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…
Food and Mood
Article written by Stella Chadwick for the Spring 2021 issue of the Autism Eye Magazine Can certain fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices cause negative behavioural issues for our children? Many of us know, or have figured out through personal experience, that food colouring, additives and flavourings can impact our children’s behaviour and mood. But…
Can’t Eat Won’t Eat
Written by Stella Chadwick for the Summer 2021 edition of the Autism Eye Magazine Feeding issues amongst children with autism are far too common. The challenges tend to be eating a limited food selection, showing anxiety or tantrums when presented with new foods, and/or having ritualistic eating behaviours, such as not wanting different types of…
Speech Delay – How Diet and Supplements May Help
Wanting to hear the sound of your child’s voice is an intense and almost urgent need for a parent. The reasons for speech delay can be multifactorial and we have found that besides the functional medicine approach having input from other specialists such as OTs and SLTS as well as working on primitive reflex can…
