Autism

Autism diet: from gluten-free to Nemechek protocol

autism mom blog nemechek

What autism diet have you tried? What are some obvious autism signs?

These are the questions I get asked the most. For people wondering what early autism signs we saw in Charlie, I wrote a blog post about autism signs in babies and toddlers. It’s a pretty complete list of symptoms and things to keep an eye on if you’re worried about your child’s development. 

Okay, so that was the easy question, but when it comes to a good autism diet, I don’t know what the right answer is.

Celiac disease and autism

I was diagnosed with celiac in 2020. It was a surprise to me as I’ve eaten gluten for most of my life without issue. I grew up in France and consumed pasta, baguettes, and beer weekly without problems. That changed when I turned 29. After a super-fun array of tests, including blood samples, a colonoscopy, and an endoscopy, my GI specialist broke the news: I had celiac disease. 

For people with celiac disease, gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye — causes an autoimmune response that damages our small intestine and can cause many other symptoms. The treatment is relatively simple, unless, of course, you’re French and baguette is your comfort food: you just stop eating gluten. There are no pills or transfusions or transplants to fix it — not yet, at least. It’s been an adjustment for me, but I feel better now.

Studies suggest that celiac is more prevalent in autistic people. Still, we didn’t want to put Charlie through a gluten-free diet unless he ultimately develops celiac disease too, which he currently does not have. Some people can be gluten-sensitive without having celiac, so maybe for them, it’s worth it. Everything points to gut health having far-reaching health implications, though. Hence, we give Charlie probiotics to give his body all the resources it needs.

The Nemechek Protocol and autism?

“The Nemechek Protocol for Autism and Developmental Delay is the most scientific and refined approach to reversing the devastating effects of autism, ADD, ADHD, SPD and the myriad of other developmental disorders.”

You’re probably wondering what The Nemechek Protocol is. Basically, it’s a nutrition/supplement protocol consisting of fish oil, olive oil, Inulin fiber, and an emphasis on avoiding Omega 6 oils.

I am not a fan, however, of its claim that it can “reverse autism.” Its recommendations do not appear to stem from evidence-based science, relying on what seem to be anecdotes to make its case. I’m all for giving our kiddos supplements, but you don’t need to buy a book to do that.

As a whole, though I’m not an expert, I’m not against the nutrition in these “autism diets.” But you have to be careful with what’s out there, to challenge claims that are too good to be valid, and to remember that the primary help your child needs should come in other, more direct ways. If you’re concerned about your kiddo’s nutrition, a blood test from the doctor is the perfect way to learn what their body might be lacking. Physical health is essential, but remember, it’s just one component of a holistic view of health.

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22 Comments

  • Reply
    Amanda McCarty
    2021-11-17 at 5:54 AM

    I was skeptical about the Nemechek Protocol until two weeks into it my 4 year old started looking at me straight in the eye. I saw a glimmer of my son again, who had started vanishing at age 2. I then went back and read the book cover to cover (I had only skimmed before). We are five months in and there’s still much to work on, but his progress has been miraculous. Feel free to email me, I’m happy to elaborate.

    • Reply
      Jeffries Jean
      2022-01-03 at 12:59 PM

      What is your exact diet

      • Reply
        Carkeia Massenburg
        2022-11-29 at 10:35 AM

        I am having such a hard time getting my son to take the products he can smell the fish in the liquid and no matter what I put it in he can taste it and won’t eat or drink it. I have tried the gummies he can spot it out and won’t eat it even if I put it in a bad of fruit snacks any suggestions

    • Reply
      Brendan
      2022-01-23 at 1:53 PM

      Can u send me more info please

    • Reply
      Madhumitha Mohan
      2022-03-08 at 10:53 PM

      Hi Amanda
      My son is going through the same issue. He is turning 4 this april. Could you please let me more about what diet and protocols you followed.

      Greatly appreciate your help.
      Thanks
      Madhu

    • Reply
      Esther
      2022-03-14 at 11:39 AM

      Hello Amanda, I’m interested please help. I have a five year old ☹️

    • Reply
      Zahra
      2022-03-26 at 1:14 PM

      Hi Amanda,
      My son is 6 yrs old and has mild autism. I’m skeptical about the nemechek protocol. Can you guide regarding your experience about the protocol.

      Many thanks
      Zahra

    • Reply
      Mrs Simpson
      2022-04-21 at 1:04 AM

      Hi Amanda,
      My son is four. I’ve tried Gluten-free. Can you let me know more about your experience?

    • Reply
      Saima
      2022-04-28 at 2:10 PM

      Hi Amanda,
      My son is turning 5. Could you please help me and give me more information on nemche k protocol and on diet.

      • Reply
        Lucy
        2022-07-07 at 2:35 PM

        Hi Amanda
        I would also like to know what diet are you following are just started on the Nemecheck protocol.

    • Reply
      Samuel Kolapo
      2022-06-23 at 4:32 PM

      Hello Amanda, I really need to hear from you please. This is my email (samykolapo@gmail.com). Kindly get in touch. I have a 4 year old son too and it hasn’t been easy. I would love you to elucidate.

    • Reply
      Nedda Nasir Lodhi
      2022-07-04 at 8:27 AM

      Please elaborate my email is

    • Reply
      Naughty Autie
      2022-08-31 at 1:49 AM

      Correlation is not causation. Just as vaccines don’t cause autism, so diets don’t promote ‘recovery’ from it. Some diets, such as gluten free, can help immensely where there’s a need for them (underlying coeliac disease or NCGS), but putting extra fat into the diet is not a ‘miracle cure’.

    • Reply
      Mandisa
      2022-09-01 at 1:16 PM

      What is it that you have to give the child

    • Reply
      Silvia
      2023-06-09 at 5:34 PM

      Hi Amanda, I´m about to start with the Nemecheck Protocol. My son is 4 years old. Do you have any idea of the prescription: I bought the book and it has not been delivered yet. I also bought the inulin and the Omega 3 that is considered in such protocol. But I now don´t know how to start using this

    • Reply
      Rumi
      2024-08-13 at 1:56 PM

      Hi Amanda, would you mind sharing more information. I have just found out about the Nemechek protocol and its confusing me. I couldn’t find your email. Thank you.

    • Reply
      Daphney
      2024-09-11 at 6:35 PM

      GN, can you assist or reach out to me. My daughter has been in this protocol as well. She’s showed great improvement with I contact and socialization. But I’d like to get help as well. I only give her the olive oil and the Omega 3.

  • Reply
    sk
    2022-03-30 at 9:23 PM

    I would love to hear more.

  • Reply
    Muhammad
    2022-04-23 at 5:48 AM

    Hi,
    Mybson is eight year old…mild austistic and non verbal can you please guide me….how to apply nemecheck protocol.
    Regards
    Anees

  • Reply
    Karyn
    2023-02-17 at 2:46 PM

    We’ve also used the Nemecheck Protocol, and it’s only been a month, but our son is much more regulated and even apologizing and has lost many of his OCD behaviors and anxieties. There is nothing harmful about the protocol, which is available on his website, his books, FB groups, etc., and it seems to have been a help to us. We are also gluten free, and avoid food dyes.

  • Reply
    Julia
    2025-08-18 at 12:34 AM

    I’m just now seeing this post and had to weigh in. I had heard about the Nemechek protocol about ten years ago when my son was 3 and severely autistic (nonverbal, self-injuring/head-banging, eloping, raging/crying/screaming constantly, NOT happy whatsoever, etc.).

    You know how you keep hearing about something but just don’t have the mental bandwidth to even look into it? That’s how I was with Nemechek protocol (at the time, I was fighting to get him ABA therapy — a fight I lost, thanks to our craptacular insurance).

    I did start my son on fish oil (Barlean’s Omega Kids or something like that — lemonade flavor — tastes like candy so my son loved it) and he repeated his first word ever the NEXT DAY (I know, correlation isn’t causation and all that so I’ll assume that was a coincidence). We had also tried an app called Gemiini (videos of people pronouncing words with close-ups of their mouths as they said them lol) and as the app had people saying “Fish!” my son said, “Ish!” I about fell over… he had NEVER repeated before.

    Fast forward to when he was 5 1/2. I still kept hearing from people — actual personal friends that I know irl — about Nemechek. I finally read a summary of what it was (just the three supplements Eileen mentioned) and saw that the two supplements were pretty cheap on Amazon (I already had high-quality olive oil but wasn’t giving it to my son at that point), I ordered them, looked up the dosing, and tried it.

    By this time, my son could say words but was echolalic. If I asked him to say hi to another kid, he’d robotically repeat “HIIIII” while looking off into space. THREE DAYS after starting the Nemechek protocol, we were at a playground. I witnessed my son smile and say “hi” to a little girl, while smiling AT her!! I couldn’t believe it.

    Within three weeks, he was correctly using you/I pronouns (I’d tried soooo hard to fix this with therapy and just practicing, but he would always say “Hold oo” when he meant “Hold me” etc. Once he was taking inulin, they corrected themselves without even trying, and he started using complete sentences!! He stopped self-injuring and eloping (two of my biggest stresses).

    He was doing so amazingly by the time he was 7 that I stopped the protocol (just ran out of the fish oil and inulin and didn’t bother reordering). There were minor but noticeable regressions in his emotional regulation and speech. We restarted the protocol and those minor regressions disappeared and his gains started again by leaps and bounds.

    Today he is 13 and is an incredibly smart, funny, articulate, self-motivated, kind, and thoughtful kid. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this protocol — which I never paid Dr. Nemechek a dime for, until I realized I should buy his book to support him — changed the trajectory of our entire lives. (Mine too! We’re all on the protocol now and it’s helped my own ADHD so much.)

    Like Karyn said above, there’s nothing harmful and it’s not like paying $80 a month to an MLM — it’s CHEAP. The supplements benefit EVERYONE, but especially those who are neurodiverse or who eat a lot of ultraprocessed foods. They are essentially just food! but when my son had severe autism, there’s no way I’d have been able to get him to eat things like wild-caught salmon or Jerusalem artichokes or other food sources of these nutrients.

    The protocol supplements are easy… inulin is just a tasteless powder that can be mixed into applesauce or anything your child will eat/drink, even water. You start with just a sprinkle and gradually raise to 1/4 or 1/2 tsp until see the fog lifting. There are Nemechek groups on FB where you can find studies/info on the science of why this works.

    BTW, I never say it “cures” or “reverses” autism. My son is still on the spectrum (just the smart/quirky end of it now). But it absolutely cleared his morbid conditions (being nonverbal, raging, not handling change, self-injuring, eloping, and so much more). Oh, and it didn’t change him… he cleared the fog so he can be HIM!

  • Reply
    Julia
    2025-08-18 at 12:35 AM

    (Oh shoot – it deleted all my paragraph breaks. That drives my ADHD brain nuts)

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