCF Diet is and why it's so effective
• How to start the diet
• Where and how to buy GFCF foods
• How to avoid cross-contamination
• How to understand labels on packaging
• How to make this diet work day-to-day

Packed with parent-proven tips and the best resources for the diet, The Autism & ADHD Diet will alleviate all of your questions and provide a variety of ways to make this diet work best for you and your family.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Foreword by Donna Williams
Introduction

Chapter 1. Our Story, Our Miracle
Chapter 2. Before We Begin: First Ditch the Dyes, Preservatives, and Other Problematic Foods
Chapter 3. Understanding the GFCF Diet: Answering Common Questions
Chapter 4. Ready, Set, Go: Starting the GFCF Diet
Chapter 5. The Nitty-Gritty Part: Putting the GFCF Diet into Action
Chapter 6. Buying and Preparing GFCF Foods
Chapter 7. How to Read Labels
Chapter 8. Eating Out, Vacationing, and Hospital Visits
Chapter 9. The GFCF Diet in Action: Questions and Answers
Chapter 10. Menu Ideas
Chapter 11. Dealing with Naysayers
Chapter 12. Success Stories from All over the World
Chapter 13. Other Interventions, Services, and Diets to Investigate
Chapter 14. Spreading the Word
Chapter 15. My Son Noah's Story… In His Own Words

Resources
Index
About the Author

Excerpt

Excerpt

Because of our son's miracle and the miracles of thousands of others worldwide who have experienced success with this diet and other interventions, I knew that I had to share our story and my knowledge, so that you, too, can achieve the success that we joyfully saw in our own lives.

When my son was in preschool, he played alone and only ate from a very select group of foods. He was very verbal, yet odd. I thought perhaps he was gifted. At age two, he taught himself the alphabet. At four, he taught himself to read.

Then, in kindergarten, my son's behavior was horrible. He threw things, screamed, and had uncontrollable meltdowns. He had severe sensory issues, very poor social skills, never changed his diet from peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, milk, cookies, crackers, chips, pretzels, yogurt, cheese, and french fries—and he had mushy stools. He had obsessions, but they were typical boy interests, like Thomas the Tank Engine and Disney movies.

When my son began first grade at a new school, he had a very difficult time. I kept researching websites about gifted children to find out why my son was different from other kids. Meanwhile, he continued to be in trouble constantly for inappropriate behavior. He was very violent and continued to have horrific meltdowns, and his sensory problems were causing him a lot of pain and suffering.

I brought articles that I found online to his teacher, showing her the odd behavioral traits and characteristics of brilliant children. They seemed to fit. But some aspects of his behavior did not fit and did not make sense. A multitude of questions kept running through my mind:

• Why can't he ever go outside without wearing sunglasses?
• Why does he run away from strong smells in the kitchen?
• Why does he always scream and cover his ears when he is around loud noises?
• Why does he eat mostly smooth foods and is so picky in his eating habits?
• Why doesn't he have friends like the other kids?
• Why is his interaction with other children not typical?
• Why does he always talk nonstop about certain things?
• Why can't he have a typical conversation, like his peers do?
• Why does he fall apart when his routine is changed?
• Why does he have severe meltdowns or crying fits whenever he is even slightly frustrated?
• Why can't he look anyone in the eye while speaking to them?
• Why doesn't he do imaginative play?
• Why is he so fearful of so many things?
• Why did it take him so long to be potty trained?
• Why are his poops never solid?

In the middle of my son's first-grade year, a friend of mine was reading a magazine. Inside was an article about a boy with Asperger syndrome (a form of high-functioning autism). She brought it to my attention immediately and said, "Read this. This is your son." She was aware of my son's odd and disruptive behaviors and knew that I needed answers.

I read the article and cried tears of joy and tears of sorrow. I was thrilled, because I had an answer. I knew this was what was wrong with my son. Yet, I felt sadness, because my son was autistic. I am still grateful to that friend who had the guts to approach me. She had one goal in mind: to help my son and to help me be able to help him. I am so glad that I was open to hearing this information and using it to give my son the help that he badly needed.

I called a student study team meeting at my son's school. When I mentioned the "A" word, all of the staff in attendance nodded their heads.

They told me they had been discussing this and they, too, were fairly sure he was on the autism spectrum. The school counselor gave me several phone numbers to call and seek help.

This was the beginning of our road to autism—a long, challenging, yet rewarding road. With the help of the school psychologist, we were fortunate that my son received a diagnosis of autism from the California Regional Center system and thus became a client. This agency was able to provide and fund many services to help him on his way.

When second grade started, we had another team meeting at school to discuss my son's Individualized Education Program (IEP). His behavior was not improving, and the school did not want him there. He was incredibly disruptive in the classroom and on the playground. However, school officials were willing to have professionals observe him, allowing my son to try to prove that he could be fully included in a regular classroom.

We agreed to meet again in November to decide what to do next. Unfortunately, my son's behavior continued to be horrendous. He constantly was disruptive in class. Ever since my son's diagnosis, I had searched high and low to find answers regarding this thing called autism. One website that was extremely helpful was OASIS (Online
Asperger Syndrome Information & Support). OASIS was where I first read about the possible benefits of removing gluten (wheat, rye, and barley, as well as oats due to contamination) and casein (dairy protein) from a child's diet. It sounded insane, because glutens and caseins were all that my son ate. I told myself and everyone else that he would starve if I took away all of his favorite foods. What were these crazy people thinking?

My son's father (we are divorced) and I returned to school for my son's IEP meeting several weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday break. The director of elementary special education told us that our son did not belong in a regular, fully included classroom and not even in the Special Day Class. We were told that our son had to leave.

The appropriate environment for him, the team said, was a classroom for children with moderate to severe autism or a classroom for severely emotionally disturbed children. When the IEP meeting was over, we went to observe both of these classrooms. In the first room, we saw several nonverbal children who were stimming intensely (making rapid hand-and-arm movements). These children were being rewarded with dye-filled, gluten-filled cereal. Later I would gasp at the insaneness of this practice for children with autism spectrum disorders.

We objected, feeling that neither of these placements provided the least restrictive environment for our son. He was a very bright little boy with amazing verbal skills. Neither was the appropriate place for him, and we kindly told the director that our son would never be in one of those classrooms.

We decided that we had no choice but to try the ridiculous-sounding gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet. With encouragement from several friends, we dove in headfirst. Over the four days of that Thanksgiving break in 2002, we removed dairy products from our son's diet. To our amazement and delight (and also that of the school's staff), our son was a much calmer child when he returned to school after the break. We saw huge changes in his behavior. So, we thought, if removing dairy could do this in basically four days, what could removing gluten do?

Reviews

Reviews

Autism Society of America Carin Yavorcik
The Autism and ADHD Diet is a parents’ guide that provides a detailed account of the benefits of the gluten-free, casein-free diet and other interventions. It includes steps on how to start the diet, what the diet really means, where and how to buy GFCF foods, how to avoid cross-contamination, what else needs to be avoided, how to make this diet work, how to understand labels on packaging, and how to live day to day. Author Barrie Silberberg was inspired to write this book by her personal journey through challenge, hope, love and healing for her son Noah, who has experienced drastic improvements with his autistic symptoms as a result of the GFCF diet. Learn more or purchase the book at Amazon.com.

Library Journal
The number of children diagnosed with autism is rising, and parents of autistic children often discover that it is difficult to find solutions. Nutrition is frequently neglected because physicians receive little training in the subject, but many parents and nutritional therapists find that using special diets helps children to calm down, focus, and communicate better. These three books written by parents of autistic children provide useful information about nutrition therapy for children on the autism spectrum; Converse and Lord are registered dietitians certified by the American Dietetic Association. Converse’s Special-Needs Kids Eat Right is the most comprehensive, including information about the diagnosis and treatment of autism, special diet plans, and the use of supplements, as well as explanations of the various special diets being used. Lord and Silberberg concentrate on the gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet. All three books provide sound advice about getting children started on the diet, shopping lists, recipes, and dealing with picky eaters. Silberberg offers an excellent list of web sites, including sites providing information about sticking with special diets while visiting other countries. Converse provides an extensive resource guide with materials on both traditional and alternative therapies. All three books are highly recommended; buy Special-Needs Kids Eat Right if you can afford only one.—Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland P.L.

Glutenfreecooking.about.com Teri Gruss
The Bottom Line
The Autism and ADHD Diet - A Step-by-Step Guide to the GFCF Diet for Children on the Autism Spectrum by Barrie Silberberg is filled with insightful information and useful resources to help those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and ADHD implement a diet free of artificial dyes, preservatives, gluten and casein (milk protein). Considered controversial by some, the author addresses this issue in easy-to-understand language, presents relevant scientific study and passionately shares her own remarkable success in alleviating her son Noah’s behavioral symptoms of ASD by adhering to the Autism and ADHD diet.
Publisher’s Site
Pros
Learn about Autism Spectrum Disorder and how to Autism Diet is gaining a following
Tips for starting the diet and where to find GFCF Autism Diet foods
Autism Diet food lists and menu ideas
Extensive international resource links for Autism Diet food sources and support organizations
12 GFCF Autism Diet recipes and 6 GFCF Flour Mix Recipe
Cons
If you are simply looking for Autism Diet recipes this book features about 18 recipes
Description
The Autism and ADHD Diet A Step-by-Step Guide to the GFCF Diet, Barrie Silberberg, Sourcebook, Inc. 2009, 239 pages
2 week breakfast, lunch and dinner menu suggestions
Extensive resource links to sources of GFCF Autism Diet foods including name brand products
Food preparation tips, how to avoid cross-contamination and how to look for gluten and casein on processed food labels
Lists of Autism ADHD Diet foods that are good sources of calcium, protein and fiber
Tips for reducing food costs on the Autism and ADHD Diet
Listing of restaurants that offer menu items appropriate for the Autism and ADHD Diet
List of milk alternatives including a recipe for ice cream made with Vance’s DariFree, a popular dairy-free alternative.
6 Gluten-Free, Casein-Free flour mix recipes
12 Autism and ADHD Diet recipes
Guide Review - Review of The Autism and ADHD Diet by Barrie Silberberg
Barrie Silberberg, the author of The Autism and ADHD Diet is the mother of Noah, who has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She is on the Autism Perspective advisory board and provides guidance on the Autism Network for Dietary Intervention (ANDI) parent support website.

The author shares her own story of how removing gluten and casein (GFCF), artificial dyes and preservatives in her son’s diet produced what the author calls "extraordinary results" in diminishing the adverse behavorial traits associated with ASD.

Chapter 1 - Our Story, Our Miracle
Chapter 2 - Before We Begin: First Ditch the Dyes, Preservatives and Other Problematic Foods
Chapter 3 - Understanding the GFCF Diet: Answering Common Questions
Chapter 4 - Ready, Set, Go: Starting the GFCF Diet
Chapter 5 - The Nitty-Gritty Part: Putting the GFCF Diet into Action
Chapter 6 - Buying and Preparing GFCF Foods
Chapter 7 - How To Read Labels
Chapter 8 - Eating Out, Vacationing and Hospital Visits
Chapter 9 - The GFCF Diet in Action: Questions and Answers
Chapter 10 - Menu Ideas
Chapter 11 - Dealing with Naysayers
Chapter 12 - Success Stories from All Over the World
Chapter 13 - Other Interventions, Services and Diets to Investigate
Chapter 14 - Spreading the Word
Chapter 15 - My Son Noah’s Story In His Own Words

A sample of the recipes in The Autism Diet


GFCF Macaroni and Cheese
Carrot Muffins
Chicken Pot Pie
Fruit Crisp
Baked Pineapple
Pineapple Shrimp in Sweet and Sour Sauce
Gluten-Free Apple Pancake Bake
Vanilla Vance’s Ice Cream
The Autism and ADHD Diet introduces readers to the traits associated with ASD and walks readers through the process of how to eliminate gluten, casein, artificial dyes and preservations from the diet. The author emphasizes that this diet is not a "cure" for ASD but rather a way to potentially improve the quality of life for those with this complex disorder.

Ventura Country Star Alicia Doyle
Changing children’s foods can also alter behaviors
Parents report successes in treating autism by omitting certain proteins
By Alicia Doyle
Sunday, April 26, 2009

“I thought perhaps Noah was gifted,” recalled the Thousand Oaks mom. “But although he excelled intellectually, I noticed his social skills seemed lacking.”

In preschool, he never played with other children, and by kindergarten, his behavior disintegrated.

“He had uncontrollable meltdowns where he’d scream, throw things and become violent toward his classmates,” his mom said. “He had severe sensory issues, limited social skills and poor eye contact. He suffered digestive problems and would eat only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cookies, chips, pretzels, french fries, milk, yogurt and cheese.”

After her son was diagnosed at age 6 1/2 with autism, she spent hours on the computer seeking information, and kept stumbling across a diet that some parents were using that excluded all gluten — the protein in wheat, rye and barley — and casein, which is dairy protein.

She gave the diet a try, starting with the elimination of all dairy products. To her amazement, “we saw a huge change in his behavior. He was a much calmer child. If stopping dairy could do this in just four days, what would gluten removal do?”

A book ‘from the heart’

The results were so profound, Silberberg wrote a book, “The Autism and ADHD Diet: A Step-by-Step Guide to Hope and Healing by Living Gluten Free and Casein Free (GFCF) and Other Inventions,” published this month by Sourcebooks.

“There are no books detailing simple-to-follow, step-by-step guidelines on the GFCF diet, which also addresses being dye-free and preservative-free, as well as many other interventions,” said Silberberg, who completed postgraduate work with an emphasis on special education from CSU Northridge.

She also is active in her local chapter of the Autism Society as well as national autism-related causes.

“My book was written from my heart,” she said. “All of the time and effort I did to help my son to be where he is today was all from experience, research and talking to millions of moms across the globe, and a few dads and grandparents, too.”

There is some validity to “healing by living gluten-free and casein-free,” said Dr. Eric Sletten, director of the Sletten Wellness Medical Center in Ventura.

“However, the subject of healing is huge — for just as the cause of autism is proving to be multifactorial, so too is the treatment required to recover a child,” said Sletten, a board-certified family physician who has not read Silberberg’s book.

That said, for many the diet is an essential piece of the puzzle.

Parenting Special Needs Magazine Chantai Snellgrove
Barrie Silberberg, one of PSN’s very own contributing writer has written a new book entitled The Autism and ADHD Diet. Barrie has had so much success using this diet and healing her son, Noah, that it inspired her to share her experiences and write this book. The Autism and ADHD Diet is a parent’s simple-to-follow, step-by-step guide that provides a detailed account of the benefits of the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free (GFCF) diet. It addresses being dye-free and preservative-free, as well as many other interventions.

It includes steps on how to read and understand labels, starting the diet, and how to avoid cross-contamination. The book provides a great list of resources on where and how to buy GFCF foods. It also includes practical tips on how to make this diet work, menus, ordering at restaurants and living day to day. Barrie believes “you are what you eat!” Perhaps all of us need to re-examine what we are putting into our bodies and into our children’s bodies.

In a “nutshell”, I thought it was an excellent reference book. I, myself, have tried to use this diet in the past but found it an overwhelming task. Barrie, however, gives you a step by step guide to make your implementation of the diet much easier …..what foods, where to buy foods, and how to stay on the diet while eating out, vacationing, and even for a hospital stay. I certainly recommend adding this book to your personal library.

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Trade Paper Specfications

• Length: 8.00 in
• Width: 6.00 in
• Height: 0.00 in
• Weight: 13.00 oz
• Page Count: 256 pages