Individualized nutrition care to complement medical, behavioral, occupational, speech, and developmental services.

Children with autism spectrum disorder can have very different nutritional and physiological needs. My role is to identify modifiable factors that may affect digestion, comfort, sleep, energy, feeding, nutrient status, and participation in daily life.

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Areas I commonly assess

• Gastrointestinal symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, reflux, bloating, and abdominal discomfort

• Restrictive or selective eating patterns

• Micronutrient insufficiencies

• Gut microbiome health

• Nutrient digestion and absorption

• Metabolic and mitochondrial function when clinically indicated

• Nutrigenomic factors that may influence nutrient metabolism

• Existing laboratory findings, supplements, medications, and diet patterns

 

How nutrition can complement behavioral care

Behavior does not occur separately from physiology.

A child experiencing constipation, reflux, abdominal pain, poor sleep, or nutrient deficiency may show increased irritability, food refusal, difficulty concentrating, or reduced tolerance for therapy.

Nutrition care is not intended to replace ABA, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical care, or developmental services. Instead, the goal is to reduce nutritional and physiological barriers that may be making everyday functioning more difficult.

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What working together looks like

1. Initial Consultation
Health history, diet review, symptoms, current supplements and medications, priorities, and initial recommendations.

2. Targeted Investigation
Testing is selected according to the child’s presentation and may include microbiome testing, metabolic or mitochondrial assessment, nutrigenomics, or bloodwork.

3. Review & Personalize
Results are interpreted in context, recommendations are refined, and next steps are established.

Testing may be phased over time rather than ordered all at once.

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Testing I may use when appropriate

• Stool microbiome testing

• Organic acids or metabolic testing

• Nutrigenomic analysis

• Standard bloodwork

• Nutrient status markers

• Selected mitochondrial/metabolic markers

 

Testing is never automatic. Recommendations are based on clinical history, symptoms, age, tolerance, and whether the result is likely to change the nutrition plan.

That is important, especially because your current Functional Testing page can read as quite test-forward. 

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Who may benefit

Families may consider nutrition support when a child has:

• Persistent GI symptoms

• Significant food selectivity

• Suspected nutrient deficiencies

• Poor appetite or limited dietary variety

• Sleep concerns associated with feeding or GI symptoms

• Low energy or unusual fatigue

• Complex supplement regimens

• Previous laboratory or stool testing that has been difficult to interpret

 

Collaborative care

I work alongside physicians, behavioral clinicians, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, feeding specialists, and other members of the child’s care team.

When appropriate and with parental consent, I am happy to collaborate with other providers to help ensure that nutrition recommendations fit within the child’s broader treatment plan.

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ABA & Therapy Center Referral Discount
Families referred through participating autism and behavioral therapy centers may qualify for reduced consultation rates. Please mention your referring clinic when scheduling.​

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