NEW YORK STATE, USA: The University of Rochester Medical Center is about to test the theory that symptoms of autism can be reduced in children by eliminating the amount of gluten and dairy products they eat.

Thanks to a five-year, US$7.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, UR and seven other research centres are embarking on the nation’s most extensive study of how children respond to various treatments for autism.

With awareness of autism on the rise, the NIH is seeking a broad, scientific review of treatments to determine which ones are most effective. 

"Autism treatment is very expensive financially and emotionally - and no single approach works for all children," said Dr Patricia M. Rodier, UR professor of obstetrics and gynecology and the principal investigator on the university’s autism project. "If we could predict in advance which children would benefit from available treatments and which would not, children could be matched to the best treatments available." 

In addition to the diet test, UR will plot brain activity to discover why some children with autism exhibit little or no facial expression. Also, a behavioural study will collect data on IQ, social and language skills, repetitive movements and other characteristics of children with autism. 

But what may garner the most attention is the study on gluten, which is commonly found in wheat, rye and oats; and the protein casein, found in many dairy products. Some parents with autistic children believe that casein and proteinaceous gluten produce symptoms of autism by disrupting the biochemical processes in the brain. 

"I know parents who swear by it," said Bonnie Watson of Pittsford, whose 8-year-old daughter, Adrienne, has autism. "Most of them believe that eliminating these proteins increases their children’s eye contact and level of interaction with others. But give them one glass of milk and their behaviour worsens." 

A special diet - free of gluten and casein - is not something that Watson is willing to try for Adrienne right now. Adrienne’s behaviour is such that she won’t eat many foods, and getting her to eat a regimented diet is beyond her ability, Watson said. "Maybe when she gets older. By then, this study might be able to give us an idea of what’s really going on with these proteins," Watson said. 

Dr Rodier has been delving into the roots of autism since 1994. In 2000, she and a team of UR investigators announced the discovery of a gene that could increase a person’s susceptibility to autism. The gene, known as HOXA1, may play a crucial role in early brain development, doing much of its work during three or four days in the third week of pregnancy. 

At least 16 of every 10,000 babies are born with autism or a related disorder. This means that as many as 1.5 million Americans today are believed to have some form of autism.