Should autistic children drink milk or what is the best milk is always a concern of most parents who are taking care of children with this disorder. Milk is considered a source of nutrients for the body. However, for children with autism, the choice of milk needs to be more careful and different.
Should children with autism drink milk?
Nutrition for children with autism is always one of the big challenges for many parents. Also because most children with autism, if they do not develop and apply a suitable diet, they will easily encounter problems with digestive health, such as constipation, abdominal pain, nausea, undigested. Therefore, nutritionists recommend that children with autism should not eat foods containing casein or gluten. Meanwhile, most products made from cow’s milk today contain casein. That’s why many parents worry that “Should autistic children drink milk and what kind of milk is appropriate?”.
According to the advice of nutritionists, children with autism need to pay attention to supplement with foods rich in iron, omega 3, vitamin C, vitamin D, magnesium, but limit the use of cow’s milk. In most studies, it is found that children with autism will be very sensitive to a number of factors such as light, sound, color, taste, etc. Faced with a lot of digestive problems. Among them, the use of dairy products such as goat’s milk, cow’s milk or dairy products is also a common reason for digestive problems or even allergies in children with autism.
Scientists explain that the cause of this condition is that the composition of milk contains casein and chemical sugar content, so it has the potential to cause negative effects on the nervous system, thereby causing negative effects on the nervous system. increases the risk of developing myositis or other dangerous disorders in young children. Children with autism, if they tolerate too much milk or foods containing a lot of casein protein, not only cause abdominal pain and indigestion, but also have the ability to provoke a loss of control over their actions and behaviors. Not only cow’s milk, but even foods like yogurt and cheese made from animal milk need to be carefully considered.
In addition, soy milk is also one of the types of milk that should be eliminated from the nutritional menu of young children because it is more likely to cause allergies. In addition, in some specialized studies, it was found that in the process of culturing or producing soybeans, there is the possibility of causing genetic modification and obviously this does not bring any benefit. for children with autism. Accordingly, in many practical trials, it was found that patients who have done well to eliminate soy foods from their diet will have more rapid and noticeable improvements.
However, each of us knows that milk is a very good source of nutrition for the body that plays an important role in the process of supporting the growth of health and height of children. Besides, children love to drink milk and it will be difficult for us to prohibit and completely eliminate this food from the child’s diet. Even in autistic children, if the child’s needs and desires are not met, it will stimulate the child to perform inappropriate and aggressive behaviors.
It is for that reason that experts also suggest that replacing harmful animal milks with plant-based milks (except soy milk) can reduce the risk of harmful effects. affect the health of children with autism. Accordingly, parents can consider choosing suitable milk such as brown rice milk, almond milk, walnut milk to better support their children.
So, in a nutshell, to the question that autistic children should drink milk, the answer is NO. Parents need to eliminate the use of milk or products from animal milk or soy. Instead, give priority to children using plant-based milk. However, the best way is to consult a nutritionist to be able to build and establish a suitable diet for children, limiting the use of unhealthy foods.
The best milk for children with autism
As shared above, children with autism will be limited in the use of milk derived from animals or soy milk. Accordingly, experts encourage parents to replace with a variety of plant-based milk to help children still receive the best nutritional support. According to the results of many studies, plant milk still contains high nutritional content, not inferior to other types of milk, especially cow’s milk, even some types of milk possess abundant calcium content. and much higher.
Being able to properly supplement milk and choose the right type of milk will greatly contribute to supporting children with autism to develop and recover more comprehensively both physically and intellectually. So what is the best milk for autistic children to drink?
1. Brown rice milk
Brown rice milk is one of the perfect choices for children with autism spectrum disorder. This milk contains many components of manganese – this is an active ingredient that has many benefits for the health of the nervous system and the brain. Besides, brown rice contains extremely high fiber content, so it has the ability to support the health and functioning of the digestive system, helping to limit indigestion, flatulence, and bloating in children naturally. century.
In addition, the content of omega 3 acids contained in this milk also works to slow down the faulty process of enzymes in the brain. Moreover, brown rice also contains many calcium components to help support children to grow taller. Currently, on the market, there are also many places selling this nutritious milk. Parents can consider choosing reputable places to buy and use for autistic children or children with normal health.
If you have time, you can also make your own brown rice milk at home by following these simple steps:
- Prepare ingredients: 100g brown rice, 50g red beans, 2 liters of filtered water, a little rock sugar.
- Soak red beans and brown rice overnight to soften the ingredients. Then take them both to wash with clean water and let dry.
- Use a pan to roast each ingredient.
- Use a mortar to blend all ingredients along with filtered water.
- Filter out the residue and keep the juice and bring it to boil until it boils, then turn off the heat. Depending on each person’s taste, a little rock sugar can be added to enhance the taste.
- Wait for the milk to cool and put it in the refrigerator, it’s best to use it up within a day.
2. Almond milk
According to nutrition experts, almonds contain two very good nutrients for children with autism, namely L-carnitine and riboflavin. This active ingredient has the effect of helping to stimulate brain activity, helping children improve memory and brain, making them smarter and more agile. In addition, almonds also contain a large number of fatty acids that help improve resistance, strengthen immunity, fight inflammation and prevent the risk of developing respiratory problems.
How to make your own almond milk at home:
- Prepare ingredients: 100g of almonds, 1 liter of filtered water and 150g of sugar.
- Soak almonds in warm water for 4 hours.
- Take out the almonds and begin to peel off the outer skin, then rinse with clean water again.
- Let the almonds drain and then put in a blender with filtered water.
- Use a sieve to extract the juice and discard the almond pulp.
- Put the almond milk and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil for a few minutes.
- Use the sieve again to make the milk smooth.
- Store in a glass jar and store in the refrigerator for later use.
3. Walnut milk
Walnuts are one of the suitable suggestions for mothers who are wondering what type of milk is best for children with autism. Walnuts contain many nutrients with the effect of supplementing positive energy sources, supporting the increase of omega 3 and vitamins necessary for the body and brain. In addition, walnuts also have the ability to improve weight, increase sleep quality for children with autism.
How to make walnut milk for autistic children parents should apply:
- Prepare ingredients: 100g walnuts and 50g black sesame.
- Walnuts are roasted until golden aroma and soaked in water for about 2 to 4 hours.
- Sesame seeds do the same but soak for 8 to 12 hours.
- Then take out the ingredients and let them drain, grind both with boiling water to cool.
- Use a cloth or sieve to strain the milk and discard the residue.
- The baby should drink all the milk during the day to ensure nutrition.
4. Coconut milk
What is the best milk for children with autism? Coconut milk is also one of the great options for parents of children with autism. This type of milk can be used by children every day, the taste is also very delicious and ensures absolute safety for health. In the results of many studies, it was found that coconut milk contains high levels of beneficial fatty acids, especially lauric acid, which is very good for the health of the nervous system. This ingredient has the effect of supplementing the missing parts of children with autism.
Children with autism, if they can supplement with coconut milk every day, will help increase the immune system, enhance resistance to reduce the risk of facing other health problems. To ensure safety, parents can also make their own coconut milk at home in the following ways:
- Prepare ingredients: 2 old copra and 1.5 liters of hot water about 90 degrees Celsius.
- Copra grated into small pieces for easy grinding. Soak the copra in hot water for about 5 to 10 minutes to soften it.
- Put the copra and the whole soaked water in the blender, blend until they form a thick paste.
- Use a towel or sieve to filter out the residue, keeping the juice.
- Put the juice in a pot and bring to a boil for a few minutes. You can add a little sugar to make the taste more delicious and attractive.
5. Hazelnut milk
The final suggestion to the list of milk that children with autism should drink is hazelnut milk. This type of milk can provide a very rich source of nutrients for young children, such as phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin E, fiber, manganese, protein, protein, and antioxidants. The addition of hazelnuts every day not only helps children limit digestive problems but also provides a source of good nutrition for the health and development of children.
Instructions on how to make hazelnut milk at home for children with autism:
- Prepare ingredients: 300g hazelnuts, 2 teaspoons cocoa, 1 liter of filtered water and 3 dates.
- Hazelnuts are baked for 10 to 15 minutes, then peeled and soaked in water for at least 13 hours.
- Grind the drained hazelnuts together with filtered water, dates and cocoa powder to obtain a smooth paste.
- Use a cloth or sieve to strain out the milk.
- Store milk in the refrigerator for children to enjoy.
The information of the above article has helped readers answer the question “What kind of milk should children with autism drink?”. Hopefully, parents can consider adding the right type of milk to contribute to building a healthy diet for their children, helping autistic children quickly recover health and integrate well into the community.
