Dyes, Diets and Wheat, Oh My!

I know with the whole gluten-free phase that a lot of people think that it's being over done due to health reasons, but it gives those of us who don't really have a choice in eating it our not a bad rap. I am gluten intolerant myself. (I have a facebook page called No Wheat No Dairy No Problem if you would like to get some ideas of how to modify your diet.) It takes time, and sometimes you need to take steps to get there, but it's worth it (at least for me and my son) to get the results (no more bloating for me and better regulation for my boy).
For sensory processing kids, children with ADD/ADHD and those especially on the autism spectrum gluten can really affect and disregulate their body and their mood. But, it's not just gluten, other things also can contribute to mood, regulation (being able to focus and stay calm when upset or calm down withing a reasonable amount of time) and the ability to engage in the world around them. Dairy, sugar and other foods also play a factor. Artificial food dyes are one of the worst things our children (or we) can eat, even more so than gluten, but I believe this to be true for all children, regardless of any diagnosis.
 After my son had his diagnosis at the Seattle Children's Autism center I was informed that statistics have been proven that kids with Autism are affected by gluten and dairy, but especially gluten. It can cause them to exhibit symptoms that put them further on the spectrum than they already are. (This has also been proven true for ADD/ADHD children and children with SPD as well and helps them to focus better if they are on a gluten free, dairy free, sugar free diet). We chose to eliminate gluten and decrease sugar substantially for our son, and it made a huge difference for him. We chose not to eliminate dairy, and part of this reason for this was it was an easy protein for him and has a good amount of sodium. Children with Autism lack sources of iodine in their body, so salt is a benefit for them. So, while we choose to eliminating gluten, we do have gluten free cookies (which contain sugar) and ice cream (dairy and sugar of course), but not too often (especially since he sometimes binge eats-both an Autistic trait and a sensory seeker trait-he loved the crunch in his mouth and the pressure a cookie had on his gums).
Moderation...how do we accomplish this?! Here's what I do. I take all the cookies out of the box, and put 2 in a baggie so he knows he can only have one baggie. This actually works better than just grabbing from the box. He could always grab another baggie, but often times he doesn't (or I am not catching him!). I don't buy them often, or I use rewards for buying them. If he goes to bed well for a week, and listens well, at the end of the week he might get a treat (that contains sugar). Just being mindful and helping them make good choices is important. If they are younger, hiding or keeping things out of reach is important. Some people have even had to lock up food, and there is no shame in that as long as some food is made available (especially healthy choices). It's about protecting them, and helping them have healthy bodies and minds. If they binge eat sometimes we need to go to these extremes. I also provide visual charts of different types of healthy foods he can eat so that he is given the choice.
Most importantly, have snacks on hand, always. I once had a horrible experience on a family vacation. My son had eaten breakfast and we were out around town enjoying the day until our ferry was departing. That particular day, we couldn't seem to find any lunch choices that were gluten free. The sandwich bread that was gluten free the deli had run out of, and the soup was not one of his liking. All they had in the little shops around town was a double chocolate cookie, and yes, I made one of my worse mommy mistakes to date. I let him have the cookie. What I should have done is gone to a Drug Store and bought a pepperoni stick or some nuts or cheese singles (the single serving cheddar cheeses). What proceeded that cookie was one of the hardest meltdowns I had ever faced. He started with teasing his brother to no end, and after several failed attempts at asking him to stop, I told him he wouldn't get to enjoy the deck above the cars, we would have to stay in the car. My sister took my oldest son up on the second deck and my son exploded. He started thrashing around in the car, and screaming at me like I had done something terribly wrong. Folks, you have to forgive yourself for making choices like this. All I could do was remain calm for him and stand my ground on the decision I made. I was worried he was going to do something worse or be unsafe on the boat. He screamed and thrashed for almost an hour. At one point I even had to leave the car and stand outside as he started hitting me too. An "angel" came when he started to calm down but continued to cry. She had two dogs and thought maybe it would help him. The dogs were smelling him and almost making sure he was okay. My son just wrapped his arms around one of the dogs and started to breath deeply again. He was finally calm and I swore to myself I would never do that again.

These are some of my son's favorite snacks that we keep on hand:
Vermont pepperoni sticks
Gluten free tortilla chips (salty and crunchy snack, and my boy needs carbs!)
Almonds
Dried cranberries/nuts and chocolate chips (we buy the Trader Joe's brand)
Mini pepperoni slices (good for a trip but I wouldn't keep them in the car)

For more resources on help for diet check out this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Disconnected-Kids-Nutrition-Plan-Neurological/dp/0399171789/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478485007&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Disconnected+Kids+Nutrition+Plan%3A+Proven+Strategies+to+Enhance+Learning+and+Focus+for+Children+with+Autism%2C+ADHD%2C+Dyslexia%2C+and+Other+Neurological+Disorders

OR

https://www.amazon.com/Kid-Friendly-Autism-Cookbook-Updated-Revised/dp/1592334725/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478485214&sr=8-1&keywords=Kids+diet+for+autism+and+adhd

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