Smearing poop on walls, inability to become toilet trained, head-banging, inconsolable crying, aggression, sleepless nights, lack of responsiveness and participation…
Are these simply common autism traits? Behavioral challenges? Or a sign of something deeper happening inside our kids’ bodies?
Bruno’s Story
I remember it as if it were yesterday—2017, I was working with Bruno, an 8-year-old boy who for five days straight would scream and jump almost non-stop. He would then roll on the floor holding his belly and crying inconsolably. We dimmed the lights, offered him food, tried to give him hugs and gentle squeezes—nothing made a difference.
He didn’t speak and was not able to communicate what he was feeling, so his parents didn’t know if he was experiencing pain or what was going on.
It was during this week that Bruno’s parents realized that in order to help their son learn and grow, they first had to address what was happening inside Bruno’s body—immune dysfunction, chronic inflammation, high levels of toxicity, and abnormal gut flora. These were certainly not behavioral challenges or simply traits of autism.
The Link That Is Still Missing
Did you know that 70% or more of children with ASD have a history of GI symptoms, showing significant markers for inflammation and impaired detoxification systems?
With over 20 years in the field working with nearly a thousand autism families, I’ve seen these patterns consistently. Many autistic children deal with significant physical discomfort and imbalances that manifest as emotional dysregulation, extreme sensory sensitivities, lack of attention, sleep disturbances, and in some cases aggressive behavior.
What Is Gut-Brain Health?
Gut-brain health refers to the powerful, two-way communication between the digestive system and the brain. When the gut is balanced and healthy, it sends calming signals to the brain—helping children regulate emotions, sleep deeply, focus better, and manage sensory input.
But when the gut is inflamed and overwhelmed by toxins and abnormal gut-flora, it communicates distress, showing up as anxiety, meltdowns, hyperactivity, picky eating, poor sleep, or difficulty learning.
Multiple studies, including work published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, show that children with autism often have higher toxicity loads and less diverse gut flora compared to their neurotypical peers, leading to chronic inflammation and disrupted neurotransmitter production, among other challenges.
The good news? When we support the gut with nutrient-dense whole foods, reduce inflammation, open the detox pathways, and restore microbial balance, we support the child’s brain, nervous system, and entire developmental capacity.
Key Nutrients That Support Gut-Brain Health
Protein – Provides amino acids needed to produce neurotransmitters like dopamine (focus), serotonin (mood), and GABA (calm and sleep). Stabilizes blood sugar, preventing crashes that lead to irritability.
Healthy Fats and Omega-3s – Your child’s brain is 60% fat. Omega-3s reduce inflammation and improve focus, mood stability, and learning ability. Prioritize wild-caught fatty fish, pasture-raised animal fats (butter, ghee, tallow, lard), walnuts, and freshly ground flax seeds.
B Vitamins and Methylation Support – Essential for producing neurotransmitters and detoxifying harmful substances. Focus on organ meats (especially liver, one of nature’s most concentrated sources of bioavailable B vitamins), pasture-raised eggs, grass-fed beef, and lentils.
Magnesium – Supports GABA production, releases physical tension, and regulates the stress response. Incorporate pumpkin seeds, dark leafy greens, other magnesium-rich vegetables, cashews, avocados, and wild salmon daily. Epsom salt baths also provide magnesium. In contrast, sugar and refined carbohydrates deplete magnesium stores rapidly.
Moving Forward
When we address gut-brain health, we’re not just managing symptoms—we’re giving our children the foundation they need to thrive, learn, and grow.
Your child’s body wants to heal.
You have more power than you might realize. Food is one of the most accessible, affordable, and powerful tools you have for supporting your child’s cognitive function, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.
Every meal is an opportunity to support healing and development from the inside out.
