I watch my sister-in-law, A PEDIATRICIAN, struggle to care for her son, who has been diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD)--similar to autism. As my highly intelligent nephew becomes an adolescent he's harder to communicate with, he isolates himself more in his own little world and he cannot handle social situations, his neurological issues become more prominent, his behavioral outbursts are becoming more frightening. He is developing severe anxiety.
My SIL has been told to try at least getting gluten out of his diet (I would vote for ALL grains and sugars), but "it's too hard". He has always been a difficult and "picky" eater and is one of those kids who will not eat for weeks if he doesn't get his way with food. But I think he's bright enough to
Participate in a trial of grain elimination if the family works together on this, offering him choice and participation in the process. They refuse to even consider it, however. My SIL would have to give up her Nutrasweet diet garbage and her younger child (also a behavior problem) all the sweet bready foods, pasta, candy, etc. both kids get chocolate soy milk at bedtime to "make up" for the food they don't eat (OY!!! ). Giving all this up is too hard ...
So instead she has chosen to give my nephew an ever increasing arsenal of psychotropic drugs. He has horrible side effects like inability to sleep, zombie like behavior, and increasing anxiety. So the answer is to try yet another drug in the vain hope that the right drug or combo of several drugs will be found. How is this easier than a dietary change???
My SIL the pediatrician believes in drugs, not food, even when evidence of drug failure stands right before her. If she can't help her own son, what of her patients?