Trans Fats=chicken nuggets and french fries - Autism Spectrum Message Board

Kolby · 01-03-2007, 08:52 AM

I'm sitting here and I can take no more. My son looks terrible. He is five and pal and his stomach sticks out.
He still wears mostly 3T. He eats a lot of chicken nuggets and French fries and carbs and crap. He has a favorite fast food place that I am now done with. I'm tired of passing it and having him yell for it. His grandmother was the wonderful person who exposed him to that place at least twice a week when she babysits him.

He has been horrible during this holiday season and seems tired and even got a stomach bug. No one else in the house did. He's cranky and moody and just so unhappy. I can't take it anymore!!!!!
Anyway I have felt like food has caused some of his problems. But he got hooked on the junk. You all know, if you have an Autistic child who is moody you just give it to him to keep him quiet. Well I'm done with that. I have had it.
I am tired of my son only going #2 twice a week. I'm tired of him looking sickly. I'm tired of Autism taking over my house. I have decided to eliminate all fast foods and get rid of the trans fats in my home. I am starting him on cod liver oil and getting our life back on track. I can no longer step back and let the IU provide him with his 1/2 hours a week and call it therapy. So I'm taking action. And if he doesn't eat for two days so be it. I can't allow a 5 year old to tell me what to do while I watch him deteriorate. I'm not saying that all Autism is cased by crappy food, but in my son's case I believe it is a contributing factor. Have any of you simply cut trans fats out of your child's diet and have seen a change?

Michelle

dvalred · 01-03-2007, 09:22 AM

yes, we have cut out fast food in our house. we started eating fresh fish once a week, especially salmon which is loaded with omega 3 and we have also included ground flaxseed in the foods we prepare. i read that omega 3 is very beneficial to everyone but especially kids with autism. flaxseed is also an excellent added benefit to everyone too. my daughter who has aspergers, is very much addicted to carbs. she loves pasta but only with olive oil on it. so i buy the best olive oil i can find and we only eat organic whole wheat pasta. i figure since she is a carbs kind of kid, at least i can try to make the carbs healthier.

since we cut out fast food, which we ate occasionally anyway, neither one of our kids has asked for it. i think it's been about a year since they have had mcdonalds or any other fast food. i don't know if it helps with autism but it definitely doesn't hurt to give healthier foods anyway.

KimTN3871 · 01-03-2007, 09:56 AM

I have a 5 yr old son on the spectrum. We have been doing the GFCF diet for nearly a year. My son also liked primarlily chicken nuggets, pizza, chips, french fries, etc. He loved McDonalds....we had him tested for delayed onset food allergies and he has them!! to egg, all wheat and any of its relatives, whey....everything he has an allergy to is something he craved. The diet has made a big difference..and also working with his yeast levels. I am wondering if there is more to it than just trans fats?? I know what it is like to feel like you have just had enough...and I wish you the best. Hang in there!

Kolby · 01-03-2007, 01:26 PM

Thank you both for responding. Do you feel changing their food really made a difference with their everyday life? I mean if I'm going to take away chicken nuggets I want to see a difference

Other than health, is it good for the soul per say?

And how do you go about getting so many test done? Should I just contact my child's reg doctor?
Thanks
Michelle

soozeq · 01-04-2007, 08:11 AM

Hi Michelle

Your first post echoes my feelings almost absolutely. Liam will only eat meat in the form of nuggets or hotdogs. Is that really meat? I think not. He also suffers from horrible, painful constipation. I've been doing a lot of research into food allergies and the GFCF diet. It's huge and scary to change his diet completely. it would have major implications at school and at home. We have a major assessment on monday, and I've requested that he be tested for as many food allergies as possible. They seem open to it. As far as where you can get test, what about a DAN doctor. I don't know much about american medical coverage, but I'm sure they're out there.

Good Luck

Suzy