Published in the Autism Eye Magazine, March 2023 Research shows that many children with autism have nutrient deficiencies, which can contribute to autism symptoms. These deficiencies can be due to various reasons, including digestive problems, picky eating habits, food sensitivities, gut dysbiosis, metabolic disorders, and nutrient-depleting medications. The followings are some of the essential…
Could It Be Silent Reflux?
Many of us will be familiar with acid reflux – an uncomfortable and painful condition where acid from the stomach travels back up the oesophagus, causing heartburn and nausea symptoms. It happens when the lower oesophageal sphincter – the ring of muscle that separates the oesophagus from the entrance to the stomach – fails…
ARFID In Children With Autism PANS And PANDAS
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a type of eating disorder characterized by a persistent failure to meet appropriate nutritional and/or energy needs. Individuals with ARFID may fear certain foods or strongly dislike certain textures and may also experience weight loss or nutritional deficiencies. It is more common in children with autism, PANS, and…
Kicking The Sugar Habit
Sugar is vital for life – it is an essential fuel source for all of the cells of our body. As such, it occurs naturally in all carbohydrate-containing foods, including vegetables, fruits, grains and dairy products. Consumption of sugar in these forms, as part of a healthy, balanced diet, is not problematic for most people.…
Serotonin – The Happiness Molecule
What is serotonin? Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, a signalling molecule that allows communication within the central nervous system and throughout the body via the peripheral nervous system. It is probably most widely known as a mood regulator – our in-built ‘happy’ molecule. But serotonin also plays a role in learning, memory formation, regulating body temperature,…
Mighty Iron
Iron: a vital nutrient with many functions Iron is best known as an essential component of haemoglobin – the molecule in red blood cells that is responsible for transporting oxygen around the body. However, iron also plays a role in many other metabolic processes, including growth and development, cellular respiration and DNA repair and…
Aggression – Root Causes and Solutions
Aggression in autism is often seen as a “part of autism”. Very rarely are any medical investigations carried out to ascertain if there may be a root cause to what seems to us as a behavioural issue. Our children don’t harm themselves or others or behave aggressively towards others for no reason. It is their…
How to Detect and Address Gut Issues in Autism
Published article in the Autism Eye Magazine December 2021 written by Stella Chadwick Multiple studies have shown that, children with autism are more prone to gastro-intestinal (GI) problems and in 2014 a study found that these children were four times more likely to have symptoms such as constipation, diarrhoea, or other GI symptoms. A 2017…
Loss of Taste and Smell Post SARS-CoV-2: Reasons and Solutions
Losing the ability to smell and taste food can be extremely upsetting. This can be made more stressful with the general lack of empathy and appreciation for the devastating impact on the person suffering. If you have struggled to get your sense of taste and smell back after recovering from SARS-CoV-2 then this is going…
Could it be PANS or PANDAS?
Written by Stella Chadwick for Autumn 2020 edition of the Autism Eye Magazine It is little wonder that families touched by autism are turning their attention to the medical conditions of PANDAS and PANS. The key symptoms associated with these diseases are extreme obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and tics, as well as separation anxiety, restrictive eating…
