Gut health issues

Children with autism have a highly immune disfunction due to mitochondrial dysfunction and methylation disorder, which leads to the pro-inflammatory condition.

People in this state also suffer from gut health issues. Inadequate gut efficiency leads to limited nutrient absorption and reduced nutrient utilization.

Sensory processing disorder

Another chief reason that exacerbates nutritional deficiency in these children is sensory processing disorder. A child with sensitivities like tastes smells, and textures will have a specific or limited diet to eat.

This can lead to severe vitamin deficiencies that are otherwise present in proper veggies, nuts, fruits, and meat.

Types of deficiencies in autistic children

Food selectivity is a commonly known issue with autistic children. Children incline more toward eating fast, starchy, or processed foods instead of veggies, fruits, and proteins. This doesn’t only promote obesity in the children but also vital vitamin deficiencies leading to gastrointestinal issues.

As a parent of a child on the spectrum, ensure that your child`s diet is based on healthy food and fewer cheat meals or fast processed foods. Your child could still suffer from deficiencies, which can be helped by adding supplements to the diet. In case your child is allergic to some foods or doesn’t like the taste, ask your nutritionist to help you find a replacement for those foods.

Here`s a list of common nutritional deficiencies that your autistic child is susceptible of:

Vitamin D and Calcium

A chronic inflammatory state is a severe nutrient deficit state that requires many nutrients. This is why children with autism have severe vitamin D and calcium deficiencies even though they have optimal exposure to the sun.

A long-term calcium and vitamin D deficiency can lead to:

• Dental changes
• Cataracts
• Brain alteration
• Osteoporosis
• Loss of bone density
• Rickets

Incorporating calcium and vitamin D supplements into daily regimes can help replenish this deficiency. Vitamin D and calcium supplements can also improve irritability and hyperactivity.

Folate

Some autistic kids also have a cerebral folic deficiency, an auto-immune disorder. This auto-immune disorder affects intellectual disability, head growth, loss of voluntary movement, speech difficulties, and seizures.

Children suffering from this deficiency disorder make antibodies that prevent folate from penetrating the blood-brain barrier.

Giving your children an oral treatment with leucovorin calcium has been found to be best to mitigate symptoms and stabilize the level of 5MTHF in the cerebrospinal fluid. A milk-free diet along with leucovorin calcium greatly reduces the symptoms, especially in the early stage of life.

Methylated B vitamins

Methylated B vitamins include B12, folate, B6, and B1, which are the economy of metabolism, and their deficiency can lead to metabolic inefficiency.

Vitamin B deficiency can cause

• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Slower developmental growth
• Skin rashes

Maintaining a balanced neutral diet and adding vitamin B multivitamins to your child`s diet can lower its chances of deficit and help avoid related problems.

Zinc

Gastrointestinal issues can lead to less absorption of zinc and increased endogenous zinc losses from the gastrointestinal tract or kidneys.

Zinc deficiency is also very common among autistic children and can cause:

• Impaired immune functions
• Decreased body`s ability to heal wounds
• Acute diarrhea
• Cold susceptibility
• Macular degeneration

Using fortified foods and dietary supplements can help control the side effects. For instance, Oysters, baked beans, chickpeas, cashews, almonds, red meat, and poultry are excellent sources of zinc. Also, food and beverages with high concentrations of sugars, saturated fats, and sodium should be avoided.