ASD is linked to immune variations, with studies showing higher inflammation markers like cytokines. This can lead to frequent colds, slow recovery, or chronic fatigue, possibly due to atypical immune responses in the thymus or spleen.

Biochemically, low vitamin D levels impair immune cell function, while gut dysbiosis—common in ASD—disrupts immune regulation. Oxidative stress can further weaken defenses, increasing susceptibility.

The Impact of Immune Challenges

Frequent infections may disrupt school attendance, while allergies or fatigue can affect mood and energy. Chronic inflammation might exacerbate behavioral issues, creating a health-behavior loop.

Poor immune health can strain the gut-brain axis, amplifying ASD symptoms.

Nutrition and Biochemistry for Immune Strength

Functional medicine ties nutrition to immunity and often looks to nutritional supplementation to fill gaps in nutrition:

• Vitamin D: Enhances immune cells. 
• Zinc: Supports infection resistance. 
• Probiotic...

Selective eating in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often stems from sensory aversions to textures, smells, or appearances, limiting nutritional variety. Lets explore some of these challenges and provide tips for introducing diverse foods while ensuring balanced nutrition. We blend functional medicine with practical strategies, focusing on biochemistry's role in sensory eating.

Understanding Selective Eating in Autism

Children with ASD may refuse foods due to heightened sensory processing, where certain textures trigger discomfort. This "picky eating" can often be linked to atypical brain responses in the insula, this part of the brain is crucial for sensory integration.

Biochemically, gut dysbiosis—common in ASD—affects serotonin production, influencing appetite. Low zinc or vitamin B12 levels can impair taste perception, exacerbating aversions.

The Impact of Sensory Food Challenges

Selective eating risks nutritional deficiencies, impacting growth and cognition. Aver...

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face challenges with repetitive behaviors and resistance to change, impacting daily routines and transitions. This article addresses these issues and offers strategies to promote adaptability while reducing meltdowns. We integrate functional medicine, highlighting nutrition’s role in behavioral health.

Understanding Repetitive Behaviors and Resistance to Change

In ASD, repetitive behaviors like hand-flapping or lining up objects often serve as self-regulation, driven by differences in the brain’s basal ganglia. Resistance to change stems from a need for predictability, linked to atypical prefrontal cortex function.

Biochemically, low serotonin—90% produced in the gut—can heighten anxiety during transitions. Magnesium deficiencies may increase nerve excitability, amplifying meltdowns, while oxidative stress can impair emotional regulation.

The Impact of Behavioral Challenges

Resistance to change can lead to meltdowns, disrupting sc...

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face sensory processing issues, like noise sensitivity or texture aversions, that can shape their daily experiences. In this article we explore these challenges and offer practical adjustments, such as sensory-friendly environments, to help your child thrive. We integrate functional medicine, emphasizing nutrition’s role in sensory health.

Understanding Sensory Processing Issues in Autism

Sensory processing differences in ASD stem from atypical brain responses, particularly in the sensory cortex, causing over- or under-reactivity to stimuli like loud sounds or rough fabrics. This can lead to distress or withdrawal.

Biochemically, magnesium deficiencies can heighten nerve excitability, while low omega-3s impair brain plasticity, affecting sensory regulation. Gut imbalances, common in ASD, may disrupt serotonin, influencing sensory comfort.

The Impact of Sensory Challenges

Noise sensitivity might cause meltdowns in crowded places, w...

For children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), play often revolves around restricted interests and repetitive behaviors, offering unique opportunities for growth. Here, we explore these patterns, their benefits, and strategies to encourage varied play experiences. We integrate functional medicine, highlighting nutrition’s role in enhancing play development.

Understanding Restricted Interests and Repetitive Play

Children with ASD may fixate on specific toys or activities, like lining up cars or spinning objects, due to differences in brain wiring, particularly in the frontal lobes. Repetitive play can be a self-regulating mechanism, providing comfort.

Biochemically, low dopamine levels—tied to motivation—may drive intense focus on interests. Nutrient imbalances, such as insufficient omega-3s for brain plasticity, or gut issues affecting serotonin, can influence these play patterns.

 The Benefits of Special Interests

Restricted interests offer advantages:

• Deep Focus: Studies s...

In the world of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), social cues can feel like a foreign language for many children. From avoiding eye contact to misinterpreting facial expressions, these challenges can impact daily interactions. But with the right support, you can help your child navigate these hurdles. This guide explores how children with autism process social cues, the effects of these difficulties, and practical tips—including nutrition and biochemistry insights—to foster better social skills.  Focusing on functional medicine and nutrition to address the root causes can help your child thrive.

What Are Social Cues and How Do Children with Autism Process Them?

Social cues are the subtle signals we use to communicate, such as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and eye contact. For neurotypical children, these cues come naturally, helping them understand emotions and respond appropriately in conversations.

Children with autism often process these cues differently due ...

Communication can be a unique journey for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), often marked by challenges like echolalia or delayed speech. Here we dive into these issues and provide practical strategies, including speech therapy and alternative methods, to nurture your child’s voice. We integrate functional medicine insights, emphasizing nutrition’s role in communication development, to help your child thrive.

Understanding Communication Challenges in Autism

Children with ASD may struggle with communication. Echolalia—repeating phrases—can act as a self-soothing tool, while delayed speech may arise from atypical brain wiring, affecting areas like Broca’s region. Genetic and environmental factors play a role.

Biochemically, low serotonin (90% gut-produced) and deficiencies in magnesium or vitamin B6, vital for nerve signaling, are common in ASD, hindering verbal expression and processing.

The Impact of Communication Barriers

These challenges can lead to frustration, socia...

 One of the most frustrating things for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder is the lack of knowledge we have about the causes of ASD.

Autism awareness organizations have done an exceptional job raising awareness in the general population about autism, including what it is, what is isn’t, and how it affects children differently. As a result, there has been a greater demand for scientists to carry out significantly more research related to the causes of ASD, and how it impacts children so that they can live their best lives – their strengths emphasized, and their less-strong points understood and supported.

Among the many topics of interest is how elements in our environment can increase the risk of autism or aggravate its symptoms. Over the past decade or so, researchers have found that one element that could potentially influence the risk of autism is prenatal exposure to mercury. How certain is this? Do all researchers agree?

In this article, I will review what the...

Food sensitivities or intolerances and food allergies are often confused. One of the main differences between the two is that food sensitivities and intolerances are quite common and do not involve an immune system response. Food sensitivities/intolerances develop in the digestive tract in response to food and can trigger irritation of the gut. 

This occurs when the gut struggles to properly digest food that is consumed, oftentimes causing certain amounts of undigested food to linger in the intestinal tract, leading to an inflammatory response as well as digestive discomfort that reflects a sensitivity and intolerance to that particular food ^[1]. Low levels of digestive enzymes, sensitivity to naturally occurring substances in food (e.g., lactose), or reactions to additives (e.g., preservatives, artificial colors, etc.) may lead to food sensitivities. The symptoms include: nausea, cramping, constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, and may even cause behavioral responses such as hyperact...

If your child only eats certain foods and often refuses to try new types of food, you may be wondering if your child is a picky eater or has a feeding problem. Here are a few ways to know the difference. Typically, the majority of children who are picky eaters and do not have a more serious feeding problem demonstrate a normal growth pattern [1]. Normal growth and development as well as the absence of physical symptoms (e.g. trouble swallowing) are factors that healthcare professionals often look for when determining whether a child is a demonstrating picky eating or problem feeding [1].

Common signs of picky eating include [2-4]:

• Eating a limited amount and type of foods
• Refusing certain foods, especially fruits and vegetables
• An unwillingness to try new foods
• A strong preference for specific foods
• Preferring to drink milk or juice instead of eating
• Snacking instead of eating proper meals
• Preferring fatty foods and sweets

Feeding problems, on the other hand, may be due...