Why not try diet for autistic kids?

Re “Science Aside, Food Theory Has Support” [Oct. 8]: The reasons why a diet free of gluten and casein works so well for so many autistic children are at this point theoretical. But it is a fact, not a theory, that this diet helps many (not all) autistic children.

Scientists who do large epidemiological studies do not have a monopoly on the perception of reality. We see our children and our friends’ and acquaintances’ children. We see the change in many autistic children when they are on the diet and off it.

Parents of autistic kids take their children with chronic diarrhea or constipation to gastroenterologists and are told, “Sorry, I can’t help you -- he’s autistic. It’s genetic. Nothing you can do. And, by the way, don’t try that crazy unproven diet stuff.” With no help or insight offered by most of the medical community, parents turn to books and to each other.

It’s easy and harmless to give the gluten-free, casein-free diet a try. That is the only way to know whether or not the diet will benefit your child.

Observe your child before and after. Observe your child when dietary infractions occur. That is science -- a scientific study of the one person who is most important to you.

I ask you, the reader: If you found that you got diarrhea whenever you ate a particular food but felt better when you didn’t eat that food, would you stop eating that food? Or would you wait for a large scientific study?

Twyla Ramos

Glendale