ALLERGIES & FOOD
SENSITIVITIES
Written by Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.
Center for the Study of Autism, Salem, Oregon
People with autism
are more susceptible to allergies and food sensitivities than the
average person; and this is likely due to their impaired immune
system. I have provided a brief discussion of allergies and food
sensitivities below.
Allergies
An allergy is the body's overreaction to a foreign
substance. When a substance causes the body's immune system to overreact,
this substance is referred to as an 'allergen.' When an allergen,
such as a plant pollen, is inhaled, it is identified by the body
as an intruder. As a response, the body produces an antibody called
'immunoglobulin E,' or IgE, to destroy the intruder. The antibodies
then attach themselves to mast cells which are located in tissues
and basophils and are located in the blood stream.
When the IgE also attaches to the intruder, the
mast cells and basophils release histamine. Histamine causes swelling
of the lining in the nose and causes extra mucus to form. Consequently,
the person can suffer nasal itching and congestion, sneezing, and
inflamed, irritated, and/or itching eyes. Due to one's immune system,
some people are more sensitive than others to foreign substances.
Numerous tests are used to identify which foreign
substances are allergens. These include skin prick tests, blood
tests, x-rays, and nasal endoscopy. There are also many treatments
which may alleviate symptoms associated with allergies. Interestingly,
giving an extremely small dose of an allergen may desensitize a
person to the foreign substance thereby its status as an allergen.
This procedure usually involves receiving an 'allergy shot.' One
can also purchase sublingual drops from a nutrition store.
Vitamins and other nutrients, such as Vitamin
C, are also used by many people to reduce allergy symptoms. While
not used to desensitize a person to a foreign substance, allergy
symptoms can be treated by taking medications such as cromolyn sodium
(administered using a nasal spray) or taking antihistamines. These
medications sometimes have side-effects, such as drowsiness and
dryness. Another method to relieve the suffering associated with
allergies is to reduce allergens from one's surroundings, such as
using an air conditioner and/or an air filter in the home.
Food Sensitivities
There is growing evidence that many people with
autism are sensitive to certain food products. The most common food
products to which this sensitivity develops are grains (e.g., wheat,
rye, oats) and dairy products (e.g., milk, cheese, whey). Other
foods, which are often consumed during the spring and summer, are
strawberries and citrus fruit. Food sensitivities are considered
by many people as allergies in that one's immune system is overly
reactive to these substances. Food sensitivities may be responsible
for numerous physical and behavioral problems, such as headaches,
stomachaches, feeling of nausea, bed-wetting, appearing 'spaced
out,' stuttering, excessive whining and crying, sleeping problems,
hyperactivity, aggression, sound sensitivity, temper tantrums, fatigue,
depression intestinal problems (i.e., gas, diarrhea, constipation),
muscle aches in the legs, ear infections and possibly seizures.
Sometimes the person will have changes in physical
appearance as a result of a food sensitivity. These can include:
pink or black circles around the eyes, bags under the eyes, rosy
cheeks or ears, rapid heartbeat, shallow breathing, fluid in the
ears (a cause of ear infections), and excessive perspiration. However,
it should be mentioned that these behavior and physical symptoms
may not necessarily be a result of a food sensitivity and can be
due to other causes as well.
A reaction to a certain food may occur immediately
after exposure or may take up to 36 hours or longer to manifest
itself. In addition, reactions usually occur after a meal rather
than before a meal. If behavioral problems occur before a meal,
the problem may be hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Interestingly,
people often crave the very foods to which they are sensitive. At
the present time, we do not know why this is so.
There are several ways to determine whether a
person is sensitive to a specific food substance. The easiest way
is to eliminate completely the suspected foods from one's diet.
If a person is sensitive to the food, one would expect an improvement
in how a person feels and/or behaves once these products are no
longer in the person's system. One way to test for a food sensitivity
is to remove the substance from the person's diet for approximately
one or two weeks, and then give it to him/her on an empty stomach.
The food must be totally eliminated; even a trace amount might be
too much for some individuals.
In most cases, a food sensitivity reaction, if
it occurs, will do so within 15 to 60 minutes; however, it may take
several hours to notice some reactions, such as bed-wetting and
fluid in the ears. Another way to test for food sensitivities is
to rotate food items in one's diet every four days. If the sensitivity
exists, then one would expect a reaction to occur every fourth day.
Another method used to determine a food sensitivity is to provoke
a response with an extract and then neutralize the response by using
a diluted form of the food substance.
This can be done by having a qualified physician
inject the substance into the person via a needle or placing food
extracts under one's tongue. When a reaction is observed, then a
dilution of the extract is given to stop or neutralize the reaction.
For some, a dilution of the food substance will desensitize the
person to the allergen itself.
The best way to stop a reaction to a particular
food substance is to remove that food from the person's diet. Other
treatments include taking nutrients to strengthen the immune system
and giving the person sublingual drops, i.e., very small amount
of the substance.
In general, it is important that people realize
that allergies and food sensitivities can affect one's health and
behavior, but these problems are treatable.
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