Autism
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Jan 2, 2017
Better
- Result
- Better
- Side effects
- None
A parent of an autistic child keeps a dairy- and wheat-free diet to reduce inflammation. The child regresses without it, so the diet is being continued long term.
Explore
Diet · Elimination diet
Gluten-free, casein-free diet
GFCF diet
Removes wheat and dairy. Reviews, side effects and research on gluten-free, casein-free diet from parents of autistic and ADHD kids.
5 reviews · 2 languages · collected October 2026
The reviews so far were written by parents in Japan (4) and Taiwan (1).
Summary
Of 5 reviews, 2 said things got better and 0 said they got worse.
- Better
- 40%
- No change
- 60%
- Worse
- 0%
No one reported things getting worse
Only 5 reviews so far, so treat the percentages as a rough guide.
What changed
- AppetiteNot enough reviews yet1
- DigestionNot enough reviews yet1
By age
- Ages 3-5Not enough reviews yet1
What didn't
- Can't tell a difference3
Reviews
Most helpful reviews
Got better
No clear change
Age 5 · Boy · Autism
🇹🇼 Taiwan · Traditional Chinese · Nov 4, 2015
No change
- Result
- No change
- Side effects
- None
A child with Asperger-type traits has eaten egg-free, dairy-free and gluten-free since early on because of severe allergies. The parent can't credit the diet alone for the progress seen but believes it is beneficial.
5
Age 5 · Boy · Autism
🇹🇼 Taiwan · Traditional Chinese · Nov 4, 2015
No change
- Result
- No change
- Side effects
- None
A child with Asperger-type traits has eaten egg-free, dairy-free and gluten-free since early on because of severe allergies. The parent can't credit the diet alone for the progress seen but believes it is beneficial.
Autism
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Dec 31, 2016
No change
- Result
- No change
- Side effects
- None
A parent of a child with autism followed a gluten- and casein-free diet. When gluten was relaxed, the child's antinuclear antibody test turned positive, so strict avoidance resumed and became manageable once the family adapted.
Autism
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Jan 2, 2017
Better
- Result
- Better
- Side effects
- None
A parent of an autistic child keeps a dairy- and wheat-free diet to reduce inflammation. The child regresses without it, so the diet is being continued long term.
Boy · Autism
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Jun 26, 2017
No change
- Duration
- 3 months
- Result
- Digestion No change · Appetite No change
- Side effects
- None
A parent tried a strict gluten-free, casein-free diet for a few months with their autistic son. There was little benefit, and diarrhea and poor appetite did not improve. It was hard to manage at school and when eating out, so they switched to a looser version.
Boy · Autism
🇯🇵 Japan · Japanese · Apr 25, 2013
Better
- Result
- Better
- Side effects
- None
A parent of a son with autism, who was nonverbal and hyperactive, reports big progress in two years and plans to continue the gluten-free, casein-free organic diet alongside other therapies.
Research
CEvidence grade
Unclear
29 PubMed papers · 297 participants
Results on a gluten-free, casein-free diet for children with autism are mixed. One review found fewer repetitive behaviors, but others found no benefit, and the evidence is low quality.
Key studiesPMID 34617108PMID 33573238PMID 35359629
Read this apart from parent experience. Studies average many children, so they may not match your child.
Basics
- Category
- Diet · Elimination diet
- Forms
- Diet
- Age
- Families often work with a dietitian to avoid gaps.
Cautions
Side effects in reviews
None of the 5 reviews we collected mention side effects. That doesn't mean there are none.
Call emergency services or go to the ER right away if your child
- struggles to breathe or is wheezing
- has swelling of the face, lips or tongue
- becomes confused or has a seizure
If an unusual change lasts more than a few days, tell your child's doctor.
Reviews of other supplements and medicines
Where this comes from
We only pick posts in which parents describe trying something with their own child, from public parent forums and personal blogs. We don't copy the posts: we pull out the result, duration and side effects, write a short summary, and link every review to its original. These are parents who chose to write, so the numbers may differ from the real picture.
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