One of the most challenging solutions I’ve implemented for my son has been changing his diet. First, we went gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF). We garnered some immediate good results in eye contact, behavior and language, but continued to have problems with yeast and bad bacteria in his tummy. After about a year of GFCF, we learned about the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), which completely eradicated his yeast issues after only about six months or so. We have now modified the SCD diet to allow limited GFCF breads/carbs, which has opened up his diet to a little more variety.
Whether you decide to go GFCF, SCD or any other dietary intervention for your child, I want to encourage you to follow these three simple rules:
1. Try to create recipes that mimic something your child already loves to eat. Our children often have very restricted, self-limiting diets, so if you can make an SCD chicken nugget look similar to the nuggets your child already loves…well, you’ve just won half the battle!
2. Make sure it tastes great! This will take some trial and error on your part, so be prepared to test out several versions of your recipes.
3. Make it nutritionally sound. I do this by always adding in some kind of organic vegetables, either finely chopped or pureed or shredded.
Try these simple tips and pretty soon you will have a child that is not only eating a healthy diet but well-rounded too.
About Susan
