Children with special needs are often nutritionally challenged.  Whether they struggle to eat because of medical disability, sensory issues, or allergies, food is often a source of challenge for family caregivers.   The impact on their bodies can be represented in chronic conditions, behavior, gut issues, neurological and mental health challenges. Some of our families have discovered resources, knowledge, and solutions and we hope that you may find some helpful information or options here.  This list is NOT meant to diagnose or prescribe, but to offer families a place to begin their own research.  Resources suggested here have been included because families served by this organization have benefitted from them.  However, we recommend that you consult your own medical team as part of your research and before beginning or ending any protocol.
Nutrition Counseling

Food Dyes & Preservatives

Alternative/Whole Foods

  • Juice Plus+ products are made from the juice powder concentrates and oils from 45 different fruits, vegetables and grains. While Juice Plus+ isn’t a substitute for eating fruits and vegetables, our whole food-based products support a healthy diet by offering a much wider variety of naturally occurring vitamins, along with antioxidants and phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables. Every Juice Plus+ product is made from quality ingredients grown farm fresh, providing the natural nutrients your body needs.
  • Tower Garden -Good health starts with good habits, like eating wholesome foods. And with Tower Garden, you can easily grow your own fresh, nutrient-rich food virtually anywhere, year‑round, without soil.

Prescription Medication Alternatives

  • Essential Oils – There are multiple essential oil companies.  (Young Living, Doterra, etc.) Please consider purity and research companies and their testing practices as part of your research.  Impure oils or those laced with chemicals can cause significant allergic reactions vs. pure oils.
  • Weighted Blankets, Lap Pads, Vests, etc.

Prescription Reactions

  • Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research is a community of those who are dedicated to research and education regarding the dangers of the Fluoroquinolone and Quinolone class of drugs…We see the Fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics, drugs such as Cipro, Levaquin, and Avelox, as some of the most dangerous drugs on the market…”
  • Floxie Hope – A site to give hope for healing to those adversely affected by fluoroquinolone antibiotics – Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox and Floxin

Evaluations & Assessments
At times, evaluations for certain conditions may need to go beyond the typical protocol.  Here are things to consider if you see symptoms your doctor may not be able to identify:

Testing Companies
(Companies may test blood or stoool and may look for balance of gut bacteria, parasites, peptides, balance of metals, minerals, strep, autoimmune issues, and many other things.  Particular tests or multiple tests may be needed or ordered.)

Evaluate Environmental Factors, Foods, and Cosmetics for allergens, dyes, preservatives, etc.

  • Environmental Working Group – EWG’s Skin Deep Database –  It’s our mission at Environmental Working Group to use the power of information to protect human health and the environment. EWG’s Skin Deep database gives you practical solutions to protect yourself and your family from everyday exposures to chemicals. We launched Skin Deep in 2004 to create online profiles for cosmetics and personal care products and their potential hazards and health concerns… Our staff scientists compare the ingredients on personal care product labels and websites to information in nearly 60 toxicity and regulatory databases. Now in its eighth year, EWG’s Skin Deep database provides you with easy-to-navigate ratings for a wide range of products and ingredients on the market.  Search over 71,000 products.
  • Dirty Dozen Working Group app by Environmental Working Group
  • Think Dirty App – Think Dirty® empowers and educates the consumer on the cosmetics industry by allowing them to make an informed decision on what products to purchase.

Evaluate Supplements for Balance

Supplements

  • “How To Fix Mitochondria By Re-Balancing Magnesium & Calcium, and Copper & Iron.”
  • “The MAGNESIUM ADVOCACY GROUP was developed in response to a widespread lack of awareness about the prevalence and influence of magnesium deficiency. Solid, leading-edge scientific studies have consistently confirmed the vital role of this overlooked and “forgotten” mineral. In recent decades, levels of naturally-occurring dietary magnesium have plummeted due to drinking water treatment, mineral-deficient soils and food processing. Coincidentally, society is now seeing a massive upswing in dysfunctions, disorders and disease that are scientifically proven to be symptoms of magnesium deficiency. MAG seeks to reverse that trend. Naturally!”
  • Plexus
  • LifeVantage

Ordering Supplements: Families have found these online companies to be reputable sources of supplements:

Diets to Consider

  • Anti-Yeast Diet
  • Anti-Hypoglycemia Diet
  • Elimination Diet
  • Feingold Diet
  • Gluten-Free/Casein Free Eating
  • MAPS Diet
  • Ketogenic Diet
  • Paleo Diet
  • Specific Carbohydrate Diet

Rethinking Cleaning

  • Eliminate/replace harsh cleaning chemicals
  • Eliminate/replace pesticides, weedkillers, fertilizers

Chiropractic Medicine/Maximized Living Chiropractors (Tennessee/ Georgia):

Books 

  • Healing the New Childhood Epidemics by Kenneth Bocks
  • The Daniel Plan – 40 Days to a Healthier Life by Rick Warren and the Daniel Plan Team
  • The Daniel Plan Cookbook – Healthy Eating for Life by Rick Warren, Dr. Daniel Amen & Mark Hyman
  • The Autism Book – What Every Parent Needs to Know About Early Detection, Treatment, Recovery, and Prevention by Dr. Robert W. Sears
  • Healing & Preventing Autism – A Complete Guide by Jenny McCarthy & Dr. Jerry Kartizinel

NOTE: We do not include contact information for local distributors here, but if you would like to talk with a mentor who has experience in any of these topics or resources, please let us know and we will be happy to connect you.
Again, these lists are not complete and not everyone will agree with every perspective. There are many other resources for learning about nutritional support for those with disabilities. We have listed ones that LifeLine families have used with positive results.  Remember that what works for one family may not work for every family.  These resources are not to diagnose or treat, but to give families a place to start in researching with their health care team what will work best for their particular situation.
Among many others, we are grateful to Virginia Fruechtenicht, Coweta Count Parent Mentor, for her contribution to the resources listed here.