PADIA: PARENTS' AND PROFESSIONALS' ATTITUDES TO DIETARY INTERVENTIONS IN ASD
THE STUDY:
The study aimed to find out about parents’ and child health professionals’ experiences of autism research and their attitudes to the use of the gluten and casein free (GFCF) diet as an intervention in ASD. We carried out two web-based surveys; one for parents/carers and the other for child health professionals who support children with ASD and their families. The results of these surveys will help us plan the design of UK research studies into biomedical and complementary and alternative therapies for children with ASD.
FINDINGS:
The PADIA survey highlighted that many parents are currently using dietary interventions, and they would like to see diets and dietary supplements further evaluated. Many professionals have been asked for advice about the GFCF diet but feel that the evidence is too limited to be able to advise families properly. However, most professionals would support parents wishing to try this diet for their child. Both parents and professionals indicated their support for further evaluation of the GFCF diet within a randomised controlled trial (RCT). This survey has certainly given us some helpful insights for the trial design such as the need for specific paediatric and dietetic support within our proposed trial.
Click here for Newsletter and Findings
If you would like any more information about this study, please contact:
Professor Ann Le Couteur
Tel: 01912821384
Email: padia@ncl.ac.uk
Published Papers