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), Oculomotor Dysfunction
Eye Rolling – See Tics
Eye Stimming – Vitamin A deficiency, yeast overgrowth, bacteria overgrowth, high oxalates, EFA deficiency, high viral load, Oculomotor Dysfunction
Fatigue – mitochondrial disorder, EMF sensitivity, magnesium deficiency, zinc deficiency, iron deficiency, allergies, gluten intolerance, LYME, Oculomotor Dysfunction
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, Oculomotor Dysfunction
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, Oculomotor Dysfunction
Inattentive – Vitamin/mineral imbalance, Omega 3 deficiency, allergies, Yeast overgrowth, low carnitine, Oculomotor Dysfunction
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, Oculomotor Dysfunction
Low muscle tone – Mitochondrial dysfunction, High viral load (coxsackie), vitamin/mineral deficiency, low carnitine
Motion Sickness – B-vitamin deficiency, Oculomotor Dysfunction
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) – Mineral deficiency; Zinc, Iron, Magnesium, etc. https://nutritioncare.net/pica-101/
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, Oculomotor Dysfunction – 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.
Fantastic list. I was searching for something else too. Non stop circling and throwing things on the floor and standing on them. Any idea?
I did this as a child! Often when my anxieties were high 😩
What a fantastic list.
I remember as a kid i would spit on the ground and then go around it in xircles over and over ,
Also I would would the square gap inbetween two hallways where they met in my house, walking around over and over touching each edge many many times before i could be pryed away from it.
I often wonder what these things were. .
Thanks
Pingback: Symptom Checker | Finding Finn
I am so thankful for this list and sharing it with everyone I can! It has given me such hope that yeast is our issue as it was listed beside every symptom I agreed with for my son. We are working on healing through diet and homeopathy and I am hopeful!! Thanks!
hey sarah, I found out the answers for the question that i asked you earlier. See my question above. The answers is overgrowth of yeast causes them to do non stop circling and throwing things on the floor. It stopped after i fix her yeast. 🙂
Padma how does one fix the yeast? My son is on gfcf diet.. Please advice what worked for you?
Geeta, email me separately. Padma06@yahoo.com– it’s a big list
Hi padma can you share me how you treated yeast.
Can you tell me how you got rid of the yeast 🙏🙏🙏.
Excellent list!!!!
Hi Padma,
I was wondering what experience/insight you can give me for a problem eater; my son is very, very picky due to textures. I know for sure he has a yeast overgrowth issue but I can’t get him to eat anything other than foods that wreak havoc on him and feed that overgrowth.
Hi, I have the same issues still but its a big process unfortunately. Anyway few things we got to remember that reducing the yeast issue alone won’t solve the problem especially with all picky eaters. What exactly happens is, we are trying to cut the source of the yeast (food) but their gut is still not really functioning well. So if their food is not getting digested properly, they their body itself produces toxic chemicals. Its not just because of outside food. All these days i was trying to do all treatments for my autistic kid without much improvement but now i am totally tackling it in a different approach and i really see improvement after 3 years. And its happening fast also which gives me so much hope that i am in the right track. These things i started recently only after doing lots of research.
Let me share with you what my plan of action is:
Early morning: Empty stomach i started giving her Himalayan salt sole water 1 tsp with normal water. After 30 minutes regular food…
Main reason: I am making her body alkaline so that no toxic can reside in it.
Then during the same day i am giving 2 oz of wheatgrass juice. It helps to remove toxic from her body (she is a constipated kid)..
YEAST triggers – > CONSTIPATION -> SENSORY ISSUES -> HISTAMINE / PHENOL / SALICATE / OXALATE ISSUES etc
Apple cider vinegar soaking bath – Weekly once right now ( once she is okay i will do it weekly twice) Helps with again yeast / allergies etc
Daily 20 mins epsom salt foot soak – > for magnesium issues
I keep changing the soaking bath regularly. I have list of soaking bath recipes for heavy metals detox / mineral deficiency / flu / cold / eczema etc…:)
Also i have started doing sensory games for her..Week 1 30 minutes to 1 hour and slowly i increase it to 3 hours ..Trust me …whatever treatments was not able to achieve so far, i am able to do it lot within a month..
Now she is able to understand lots of things, became expert in puzzles, listening to some extent, stimming has reduced to some extent..still having OCD but we are in a good shape..
I will surely say we have reduced atleast ATEC 20 points in a month or so. We are actually seeing fast gains now. I am 100% confident that in another 6 months i will be able to make her eat most of the items..
My suggestion for you first would be try willburg brushing protocol for him. Tactile sensory issue and oral defensiveness issues play a major role with all picky eaters even though it is basically triggered by yeast.
Check with his doctor whether you can use apple cider vinegar. My pediatrician, homeopath as well as bio medical doctor told me to use it. So i hope your doctor allows is. It will surely bring the yeast down..
Goodluck,
Regards
Padma.
Hi Padma,
What sensory games do you play.
Hi Padma. Reluctantly to changes- is there uderlying biomedical issue please?
Hi Lisa, Please reply with your email address. I’d be happy to correspond. I’ll make sure not to publish it.
Can you let me know what panda stands for?
Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections.
Good information for me in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Am happy that parents in our parts of the world is sharing information to help some who can not easily get it
Hello
Please can anyone help me? We live in England son is 17 almost severe autism. He’s on a restrictive diet no wheat sugars casein gluten and other sensitivities to food. He is a big eater and I’ve definitely exhausted that and am now working on cutting down his food little by little. I’m also cutting down on cold pressed pineapple juice which whore now I diluted 50/50 with filtered water. I am now going back to 6parts coconut water 1 part juice and 3parts water. He has recently come through really horrible constipation and diahorrea phase which we haven’t seen for a while. I cook organic free range meat, responsibly sourced fish and lots of broth and fish tea using salmon head. I don’t know where else to turn. His sleep is erratic. Please advise if you can. Thanks
Pingback: More On Diet… – Finding Faith & Healing
Pingback: Why Does My Child Do This? – Nourished Blessings