To make my toddler vegan?

[Bouncingbelle]

Sorry, can't find the section for special needs parenting. DS has just turned 3, non verbal, global developmental delay & suspected autistic traits. He also has excema, and has suffered from stomach bloating & constipation since his (extremely premature) birth.
I've been doing some research (on the internet so possibly not all true!) And some people have suggested that taking casein out of a childs diet can inprove their communication skills. Does anyone have any experience in this? Taking all dairy out of his diet seems like a huge step but will do anything if it helps him communicate.
Thanks

I don't have knowledge on special needs children, but I can offer the following reassurance on the other issues...

Dairy-free diets do relieve eczema symptoms, and less meat in theory can help with constipation, so I think it's worth a try. I would maybe just drop it down gradually so that it's manageable for you and not lots of sudden change for him.

In terms of health as long as he is getting all the nutrients he needs and its not overly processed then there's nothing to worry about. Calcium is obviously important for kids to keep up but there are plenty of dairy free products with added calcium, just do the maths to make sure he's getting his daily recommendation!

You can't cure autism OP.

I'm sorry that you aren't at the stage where you can accept that yet, and are looking for fixes.

Once you get past that stage you will feel a lot happier and more content about your child.

This is exactly the sort of thing you should NOT do without medical advice or supervision. Children have different nutritional needs to adults, I’m sure you can raise a vegan child when you know a lot about nutrition and additional supplements needed but I wouldn’t go full vegan without proper advice.

I would suggest removing dairy from his diet altogether (just one allergen at a time) you need to give him a lot of broccoli and other calcium rich food, do not expect he is going to take any other milks easily but if you insist avoid soya and use rice milk (just the enriched one). If the dairy is the problem, you will see a big difference in his eczema after 2 weeks.

I reckon it’s doable in terms of getting the right nutrition - remember Vit B12 supplements. But I do think doing this in the hope that it will improve his communication skills is a bit of false errand - I can completely understand your wish to try though in the hope it would work. It just makes little sense medically - if there was anything to it then medical professionals would be recommending it. Like you said, if it’s just on the internet it’s probably mostly pseudo-science. It will be a lot of effort and change for something that will probably leave you disappointed.

Dont use rice milk, its not suitable for that age group due to arsenic levels

I am a Speech Therapist with under 5's. There are a lot of theories and programmes out there that claim to help cure/improve autism/communication. In professional circles lots of it is considered rubbish and often exploitive of parents. Certainly nothing can 'cure' autism. I wouldn't make any changes to diet and would stick to more mainstream approaches e.g. speech therapy, visual support etc.

Or soya milk, due to high levels of oestrogen, or almonds milk because you already have a child prone to allergies. My child was in Rice milk for 6 years and is still with us but I admit finding good replacement food, particularly when it came to milk it was very very difficult. I would have died for fortified oat milk but wasn’t available back then.

Sorry missed the bit about eczema. There may be more evidence that diet impacts here, but I wouldn't cut out dairy to improve communication skills.

No you can't cure autism but studies have been done linking diet to reduction in symptoms such as links between gut bacteria and symptoms of autism so I don't think the OP is completely out there considering dietary changes for her DC.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/amp/324945

Can you be referred to a dietician for professional advice?

YouTube is a GREAT resource for learning all about a vegan diet for babies. I’m vegan and my friends who are too have the healthiest, bounciest babies!

A dietician would point blank refuse to recommend an exclusion diet to 'improve communication'. They could lose their job for doing so.

YouTube is a GREAT resource for learning all about a vegan diet for babies

No. No social media platform is a great resource for learning ALL about how to nourish infants - something which significantly influences their health and lifelong wellbeing. Social media platforms are good for support and information on occasion but the best resource for this is ultimately qualified healthcare professionals. Please do not ask such a significant alteration to your baby’s diet based on YouTube influencers and posts you read online.

You can raise children as perfectly healthy vegans but you need to read up a lot on nutrients and balanced diets and have children that are not too fussy and happy to eat a wide range of foods.

@Skittlenommer - YouTube is also GREAT for watching how to pop a zit, or pour slime through a sieve, or apply makeup badly. It does not complement or replace medical advice.

Before making any changes to his diet is it worth asking your GP for blood tests to rule a few diet related things out? For instance coeliac disease can cause bloating and constipation. The constipation and eczema seem like separate issues to his suspected autism though.

People are seeing 'vegan' and ignoring the reason why the OP is considering this diet.

There's nothing wrong with a child being vegan. It's fine. There are loads of vegan kids.

But you cannot cure autism. My DS is technically a vegan as he won't eat meat or dairy. We have to supplement his diet with fortified soy shakes. He's autistic. Vegan and autistic. It's not a magic wand. Not even a tiny bit magic.

YouTube is also GREAT for watching how to pop a zit, or pour slime through a sieve, or apply makeup badly

And use cosmetics to make you look dead eyed and pouty like one of those sex robots.

It sounds like you want to go dairy free and not vegan OP? I think if you cut out a food group you need to ensure the nutrients are available elsewhere. I think being vegan may be a bit extreme without advice from a nutritionist first, mainly due to your son being so young.

The OP has said she is looking to improve communication skills, not cure autism btw.

It's pretty obvious that's what she is trying to do @Fishfeedingfrenzy

Dairy doesn't impede communication.

ignore the gf.
op you can't cure autism via diet

The calcium from dairy is making your toddlers bones grow healthy and strong. Do not remove it without replacing the nutrients and vitamins.

Dairy does not affect eczema unless your child has an intolerance (which is the case in some people with eczema but most eczema is not caused by allergies)

Going vegan will not help him. On the contrary, meat and fish contain essential fatty acids for brain development and health. A gluten free or keto diet could help him though.

Ooooh @giggleshizz I am SO glad you posted about gut health. I was going to as well.

OP. Look at microbiome. Ways of improving your child's gut health.

There is evidence and studies out there which support your case.
talk on it here s