Why would anyone think that a gluten and casein free (GF/CF) diet could help a child who has a developmental disorder? The idea of dietary intervention has its origins in 1980, when scientist Jaak Panksepp observed that autistic children had many traits in common with people addicted to opioid drugs. Addicts are often "in their own world," and frequently exhibit stereotypic behaviors (e.g. rocking). Generally, opiate addicts are insensitive to pain and have serious gastrointestinal problems. Panksepp proposed that autistic children might have elevated levels of naturally occurring opioids in their central nervous systems.

These observations led to research in Norway, Great Britain and the United States. In all locations, abnormal peptides were found in the urine of autistic children. These findings ultimately resulted in the postulation of what is now called the "opioid excess theory" of autism*. Briefly, this hypothesis suggests that autism and its associated symptoms result from the incomplete breakdown of peptides derived from foods that contain gluten and casein, and to excessive absorption of these peptides (due to a "leaky gut"). According to the theory's proponents, the presence of these peptides causes disruption to biochemical and neuroregulatory processes in the brain.

Recent research at Johnson & Johnson has confirmed the presence of these substances in the urine of autistic subjects. Perhaps more significant, another urinary compound was found and identified in autistic subjects. Known as dermorphin, this highly hallucinogenic substance was not found in the urine of any non-autistic person.

How on earth did this get into the urine of autistic children? One theory is that it is a fungal metabolite - in other words, there is a fungal infection and dermorphin is the byproduct of the metabolism of that organism. This may be why some children with autism respond well to a low-sugar, anti-yeast diet and treatment with anti-fungal medications.

In the future the enzyme or enzymes that are inactive or insufficiently active to metabolize these common dietary proteins may be identified. For now, however, all these researchers have one thing in common - all recommend that gluten and casein be removed from the diet of autistic spectrum children. Until researchers discover why these proteins are not broken down, removal of the proteins from the diet remains the only way to prevent further damage. Some children, who were diagnosed with autism and started on the diet before the age of two, have lost their labels and no longer need their services! For children who started the diet at a later age, this level of recovery may be out of reach. Even so, thousands of parents around the world will attest to the dramatic improvement that can be achieved by implementing a GF/CF dietary program.

*For more information see: "A Gluten-Free Diet as an Intervention for Autism and Associated Spectrum Disorders: Preliminary Findings," by Whiteley et. al. Autism: Vol. 3 (1), March 1999.

For more information about dietary intervention and autism, click on the following link: DariFree and Autism