Autism and Faulty Nutrition. What Should Teachers Know

Abstract

This article is a presentation of theories concerning the functioning of the alimentary system and the nutrition of autistic children. It synthetically describes the typical health problems of autistic
children connected with faulty nutrition (disturbed metabolism, no tolerance to certain substances, allergies, lowered immunity and frequent developing of viral, fungal and bacterial infections, kidney
and liver dysfunctions). The article presents selected specialist diets, namely the hypoallergenic, gluten‑free, milk‑free, sugar‑free and antifungal ones, in the context of detoxification. Although it has not
been scientifically verified, taking advantage of such diets in the case of children with the autism spectrum brings a lot of positive changes in their functioning according to the parents’ observations. This paper also contains an appeal to teachers to respect parents’ choices and prepare the whole school
environment to support them.