Nutrients Critical for Children with Autism

Below are nutrients critical for children with autism.  

Autism is a severe developmental disorder that is usually first diagnosed in early childhood. Most autistic children are perfectly normal in appearance, but have issues in areas of communication, social interactions and repetitive behaviors.    These nutrients are also very important for all growing children.

Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamin and minerals are essential components for numerous processes in the body related to growth and development.
Read more about Vitamins and Minerals here. 

 Beta-Carotene is a nutrient found in plants that the body converts into vitamin A. It is involved in cell growth and in areas of the digestive tract and the brain, the areas that are problematic for those with autism. Some studies have reported improvements among autistic individuals supplemented with vitamin A, such as language, eye contact, socialization and sleep patterns. According to data from the Autism Research Institute, the B:W (Better:Worse with treatment) ratio reported by parents of autistic children for vitamin A is 22:1, meaning when supplemented with beta-carotene, 22 autistic individuals got better for every 1 that got worse.

Vitamin B-6 is the master vitamin for numerous metabolic pathways in the body. One specific function is its involvement in the synthesis of neurotransmitters in the brain and peripheral nerve cells, which are critical for the development of language, attention, alertness, etc.  Significant improvements in common autism symptoms, such as behavior, better eye contact, fewer tantrums, improved sleep patterns, better speech, etc., have been consistently reported using vitamin B6 and magnesium.

Vitamin B12 is a necessary component because those with autism may have fewer beneficial bacteria in the gut to make vitamin B12. Because of this, autistic children don’t get enough B12 in their diet due to their food choices and deficiency is common.
 
Probiotics play a critical role in achieving optimal digestive health and help children maintain a bacterial balance within their digestive tracts.

Pycnogenol is natural plant extract from the bark of the maritime pine tree which grows exclusively along the coast of southwest France.  Trebaticka et al treated 61 children with ADHD with Pycnogenol for 1 month. They saw a significant reduction in hyperactivity, as well as improved attention, coordination and concentration. The placebo group had no positive effects, and one month after termination of Pycnogenol administration a relapse of symptoms was noted.

Read more here!