Coconut Oil/Ketones and Autism... suggestions needed! page

[PHaselow]

Hi everyone,

I am going to put my 11 yr old son on coconut oil to hopefully gain some focus/improved mental function. He is on the Autism spectrum but is not seriously affected. In doing my reading, there is no way I can get enough MCFAs into him with supplements, so I need to use the actual oil.

Any suggestions on how to get a child to take a few TBSP of coconut oil per day? Today I used maybe 1T in/on his gluten free pancakes and again put about a teaspoon into some hot chocolate. I suppose I could try to get him to take it right off of the spoon (he used to take fish oil that way as a toddler)... but wondering how all of you get your oil daily. Also, is coconut butter lower in MCFA content? I have that in my cupboard, too.

If you have tricks for kids, that is particularly helpful. As mentioned above, he is gluten free.

For anyone interested, there is a nice article in the Sept/Oct issue of Well Being Journal on this subject (but no mention of how much oil to use or how to use it!). I'm going to take the oil, too.

Thanks.

[BestBetter]

My two favorite ways of consuming coconut oil is:

1) mixing 2 tbsp coconut oil, 1 tbsp unsweetened raw cocoa powder, and 1-2 tbsp honey - it sort of becomes the consistency of frosting, and you can play with the ratios to make it more/less sweet.

2) making a smoothie with coconut milk, 1-2 tbsp coconut oil, 1 banana, 1 tbsp raw cocoa powder.

[RobinNM]

Crabcakes has had several posts about dealing with special needs children and eating issues. You might try PMing her if you don't find any of her posts. She has some really great info that I bet she'd happiliy share.

[PHaselow]

The 'frosting' and Crabcakes contact are great ideas! Thanks. Wondering if the 1.5 T I gave him today could have caused some loose stool?????

[Zophie]

Hi there,
My daughter has classic autism. The PB way of eating has really helped her focus and speech. I give her about 3T. of coconut oil a day. She eats a lot of eggs so it is really easy to scramble them up with coconut oil. The other thing that is easy is bulletproof tea. I just give her something spicy like chai with a big spoonful of coconut oil. I let her run the immersion blender her self and she loves it. ((Yes, I did cause potty problems at first))

Good luck with your little guy. I'm interested to know what the coconut oil does for him. Are you doing casein free as well?

[Picaro]

You could also try Ayam powdered coconut milk for some flexability. For instance on the back of my current pack is a recipe for lemon coconut cupcakes. AYAM Australia Homepage has recipes of which many could be adapted.
Fats will help with "lubricated" movements, but the loose stool could be related to straight fat ingestion, because folk on the spectrum need to pay extra attention to probiotic levels according to Dr. Campbell-McBride's protocol.

[Nady]

Coco/coco bark~ couldn't keep it in the house!

4T. Coconut oil
1-1½ T. Cocoa
Sugar/Sweetener - equivalent of 5 packets Splenda
1tsp. nuts (optional)

Melt oil if solid, mix in other ingredients, pour in shallow dish, freeze. Break into pieces and store in freezer~

I never got to the point of actually using a ziploc or anything, it was gone as soon as it was solid!

[Paleobird]

I'm not an expert on autism but I have read a lot about MCT oil use for pediatric epilepsy and the two conditions do overlap in a lot of cases.
There is a lot of info and support at the AtkinsForSeizures.com site much of it from parents sharing tips on keeping kids happy with a strict ketogenic protocol. Lots of recipes and things too. Perhaps it could help.

[jammies]

Yes - coconut oil can cause GI issues for many people. You may want to start very slowly and work your way up. Coconut oil can just be added a little bit here and there to foods and during cooking.

I used to make a coconut oil bark that was amazing. I would toast coconut flakes in a mixture of coconut oil and butter then add honey and dark chocolate. Press it all down in to a pan, cool it, and cut it in to bars. It is the most delicious coconut dessert ever made.

[PHaselow]

Good luck with your little guy. I'm interested to know what the coconut oil does for him. Are you doing casein free as well?

He is not casein free, but he was at one time. Removing gluten eliminated horrendous gas, but we see no behavior changes from the diet otherwise. I guess I am doing bulletproof hot chocolate!

Thanks for the help. He does not like scrambled eggs, but he will choke some down if I insist. So, scrambled egg with coconut oil tomorrow! I will probably end up making some sweet-ish mixture for him to just take by the spoonful for the majority of the intake. I will be sure to post any improvements!