Like any child, children with autism may have co-incidentally another condition such as coeliac disease. In such circumstances a special diet, for example, gluten free would be prescribed. There is no universally accepted policy for screening children with autism for a variety of hypothetical disorders. The quality standards sub committee of the American Academy of Neurology approved 9 June 2000, states as regards diagnostic testing:
There is inadequate supporting evidence for hair analysis, coeliac antibodies, allergy testing particularly food allergies for gluten, casein, candida and other moulds, immunologic or neurochemical abnormalities, micronutriants such as vitamin levels, intestinal permeability studies, stool analysis, urinary peptides, mitochondrial disorders including lactate and pyruvate, thyroid function tests or erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase studies.
These guidelines are being regularly reviewed by my Department.