Who Recommends Gluten Free and other Special Diets for Autism?
While mainstream doctors are unlikely to recommend special diets for children with autism, alternative doctors and practitioners may suggest gluten-free, casein-free and other restricted diets. To get more information about just why these diets are recommended, I contacted the Autism Research Institute (ARI). ARI, one of the first autism organizations in America, is the developer of the Defeat Autism Now (DAN!) protocol. DAN! is a highly controversial biomedical approach to autism treatment. There are many anecdotal stories of children “recovering” from autism as a result of the diets, supplements and other treatments recommended by ARI, and ARI itself has conducted research on its protocols. Mainstream medical professionals, however, feel that aspects of the approach are likely to be ineffective or even potentially dangerous. The following questions came directly from the About.com Guide to Autism, while the answers were provided by Maureen H. McDonnell, R.N., DAN! Conference Coordina
