It's entirely possible that my friend's nephew is both autistic AND gluten-intolerant, and so the gluten-free diet has nothing to do with the autism as much as making the kid healthier overall, which would affect temperament.

I honestly don't know; I've only read a few articles and can relate only my friends' anecdata.

I'll admit, though I'd deny it anywhere else, that the "leaky gut" sounds fishy to me as well.

Leaky gut is a real condition; I imagine that it could exacerbate neuro-related conditions like autism (not *directly,* but by fucking up one thing, which fucks up another thing, etc., etc.), but I doubt that it can *cause* them.

t edit IANAD, just a crackpot who reads too much.

No - I'm glad you read this stuff cause I don't and I can ask questions next time and a) seem interested and engaged and b) speak without it being from my ass.

I might be expaining/understanding this all wrong. Neither set of friends are people I would call believers in "woo-woo medicine".

for the most part I remain skeptical about the recent urge to pin such a variety of issues on food allergies.

It's not even that recent - when I was growing up, I babysat for a girl who was "allergic" to a laundry list of food a mile long. Wheat/dairy/soy/eggs/etc. But when I asked about specific reactions to look for (expecting hives, throat closing up, you know - ALLERGIC REACTIONS) and where the epipen was, her mother patiently explained that when her little darling had wheat, she became very hyperactive. At which point I nodded sagely and continued to take her money.

I think I'm allergic to stupidity. That means whenever I'm confronted by the Stupid, I can hit it with a big stick, right?

At which point I nodded sagely and continued to take her money.

And this is why I love you.

But remember, I'm a lot older than you are. When I was growing up, they were practically smearing the school cafeteria with peanut butter and no one batted an eye.

No, it means that if you are inadvertantly exposed to Stupid, you should stab it with a needle full of adrenaline.

When I was growing up, they were practically smearing the school cafeteria with peanut butter and no one batted an eye.

And milk was required!

Bonny -- your friend is working for one person to work seven days a week, up to 11 hours a day? That seems bananas.

My brother (allergic to peanuts in the "if he eats a peanut he will go into anaphylactic shock and die" sense) grew up during the first wave of peanut allergy awareness. I remember the transition from my mother having to fight with airlines for a peanut-free flight, to all airlines switching to pretzels, and then airlines flailing helplessly because the low-carb craze meant people wouldn't eat the pretzels either.

One of these political wives is going to shoot a husband someday, mark my words.

I can only imagine that the Stepford wife replacers are the only reason this hasn't happened already.

In re: autism and food. Way, WAY back in 1979, a university pal of mine was nanny to a boy with severe autism features. Based on the advice of, what was considered at the time, a wacky practitioner, they did a food allergy elimination diet. In the process, they discovered that the culprit was potatoes, and all potato derivatives found in processed foods. (read: pretty much anything in a package)

Within a couple of months, the symptoms had completely cleared up and the family set out to help their 6 year old, who had functioned on a pre-verbal toddler level, catch up and integrate into a 'normal' school.

It truly was a miracle. I note on facebook that the uni friend has been working in early child development ever since. Had to have had a huge impact on her vocational calling!