[Gluten-free diet in infantile autism. A therapeutic trial]

It has been postulated that there may be a connection between wheat-gluten/milk-casein and mental disorders such as schizophrenia, hyperactivity and autism. In this study seven patients with infantile autism, three before puberty and four after puberty, were given a gluten-free diet. Three children were provoked with gluten/placebo in a double-blind study. Four young patients participated in an open study and were given a gluten-free diet in six months. Behaviour was registered before, during and after the period with a gluten-free diet. Visual Analogue Scale and Real Life Rating Scale were used to register changes in behaviour. No connection was observed between gluten and behaviour typical for these patients. On the contrary, the gluten-free diet seemed to be another negative factor leading to further social isolation in this group of highly socially handicapped patients and families.