Elizabeth Strickland – Nutrition and Feeding Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorders and ADHD

Outline

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER—OVERVIEW

• Define autism, symptoms, and characteristics
• Prevalence and causation theories
• Connection between nutrition and autism

NUTRITION THERAPY

• Nutrients critical for brain function
• Components of a Nutrition Therapy assessment
• Laboratory test to assess nutritional status
• Role of the SLP, OT, PT, educators, and others in nutrition interventions

NUTRITION INTERVENTIONS

• Components of a healthy diet
• Elimination of sugar and artificial colors to improve behavior and brain function
• Omega-3 fatty acids to improve dyspraxia, dyslexia, anxiety, and ADHD
• How to select a vitamin and mineral supplement
• Five approaches to get a child to take a supplement
• Identify and treat food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances
• GFCF, SCD, GAPS, Rotation, Antifungal, Feingold, and Low Oxalate Diets
• Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and Folate to treat biomedical abnormalities
• Role of carnitine to help treat attention deficit symptoms
• Nutrients to enhance the detoxification system

FEEDING PROBLEMS

• Distinguish a “Picky Eater” from a “Problem Feeder”
• Underlying factors that contribute to a feeding problem
• Mealtime strategies to increase acceptance of new foods
• Build a multi-disciplinary feeding team
• Overview of the Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to Feeding

GASTROINTESTINAL DISORDERS

• How GI symptoms contribute to behavior and feeding problems
• Carbohydrate digestion abnormalities in children with autism
• Laboratory and diagnostic test to identify GI disorders
• Diet and nutritional interventions to treat gut problems

IFSP AND IEP

• Nutrition services as a component of the ECI program
• Nutrition goals and objectives for the child’s IEP