Neurodiverse Children :

Neurodiverse Children Neurodiversity describes differences in brain function from person to person that affect daily mental functions. Neurodiversity embraces differences in brain function and behavior as a natural manifestation of humanity’s variety, rather than viewing them as wrong or problematic.

As autism has become more recognized, psychologists have lobbied for it to be considered a different way of functioning rather than a disorder.

The concept of neurodiversity was introduced during the fight for autism awareness and rights.  Sociologist Judy Singer (who is autistic) coined the term in 1997.

Though neurodiversity was coined in reference to people on the autism spectrum, it has since come to encompass additional ways that brains can function, such as in people with ADHD and dyslexia.

The word ‘holistic’ means to look at something as a whole and not just at the sum of it’s parts. That is exactly what holistic nutrition does. It looks at a person as an individual, as a unit, and feeds you based on your lifestyle, health and environment.

Those that practise holistic nutrition believe you need to be fed, body, soul, and mind to reach your optimal health.

This is achieved by eating a diet rich in whole foods (there is that word again!) and as close to their natural state as possible.

How is it that holistic eating is so imperative?

A saying goes.. You are what you eat.

It is essential that children eat wholesome food cooked at home.

 This has implications in the following way:

Sensory processing is the way we process sensations around us.  If a child with attention and behaviour issues is not hydrated and has not had a proper meal, he/she will be restless and this impacts learning. How did that happen? Dehydration and inappropriate nutrients affect the learning pathways.

The brain uses more energy than any other organ in the human body and glucose is its primary source of fuel. But what happens when the brain is exposed to an excessive amount of sugars in the diet? In this case, more is definitely not better.

The effects of sugar on the brain can include:

Impaired cognitive skills and decreased self-control: For many people, having a little sugar stimulates a craving for more.

Drug-like effects in the reward center of the brain: Scientists have proposed that sweet foods—along with salty and fatty foods—can produce addiction-like effects in the human brain.

In children as the synaptic connections are growing, the effects are detrimental.

High-Glycemic Foods

High-glycemic foods are those with a high value on the glycemic index. They are digested quickly and cause a rapid increase in blood glucose levels.

Examples of high-glycemic foods include:

• Processed foods

• High sugar foods

• Cereals, doughnuts, and white bread

• Chocolates with food colours, chemicals and additives.

• Chips, biscuits.

Low-Glycemic Foods:

Low-glycemic foods are those that have a low value on the glycemic index. Such food can help people control blood sugar levels and body weight and reduce the risk for health conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Examples of low-glycemic foods include:

• Vegetables

• Fruits

• Dairy 

• Nuts
• Legumes

The low glycemic foods are good for the gut and thus enable smooth and regular  bowel

motility which improves the level of sensory processing.

This image shows the correlation of food choices with the sensory processing systems. A major factor impacting them is not only sensory but cognitive as well. It is of utmost importance that children are able to understand and make a choice and also develop satiety.

This leads us to take into focus how children should be eating. Self- feeding is essential for all children to improve their fine motor and hand skills. This also improves their oral motor function and their level of attention. Satiety value improves with self- feeding as opposed to with being fed. Children will feel full when they eat by themselves and when they eat without using social media.

A balanced diet also improves the child’s overall body arousal and tone. The proprioceptive system also improves with good fibre and fats incorporation in the diet.

Foods less in nutrition impact the registration level and result in easy fatigue. Children tend to become more restless and irritable. This also impacts their level of activity performance.

Sustained attention in all areas gets affected. The meals and their duration also affect the day to day lives of parents and the children as

well. Those who take more time to eat also spend more time on the process of chewing and this leads to increased time being spent.

The meals become a strenuous task for both the parent and the child.

Hence it is very vital to include a balanced meal with self -eating routines for neurodiverse children so that they can optimize their level of skills and also be functionally independent.  A  holistic diet goes a long way in improving the level of responses to therapy interventions such as occupational therapy and speech therapy.

Dr. Namita Vadhavkar

Pediatric occupational therapist.

TheHomeOT.