functional medicine and nutritional genomics - American Association ...

AAPI’S NUTRITION GUIDE TO OPTIMAL HEALTH: USING PRINCIPLES OF FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE AND NUTRITIONAL GENOMICS
For a variety of reasons, infants and children are
more prone to dehydration than adults. Symptoms
of mild dehydration include tiredness, muscle
weakness, lightheadedness, and headache.
In children with autism, these symptoms can be
easily missed. Children with autism often have
expressive language delays or are non-verbal and
unable to express their thirst. Some children with
autism do not even recognize the sensation of
thirst and therefore never ask for water. These
children are especially susceptible to dehydration.
Subtle though the symptoms may be, dehydration
will have a major impact on how the child feels
both physically and mentally, his ability to function
normally, and his ability to excrete toxins out of
his body. The chart below lists the total amount
of water a child should consume daily (26).
The amount of total water a child needs will vary
according to their level of physical activity, medical
problems, and weather environment in which you
live. A Registered Dietitian can calculate more
exactly the total amount of water a child requires
based on their individual needs.
ADEQUATE INTAKE OF WATER
Age Group Total Water
Children Liters/day Cups/day
1 – 3 years 1.3 5
4 – 8 years 1.7 7
Males
9 – 13 years 2.4 10
14 – 18 years 3.3 14
> 19 years 3.7 15
Females
9 – 13 years 2.1 9
14 – 18 years 2.3 10
>19 2.7 11
Source: Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of
Medicine, National Academies
Eliminating toxins from drinking water – It is
important to consider the source of the water for
a child because safe, uncontaminated drinking
water is vital to his health (53, 54). In the
autism community, neurotoxins are a major
concern and many parents try to eliminate heavy
metals from their children’s environment as much
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as possible. Common sources of water pollutants
include:
� Biological agents (bacteria, viruses,
parasites)
� Inorganic chemicals (arsenic, lead,
mercury, chromium, nitrates)
� Organic chemicals (pesticides, benzene,
polychlorinated biphenyls, trichloroethylene)
� Disinfectant chemicals (chlorine, chlorine
dioxide, chloramines, haloacetic acid,
trihalomethanes)
� Radionuclides (radon)
These pollutants can affect major body organs
such as the kidneys and liver; promote certain
forms of cancer, leukemia, and anemia; and may
affect the neurological and gastrointestinal systems
(55, 56). Consider the use of a home water
purification system, such as a reverse osmosis
water filter, to reduce various contaminants in
drinking water.
3) TREAT GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
Gastrointestinal problems involving the esophagus,
stomach, small intestine, and colon are very
common among children with autism (57, 58,
59, 60, 61). It appears that GI problems are
more prevalent in children with autism than other
children. In a study published in the Journal of
the Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics in
2006, 70 percent of children with autism were
found to have a lifetime history of gastrointestinal
symptoms, such as abnormal stools, constipation,
frequent vomiting, and abdominal pain (62). A
research article released September 2011 by
Williams, Hornig, Buie, et al. indicated that GI
activity of children with autism differs from other
children primarily in two ways; intestinal cells show
abnormalities in how they break down and
transport carbohydrates, and their intestines have
abnormal amount of certain bacteria (63). A
consensus report published January 2010 in
Pediatrics stated that problem behavior in children
with autism spectrum disorders may be the primary
or sole symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders
(64).
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