How Supplements Might Be Able to Help Your Child With Autism

We always tell our children that they need to eat their vegetables to grow up healthy and strong. With some children, pretending the spoon is an airplane that lands delicious veggies into their mouth may lead to success. But, unfortunately, for most children, getting them to eat healthily isn’t always the easiest task.

The challenge could be just as tough when it comes to children with autism and other intellectual disabilities. For example, if your child is a picky eater, you must closely monitor their vitamin and mineral intake to ensure they get the necessary nutrition. The danger exists when your child doesn’t receive those essential nutrients required by their body, hindering their development.

What can you do to help your child get better nutrition? Many parents have looked towards supplements that might be able to help your child with autism. Let’s consider:

• Can supplements really help my child with autism?
• Which supplements have proven effective with autism symptoms?
• Can supplements be beneficial before your child is born?
• What other treatment options exist for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)?

Can Supplements Really Help My Child With Autism?

It’s routine for parents to take their children to the doctor to check up on how they are doing as they grow. If you inform them about their eating habits or lack thereof, they will most likely suggest helpful dietary improvements through diet changes and supplementation. While many parents could find themselves trying different supplements for their children, it’s always crucial to consult with their primary physician.

Studies have shown that supplements for children can help to reduce the risk of stunted bone and muscle growth, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. When it comes to autistic children, supplements can also help with:

• Problems sleeping
• Issues with digestion
• Improving eye contact
• Behavioral disorders
• Depression

ASD isn’t a medical condition that can be cured, but vitamin and dietary supplements may help your child stay physically healthy and feeling better. In addition, doing so could reduce some of the maladaptive behaviors they engage in.

Be Aware of Nutrient Imbalances With Supplements

Why is it necessary to check with your child’s doctor even if you’ve learned from research that certain supplements could help? While studies prove that supplements are effective, not knowing precisely which nutrients they lack could be a problem. In addition, giving them vitamins or other supplements they don’t need leads to nutrient imbalances and other health issues. 

Your child’s doctor will get blood work done to check their levels of different nutrients necessary for their development. After they get the results, they will prescribe the supplements they need and monitor their levels.

Which Supplements Have Proven Effective With Autism Symptoms?

Children with ASD commonly display these symptoms that may concern parents:

• Aggression
• Speech problems
• Anxiety
• Sleeping disorders

Here are some of the most effective supplements doctors have prescribed to children with ASD and what foods naturally contain these vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin D

One of the most studied supplements with autism is Vitamin D because many autistic children often show deficits in this vitamin. It was found that vitamin D affects the neurotransmitters in the brain, helping the brain form new connections and strengthen those connections that already exist.

Keeping these facts in mind, children with autism who receive Vitamin D supplements saw a decrease in symptoms associated with autism, such as:

• Social interaction difficulties
• Communication
• Repetitive behaviors

Sources of Vitamin D:

Sunlight is an excellent source of vitamin D because, when exposed to it, the body can produce vitamin D naturally. Some foods that are natural sources of Vitamin D include:

• Salmon
• Sardines
• Egg yolk
• Shrimp

Since there aren’t many options, some foods are fortified with vitamin D. These include:

• Milk
• Cereal
• Yogurt
• Orange juice

Oxytocin

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), oxytocin is a hormone “produced mainly in the hypothalamus, where it is either released into the blood via the pituitary gland or to other parts of the brain and spinal cord, where it binds to oxytocin receptors to influence behavior and physiology.”

In other words, this chemical that’s naturally produced within the brain affects the part of the brain associated with social bonding and social interactions. Although studies have been inconclusive on whether there’s a direct correlation between oxytocin levels and ASD, some children have shown moderate improvements in social function with this supplement.

Vitamin B-6

Another essential nutrient is vitamin B6 because it promotes normal brain development and keeps our nervous system and immune system healthy. Vitamin B6 may also improve your child’s mood and reduce symptoms of depression.

If your child lacks sufficient vitamin B6, good foods sources include:

• Turkey
• Chickpeas
• Tuna
• Salmon
• Potatoes
• Bananas

In most cases, vitamin B6 is supplemented with magnesium to prevent an upset stomach.

Magnesium

Magnesium also ensures that your brain and muscle cells function correctly. Studies have shown that some autistic children may have a magnesium deficiency even though the cause is unknown.  You can find magnesium in many foods, such as:

• Seeds
• Nuts
• Whole grains
• Leafy vegetables.

Melatonin

One common symptom of ASD is difficulty sleeping. Some studies have shown that there could be a correlation between low melatonin levels and the severity of autism symptoms in children. Since melatonin is the body’s hormone that regulates our sleep/wake cycles, it’s no surprise that difficulty sleeping can lead to aggression in children with autism.

Melatonin supplements are frequently used to treat insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, or difficulty staying asleep. Improving your child’s sleeping habits will help you sleep better at night and may positively affect daytime behaviors.

Foods that are rich in melatonin include:

• Tart Cherries
• Goji Berries
• Eggs
• Milk
• Fish
• Nuts

Methyl Vitamin B12

Children with autism often experience problems with speech, and this impairment could be due to difficulty processing methyl B-12 within the body. Since the brain needs this vitamin to support cognition, methyl vitamin B12 supplements can act on specific pathways to improve certain brain processes, such as speech.

Marijuana/CBD

Research on the medicinal properties of marijuana (cannabis) has picked up since the U.S government passed the Farm Bill in 2018, which made hemp legal and allowed hemp-derived CBD products with less than 0.3% of THC federally legal.

Using CBD products to treat autism aggression and other symptoms, research has shown that it can be effective but still requires further study to determine how safe it is.

Other Supplements That Might Help Your Child With Autism

Here’s a list of other supplements and how they can be beneficial to children with autism:

• Dimethylglycine (DMG) and trimethyl glycine (TMG). These substances can enhance the immune system, improve specific behaviors, reduce seizures, and improve language.
• N-acetylcysteine (NAC). This supplement increases the levels of antioxidants in the body, which improves its natural defense system. NAC supplementation lowered irritability in children with autism and reduced engagement in repetitive behaviors in one study.
• Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and reduces neuronal excitability. Using this supplement in children with autism can decrease anxiety, improve mood, and reduce seizures.

Can Supplements Be Useful Before Your Child is Born?

The nutrients your child needs should be a concern even before they are born. Although more research needs to be done, many studies have found correlations between nutrient deficiency during pregnancy and autism.

Speak to your doctor about the many benefits of prenatal vitamins and any other supplements you may need to keep your unborn baby healthy.

What Other Treatment Options Exist For Children With ASD?

There are various supplement options that you can discuss with your child’s primary care provider. However, the road to improve difficulties your child faces, such as speech, requires a combination of many methods.

For autistic children that can’t communicate, speech therapy can be an excellent treatment option. In addition, speech therapy can help children with developmental disorders, such as ASD, understand and use spoken language socially.

Some of the skills that a certified speech-language therapist will focus on with your autistic child include:

• Non-verbal communication skills. The therapist will use such tools as gesturing, Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS), or electronic talking devices.
• Use of questions. The therapist can work on your child’s ability to ask and answer questions.
• Speech pragmatics. This training teaches your child to know when, how, and to whom they should say certain phrases like “Good morning.” They will also understand the meaning of idioms and how to use them.
• Conversational skills. Speech therapists want your child to learn to carry on a conversation.
• Concept skills. Children with autism typically have a tough time with ideas like “few,” “justice,” and “liberty,” so your speech therapist will focus on helping them understand these concepts.

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For this reason, Normal Life, Inc. was founded in 2015 to provide help to families of children with autism or other intellectual disabilities. We want to transform the world of autism resources by giving parents first-hand advice from other parents going through the same situation. Here is a link for more ideas from our You Tube Channel. 

You can find information on our website that’s filled with blogs on various topics that can be useful and connect to our expanding community through our YouTube channel or our Facebook group #autismarmy.