CNN posted an article today, Study: Gluten-free diets do not improve autism behavior, written by Trisha Henry, CNN Medical Producer. "Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center in upstate New York put the gluten- and casein-free diet to most stringent test today, according to lead author Dr. Susan Hyman."
The study involved 14 children diagnosed with autism. The study claims that their results prove that changing an autistic child's diet will not improve their behavior. These conclusions are based on putting 14 children on the diet for four weeks, and then giving them a casein and gluten food item.
I'm not sure what irritates me the most about this study. Is it that they did a study with 12 children and make this claim on that basis or that CNN is reporting it as a fact that should be accepted by everyone.
I'm not a scientist, but I do know that the results of one,very small research study is not enough to make assumptions of this magnitude. In my opinion, presenting this study's results as fact will do a lot of harm in the autism community. The fact that CNN has reported on it will also hurt our community, too.
This study has also been reported on by other major news sites on the internet. I think this is a very detrimental study and I am disappointed in the news organizations that are reporting on this. They are legitimizing this study. This is a study that only had 14 children participating. This is a study that excluded children with gastrointestinal issues. Then, it turns around and says that the diet doesn't help children with autism. I ask you this. How many children were turned away from this study because of allergies or gastrointestinal problems?
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5 comments:
This study is about as believable as vaccines being perfectly safe.
Typical "news" story, or what they want to call "news".
~Michele
This is very frustrating. I and 3 of my 4 sons are on a GF/CF diet and it makes us all happier. I know because I feel some of the same effects that the boys do. I have one son with autism yet 4 of us have behavioral issues if we eat dairy or wheat. This should not be taken lightly.
12 kids is not a big enough group. I seriously doubt that they could have had a tight study with as hard as it is to eat a gf/cf diet.
We don't even know what autism is really nor what causes it. Parents have been the biggest source of info through their trial and error and the few doctors who are open minded to help.
Preachin to the choir though here.
I agree in this case they didn't use a large enough sample to really test their theory. We've found no one treatment works for everyone, so to discount a treatment based on such a small sample is, well, quite frankly stupid.
I believe that Gluten does affect a sub-group of children. If none of them happened to be in that small group of 12, they have no representation. Anyone with a scientific background, or simple common sense would see the results of this study, and say interesting... we will add it to the general body of knowledge, and see what the results are for the next study.
News media grabs up these stories, and unwitting viewers assume the story must have merit, or it wouldn't be reported. This is so not the case in modern news.
I agree that it's a ridiculously small sample for a study but it does at least suggest that gluten free diets may not be effective for everyone.
I have a feeling that they may be effective against certain co-conditions rather than against autism itself. This would mean, of course, that unless you had a sample who had those co-conditions, the study would show nothing.
There have been similar studies which demonstrate "conclusively" that red cordial has absolutely NO effect on children.
As parents... somehow we just know better.
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