Julie: A worried mom can do better research than the FBI. Or at least, that’s what they say. This mom shares some of her research and I have found it a great starting point for helping my kids through health challenges even though they don’t have autism. You might notice a commonly reoccurring theme – vitamin deficiency. This is for educational purpose and not intended to treat or diagnose.

Symptom Check

I have listed some of the common symptoms/behaviors that autistic children experience below, and some of the reasons that these symptoms may be occurring.  This list is not comprehensive nor conclusive.  The information provided is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or treat any health condition and is not a replacement for treatment by a healthcare provider.

Acne – zinc deficiency, vitamin imbalance, allergies

Aggression – GI inflammation, bacteria overgrowth (ie clostridia), low cholesterol, Lyme disease, B-vitamin deficiency, magnesium deficiency, Omega 3 deficiency, Allergies, headaches, seizure activity, heavy metal toxicity

Always Hungry – Food malabsorption, parasites (worms), mito dysfunction, mineral deficiency

Always sick – Vitamin/mineral imbalance, allergies, Yeast overgrowth, zinc deficiency, Vitamin D deficiency, GI inflammation/immune dysfunction

Anemic – Iron deficiency, Vitamin D deficiency, Folate deficiency, B-12 deficiency, GI inflammation (gluten intolerance, celiac, bacterial infection)

Anxiety – Vitamin/mineral imbalance, PANS/PANDAS, magnesium deficiency, Thyroid dysfunction

Apraxia – Vitamin deficiency and/or Fatty Acid deficiency, Lip/Tongue tie

Bad breath – zinc deficiency

Black Stool – Bleeding in the upper GI tract, Iron supplementation

Bloating – Constipation, Gas, Histamine intolerance, allergies, clostridia overgrowth

Body odor (sweet) – zinc deficiency

Body temperature instabilty – Mitochondrial dysfunction, thyroid disorder, adrenal stress

Bruise easily – EFA deficiency, Iron deficiency, Vitamin K deficiency, Vitamin C deficiency, Folate deficiency, Vitamin B12 deficiency

Chapped lips – vitamin B deficiency, yeast overgrowth

Chewing – vitamin/mineral imbalance, parasites (worms)

Climb Furniture – Phenol overload, Yeast overgrowth

Cold hands/feet – Zinc deficiency, thyroid disorder

Cold intolerance – Mitochondrial dysfunction, thyroid disorder, adrenal stress

Constipation – GI Inflammation, Allergies, Yeast overgrowth, magnesium deficiency, Clostridia overgrowth

Cracks at corner of mouth – zinc deficiency

Crave certain foods – Allergies,  Yeast overgrowth, opioid addiction (dairy, gluten)

Cry easily – Mineral deficiency, Phenol overload, adrenal fatigue

Dark circles under eyes – Allergies, Phenol overload (phenol sulfotransferase deficiency), Yeast overgrowth, Adrenal fatigue, low iron (anemia)

Defiant – Yeast overgrowth, allergies, low cholesterol, Lyme disease

Delayed Growth – Mitochondrial dysfunction

Diaper rash – Allergies to food, Allergies to something on the skin (soap, lotion), Yeast overgrowth, Psoriasis due to infection

Diarrhea – GI Inflammation, Allergies, Yeast overgrowth, magnesium deficiency, Clostridia overgrowth

Doesn’t Talk – Vitamin/mineral imbalance, EFA deficiency, Yeast overgrowth, verbal apraxia, hearing impairment

Drool – low muscle tone (hypotonia), palsy

Eats a lot – Food malabsorption, parasites (worms), mito dysfunction, mineral deficiency

Eczema – Allergies to food, Allergies to something on the skin (soap, detergent on clothing), Essential Fatty Acid deficiency, Yeast overgrowth, Psoriasis due to infection

Eye Movement Issues – Cranial nerve damage (Sixth Nerve Palsy)

Eye Rolling –  See Tics

Eye Stimming –  Vitamin A deficiency, yeast overgrowth, bacteria overgrowth, high oxalates, EFA deficiency, high viral load

Fatigue – mitochondrial disorder, EMF sensitivity, magnesium deficiency, zinc deficiency, iron deficiency, allergies, gluten intolerance, LYME

Food Allergies/Intolerance – Histamine intolerance, Enzyme deficiency, GI inflammation

Gas – GI Inflammation, Allergies, Yeast overgrowth, magnesium deficiency, clostridia overgrowth

Gray Hair – Hair follicle stops creating melanin.  Nutritional deficiency.  Scientists have not discovered the exact reasons, but it could be from B vitamin deficiency (B5, B6, B12, Biotin), Zinc deficiency, D deficiency, Iron Deficiency.  Also thyroid issues.

Green Stool – Food moving too quickly through large intestine, allergies, green food coloring

Hair loss – zinc deficiency, vitamin B deficiency

Hand Flapping –  Phenol overload, sensitivity to food coloring, vitamin/mineral deficiency, virus, yeast overgrowth, bacteria overgrowth

Headaches – Magnesium deficiency, Iron deficiency, Allergies/food intolerance, MSG intolerance, Bartonella, LYME

Head Banging/Hitting –  (See Headaches or GI pain) – Vitamin/mineral deficiency, GI inflammation, allergies

Heat intolerance – Mitochondrial dysfunction, thyroid disorder, adrenal stress, underlying infection

Heavy Sweating or Night Sweating – Allergies, Babesia, Lyme disease, Mito dysfunction, heavy metal toxicity

Hives – Strep (PANDAS), yeast overgrowth, Mast Cell Activation Disorder

Hyperactive – Yeast overgrowth, Phenol overload, sensitivity to food coloring, PANDAS/PANS, Omega 3 deficiency, low carnitine

Inattentive – Vitamin/mineral imbalance, Omega 3 deficiency, allergies, Yeast overgrowth, low carnitine

Irritable – B-vitamin deficiency, magnesium deficiency, PANDAS/PANS

IgE Allergies (many) – Undermethylation

IgG Allergies (many) – GI inflammation/leaky gut

Itchy anus – Parasites (worms),  Yeast overgrowth

Joint Pain – Allergies, LYME

Keratosis Pilaris – Allergies, Vitamin A deficiency, EFA deficiency, Fatty acid oxidation disorder

Large motor delay – Mitochondrial dysfunction

Laughing at inappropriate times – Yeast overgrowth, Phenol overload

Lick things – Parasites (worms), zinc deficiency, PANDAS tic, introducing digestive enzymes, yeast overgrowth, high oxalates,

Lining things up – Vitamin/mineral imbalance, PANS/PANDAS

Look out of corner of eyes – Vitamin A deficiency, high viral load, EFA deficiency

Low muscle tone – Mitochondrial dysfunction, High viral load (coxsackie), vitamin/mineral deficiency, low carnitine

Mouth Sensitivity – B-vitamin deficiency, zinc deficiency

Nail biting – Parasites (worms), B-vitamin deficiency, low serotonin levels

Never gets sick – Overactive immune system (not a good thing)

Night Sweats – (detox mechanism) Allergies, high viral load

Obsessions/Compulsions (OCD) – Vitamin/mineral imbalance, PANS/PANDAS, Yeast overgrowth, B-vitamin deficiency

Peeling Nails – Vitamin/mineral deficiency

Peeling skin at nails – B2 deficiency

Peeling skin (like sunburnt) – Bartonella

Peeling skin on fingers – Strep (PANDAS), Hand/Foot/Mouth Disease, Coxsackie, Yeast overgrowth, allergy.

PICA (putting inedible things in the mouth) – Zinc deficiency, chromium deficiency, riboflavin deficiency, iron deficiency

Pick at lips -Vitamin/mineral deficiency, PANS/PANDAS, Yeast overgrowth

Picky Eater  – Allergies, zinc deficiency, B-vitamin deficiency

Pimply rash – Yeast overgrowth, food allergy/intolerance, oxalate issues

Plug ears – Mineral deficiency, Yeast overgrowth, bacteria overgrowth

Poor appetitie – B1 deficiency, yeast overgrowth, clostridia overgrowth

Poor Coordination – B-vitamin deficiency

Potty training trouble – Allergies, Yeast overgrowth

Press abdomen against things – Gastrointestinal discomfort/pain

Red cheeks – Phenol sensitivity, allergy

Red Ring around Anus – Yeast overgrowth

Red stool – bleeding in the lower GI tract, red food coloring

Red Streaks on skin – Bartonella

Reflux – Allergies, low muscle tone due to mitochondrial dysfunction, vitamin/mineral deficiency

Repetative Behaviors – Vitamin/mineral imbalance, Phenol overload

Rock back and forth – Magnesium deficiency

Sandy Stool – Oxalate dumping

Scream/Screech –  Yeast overgrowth

Sensitive to light – Magnesium deficiency, zinc deficiency, Vitamin B deficiency

Sensitive to noise – Magnesium deficiency, zinc deficiency

Sensitive to smell – zinc deficiency

Sensitive to taste – zinc deficiency

Sleep Troubles – Reflux, Phenol overload, seizures, parasites (worms), Thyroid dysfunction, EMF sensitivity, artificial light sensitivity (not making melatonin), high histamine, zinc deficiency, B-vitamin deficiency, Omega 3 deficiency, low Iron, low blood sugar (wake up in middle of night).

Smelly Feet – zinc deficiency

Smelly Urine (Ammonia) – Dehydration, UTI, bacteria overgrowth (ie clostridia), diet high in protein. Highly concentrated urine from being held a long time; high oxalates can make urination painful.

Spin – Yeast overgrowth, bacteria overgrowth, high oxalates, EFA deficiency

Spitting – Parasites (worms), yeast overgrowth

Stare at lights/fans/wheels – Vitamin A deficiency, EFA deficiency, high viral load, Vision Problems 

Stare into space – Seizures, allergies

Stretch Marks on Skin – Bartonella, Pyroluria (vitamin/mineral imbalance)

Teeth grinding – Vitamin/mineral deficiency, parasites (worms), magnesium deficiency, TMJ

Tics – Vitamin/mineral imbalance (magnesium), PANDAS/PANS, bacteria overgrowth, Lyme disease, seizure activity, allergies, copper metabolism disorder

Toe Walking – GI inflammation, reaction to food coloring and/or preservatives, yeast overgrowth

Undigested food in stool – Lack of enzymes to break down food

Visual stimming – Vitamin A deficiency, EFA deficiency, high viral load, Vision Problems

Vocal stimming – Allergies, yeast overgrowth, high viral load, PANS/PANDAS

Vomit – Allergies, PANDAS (strep), eating late

Wet the bed – Allergies, oxalate dumping, mineral deficiency, yeast die-off

White spots on nails – mineral deficiency (zinc)

White Stool – Lack of bile in stool

Yellow Stool – Fat malabsorption due to low bile production from liver, Yeast overgrowth, Oxalate dumping

 

More information can be found on TACA’s website.

More information can be found on www.udaan.org

This blog has checklist printables.