The Kid-Friendly ADHD & Autism Cookbook, Updated and Revised: The Ultimate Guide to the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet Paperback – April 1, 2012

I came across this book because I was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease and was looking for some gluten-free recipes. I checked it out of my library first. Then I bought it. It's especially helpful for parents of children with ADHD or Autism, but also helpful for parents of children who aren't great eaters. My daughter is a very limited eater. I'm having her screened for Celiac, too, but in the mean time we're trying new recipes so I can have a stash of recipes she'll eat if she needs to go gluten free. After reading the book, I want to guide her off gluten eventually (regardless of Celiac). The book is eye-opening. I didn't realize that gluten (or casein) sensitivities can result in an opioid effect when gluten (or casein) is ingested. This effect can make the children want only those foods. It can also lead to sensory issues, which causes them to not want a variety of other foods. It's a downward spiral, but the authors provide concise and reasonable steps for bringing your child back from all of that. They also provide recipes. We have only tried one so far - the pancakes. They use high-protein quinoa flour (be sure to toast it first to get rid of the strong odor/taste) and ground cashews. My son loved them, even though I didn't want to spend the time toasting the quinoa flour. I had been warned about this, but was hungry and decided to see for myself. I had to agree with my daughter, "What's that smell?" But, after tasting them, I learned to ignore the smell to some extent (although smell does affect taste to a degree). Very nice texture...great for kids with texture issues, and very pleasant flavor (sweet and appealing without a high glycemic index...but remember, you really do have to toast the quinoa flour...you can google this). The book also covers other common allergies/sensitivities/culprits for behavioral concerns. It's a great resource for all parents. I hope to find a few recipes that will be work for my daughter. If not, though, I have a great resource for myself and my son...and I am armed with a lot more information and understanding for what my daughter may be experiencing.

Quite impressed with this book. Normally I gravitate toward beautiful color picture books that make me salivate just looking at them. This one has absolutely no pictures, but is well laid out with easy to follow recipes, and nice font and coloring that makes it easy to read through. So far I've tried several of the recipes and my kids really love them. I appreciate that the recipes are not that complicated. There's also a good introduction to why a diet change is necessary for kids with ADHD or Autism. We use this diet for our son who has Sensory Processing Disorder and probable ADHD. He also takes a daily dose of fish oils, and we follow the Feingold Diet, as well as being Gluten Free. It's been a slow process but we've definitely noticed a change -- mainly more focused. He's not "cured" but the level of intensity has dropped down significantly. The best part, is whenever we do make it to a restaurant, he can now sit and color without all the electronics we'd have to bring to keep him entertained. That all happened fairly soon after we switched him to Gluten Free, and then the amount of time he would sit grew when we started the Feingold Diet. He's currently four years old.

I am so excited about this book! There is so much good information packed into the first part about why certain things should be eliminated & it's broken down into easy to understand science. I love that many different "diets" are are given as options. I love the summaries at the end of the chapters & the testimonials by parents & kids that have made changes. There are a ton of ideas for fast/easy breakfasts & lunches so it's not too difficult to make little changes in the beginning. A lot of the recipes in the cookbook section seem a little "grown up" for kids, but the authors do a great job giving ideas for picky eaters, kids that have texture issues & addressing the why behind why certain foods don't appeal to kids. The first recipe I tried was a chicken stir fry type of dish & I was skeptical as my son does not eat vegetables. He actually tried it right away & had seconds - I wanted to cry I was so happy! The spices & seasonings were just right to trick his palate! I can't say enough good things about this book. There are some typos which can be a little confusing, but it's nothing that can't be figured out.

Having made several recipes out of here I can say that about 70% of them turn out decent or good. We've mainly made the baked goods since I think cooking meat and vegetables without gluten or dairy is easy (for me). Also since my daughter does not eat much of those yet, my main interest from the recipes was things like pancakes, breads etc. The best recipe in the baked goods is the carrot cake. The major downside to a lot of the sweeter treats like cookies and cakes though is how much sugar is in them and high calories per serving. For example, that carrot cake runs about 800 cals/serving!The best part of this book was the explanation of the effects of food sensitivities and intolerances (not necessarily allergies) on a child. My daughter has mild autism and I had heard about the gluten free casein free diet and been skeptical until I read this book. It was the first good explanation of what happens in the body and brain biologically and why the kids get into a vicious cycle with moods etc. I recognized the symptoms in my child and thought to give it a try. We went through a 6 week "withdrawal" period but after that it was like she came out of a fog. The diet is by no means some miracle cure - she still has bad days, but she has a LOT more good ones now.