How a Healthy Gut Can Help Children with Autism

Balancing the microbes in the gut can lead to improved digestion, stronger immunity and overall better health. The flora of the gut of a child can be disrupted by things such as antibiotics, mom having a c-section, drugs, processed foods, infections and digestive issues.  What is important for healthy gut repair is a regime that includes many, many different strains of good bacteria.  Probiotics, healthy bacteria, that include multiple strains and between 10 – 50 billion per dose should be administered. These probiotics will function to repair the gut and prevent harmful microbes like yeast or clostridia from over-populating.

The healing process of the gut is so important because the digestive tract is responsible for making the majority of serotonin in the body and helps to produce and regulate dopamine. Both of these neurotrasmitters are out of balance in children with autism. Also important is the gut’s responsibility for regulating inflammation and supporting healthy immune function.

A large number of children with autism have digestive issues. The gut is important in regulating inflammation and according to recent research, it is believed that autism is an inflammatory issue.  An effective regime that involves healing the gut can have a dramatic role in decreasing the inflammatory load and show remarkable progress in helping children recover language, social and cognitive function.

10 Diet Tips for Autism

  1. Remove or reduce foods using an Elimination Diet to see which food controls symptoms and which aggravates them.
  2. A gluten-free and casein-free diet (gluten is the protein in wheat, and casein is the protein in milk).
  3. Eliminate allergenic foods like eggs, fish, seafood, tree nuts, peanuts, and soy.
  4. A low-carb ketogenic diet has been found to be effective for autistic children.
  5. A yeast and sugar-free diet is helpful in some cases.
  6. Some autistic children are deficient in certain vitamins and minerals therefore ensure that the child is getting an adequate amounts to aid their growth and treat symptoms.
  7. Include a diet rich in essential fatty acids such as omega-3 fatty acids like salmon and cod liver oil.
  8. A diet rich in fiber helps to alleviate and prevent constipation. Also include plenty of fluids and regular physical activity.
  9. Probiotics help with gastro-intestinal problems because they contain healthy bacteria and can improve the micro flora in the digestive tract in many autistic children.
  10. Digestive enzymes also help to aid digestion.

A Closer Look at the DAN! Protocol

Standard autism treatments focus on behavior modification techniques, improving developmental delays, speech-language therapy and learning to cope with sensory issues. While these therapies can improve the quality of life for a child with autism, they do nothing about the underlying medical conditions and imbalances that challenge an autistic child’s daily life. The Dan! Protocol is a medical intervention that seeks to correct the physical issues not addressed by traditional autism therapies.

The Dan! Protocol’s overwhelming success comes from its unique, individualized approach as well as its biomedical focus. Since treatment is always preceded by extensive lab work, a Dan! doctor knows the biological deficiencies, imbalances and maladaptive responses for each child before an individualized treatment plan is designed and implemented.

There is not a standard protocol for every child. While many autistic children have similar medical issues such as food intolerances, digestive problems, yeast overgrowth and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, children are always treated according to their individual lab tests. For one child that might mean a gluten-free casein-free diet, digestive enzymes and probiotics to help restore intestinal bacteria balance. Another child might need a strong vitamin and mineral supplement, mb-12 injections, IV glutathione and other chelation methods to address a high level of heavy metals in the body.

Each treatment method has a specific medical reason for being used. Yeast overgrowth impairs digestion and creates malnutrition. Food intolerances cause inflammation, absorption issues and pain. When you correct an autistic child’s medical problems, many undesirable behaviors automatically improve.

Leaky Gut Syndrome and Autism












What is Defeat Autism Now (DAN!)?



What Type of Treatments do DAN! Doctors Prescribe? 

  • Gluten- and dairy-free diets.
  • Food allergy testing.
  • Heavy metal detoxification.

What can I expect at my DAN! Doctor Appointment?



Do You Know the Difference between Autism and Asperger’s Disorder?






Body Detox Part II: Detoxification Methods


82% of All Chronic Degenerative Diseases are Caused by Environmental Exposure to TOXIC METALS.” -World

Health Organization 1974

Sure, 1974 was nearly 40 years ago (can you believe it?), but the World Health Organization knew was was happening way back when. This was well before the huge Environmental or “Green” movement that is so common now. The environment

is still a very toxic place, which we clearly laid out last week. You might remember that we shared a lot of places where environmental toxins exist, some of which you might not even have been aware of.

When a child is diagnosed with Autism, it is typically considered to be a behavioral disorder, which in a sense, it absolutely is. Further testing on Autistic bodies have found that many have toxic levels of metals in them. Others have a lack of minerals and vitamins that are essential for proper immune system function. A lot of these deficiencies can be caused be the pollutants that are consumed.

The first step of clearing up a toxic body is knowing that the problem exists. (Remember, Dr. Chun Wong is offering an

amazing deal on his Hair Analysis Test which comes complete with a full written report as well as a Skype or Phone Consultation with Dr. Wong. Check out the special we’re having for our readers here).

After the problem is detected, and before the body is repaired and restored, the toxins must be removed from the body. Detoxifying is an essential part of the healing process. You can’t just simply put healthy vitamins and minerals into the body when it is still toxic. Imagine having a bathtub filled with water, dirt, bacteria, bugs, etc. Simply pouring bleach or cleaning agents into the water will not do the job. You first must clean out the bacteria, and then improve the way in which it is taken care of.

But how do you detoxify the body?


Chelation was introduced into practice during World War I when so many people had ingested poison gas called lewsite. BAL or British Anti Lewsite (formally known as dimercaprol) was used to chelate the lewsite. BAL had very severe side effects, however.

After World War II, a number of people suffered from lead poisoning. The chelating agent EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic) was introduced in order to chelate the lead. Because EDTA is a synthetic amino acid and has no mercaptans (mercury capturers), the side effects were not nearly as severe as BAL.

Since then, there have been a number of modifications and researchers are always looking for better treatment methods that have minimal side effects. There is a low occurrence of side effects when chelation is used at the dose and infusion rates approved by the U.S. FDA as a treatment for heavy metal poisoning.

(We’ve spoken more in depth about Chelation on this blog before. Please do check that out!)


As the name suggests, juicing refers to detoxing the body by consuming raw fruits and vegetable

s that are highly concentrated. Juices are digested by the body very quickly – in about 25 minutes. Because of this, the digestive system has very little to do with processing the juice. We aren’t talking about juices that are found in stores. These are treated with sugars and other ingredients that do not benefit the detoxification process.

Juicing is most effective and beneficial when it is made from the right fruits and vegetables at home, specifically organic fruits and veggies. Organic fruits and vegetables are loaded with nutrients and will saturate your body with the healthy enzymes, vitamins, and minerals.

Think about it: doesn’t a nice, long shower with soap and water feel much better than running a wet tissue over your skin for the purpose of cleaning?  It’s a similar situation with consuming organic fruits and vegetables.


DAN! Protocol

The Defeat Autism Now! Protocol is a series of alternative medicine solutions for Autism. There are several avenues that a DAN! Doctor may explore, but traditionally, the following plan may be enforced.

-Dietary intervention: Omission of Gluten (Wheat) and Casein (Dairy) products from your child’s diet. Additionally omitting junk foods that have refined sugar.
-Vitamin and Mineral Supplements - To balance out the dietary changes, replacement minerals and vitamins that the body may lack will be supplemented. Some of the vitamins and minerals commonly supplemented:  Magnesium, Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin B5.
-Chelation - the removal of heavy metals which have proven to be very destructive to the Autistic body (as we mentioned).
-Treatment of intestinal bacteria

The most important thing to remember here is the order in which detoxification should be done. First, determine that the body really is toxic. Then, detoxify the body.  Thirdly, repair the body. Then, replace nutrients. It’s important that this order be taken as any other way would not be as effective. You must rid the body of toxins, start with a clean slate, and then proceed with repairing procedures or practices.

The Effects of Chocolate and Autism


One of children’s favorite foods is usually chocolate. Even as we grow older and become adults, chocolate often provides a little pick me up after a rough day.

The benefits of chocolate have been argued over the years. Some argue that chocolate promotes endorphin production that improves general mood. Others argue that the fat in chocolate doesn’t fit into a healthy diet. In the case of Autism, however, we know that the body functions and processes foods differently.

First off, one of the most important things to understand is that all chocolates are not created equal. Just as if each type tastes differently, each type has different combinations of ingredients. 100% pure chocolate may have some health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease,  but the more ingredients that are added, the more the health benefits of chocolate diminish.

During production, some chocolates have high levels of lead which can poison the body. In fact, some chocolate companies have standing lawsuits because of this poisoning.

Also, Chocolate has phenols – a chemical compound found in grapes, wine, bananas, almonds, etc. For children who are sensitive to phenols, which many Autistic children are,  chocolate will ignite the symptoms including hypersensitivity.

Much like gluten, children can also become addicted to chocolate as it raises the same brain chemicals as some drugs do. This can explain why it’s often difficult to remove chocolate from a child’s diet. Additionally, if your child is on the GFCF (Gluten Free, Casein Free) Diet, Milk Chocolate obviously has milk included.

While it seems like rewarding your child with a peice of chocolate may be harmless, you may want to think twice. You may actually be doing more harm than good.

Having a Healthy Body May Be The Key To Treating Autism


In any child, or person for that matter, it is important to keep the body healthy and balanced. We hear all of the time how the body has too much of some things and not enough of others and it causing havok on the body. With more and more research pointing to the theory that Autism is in fact a biochemical disorder, the benefits of  maintaining a healthy body are becoming more documented and studied especially in Autistic children.

Some of the most commonly studied and practiced methods are diet modification, and vitamin and mineral therapy. Each method has its own purpose but aim for the same goal: maintaining a healthy autistic body to reach increased functioning and decreased symptoms.

Diet Modification

We’ve spoken before about the benefits of changing your childs diet. There have been plenty of studies surrounding the omission of Gluten (wheat, bread) products and Casein (dairy) products. In many children with Autism, there are issues with stomach and gut. The first thing that doctors typically suggest is the removal of gluten and casein from the child’s diet.

Some parents report that getting their children to stop eating wheat and dairy products is similar to trying to get an addict off of drugs. Their children seem to fiend for wheat and milk, and parents end up giving in because they finally feel they can give their child something that they need and want. Think again and maybe a little more literal into the “addict” comparison.

When digested, gluten and casein are broken down into peptides; glutenin and giladin respectively, attach themselves to opiate receptors of the child’s brain. This means that wheat and dairy products can act like narcotics and children can literally be addicted to them.

So, how do you get a child off of Gluten and Casein? Luckily, these days there are many wheat and dairy substitutes in grocery stores with the boom of vegetarianism and all-around body health awareness.

Vitamin and Mineral Therapy

Because of the dietary needs and habits of children with Autism, it has been found that a great deal of children are lacking the proper vitamins and minerals in their bodies. Even as fully-grown, healthy adults we often focus on the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals each day. Specific supplements have been documented as helping aid in the alleviation of autism symptoms and increasing the level of functionality.

One specific mineral that has been often studies is DMG (Dimethylglycine). DMG is found, albeit in small amounts in brown rice and liver. Chemically it resembles vitamin B15. Some of the improvements noted by administering DMG (available over the counter in health stores) are attention span, social awareness, eye contact and speech.

Some parents report an increase in hyperactivity with DMG, but have found success with an alternative, TMG (trimethylglycine).  The same improvements have been reported in TMG as in DMG.

There are quite a number of ways to keep the body healthy. Of course, parents are looking for the methods with the highest result. Which method will decrease symptoms and alleviate some of the everyday frustrations that come with Autism? You know that we can’t answer this directly simply cause each child’s body makeup is different. What might be good for one child, may be counterproductive for another. You may have to try one, two, or ten methods. Stay optimistic, even with minor setbacks, that you will find a method that will work for your child.