Frequently asked questions
My child has no bowel symptoms. Will nutrition care still work?
What is nutrition care?
Is this the DAN (Defeat Autism Now) protocol?
How is this different from what a DAN doctor does?
Does this cost more?
What happens at a nutrition care visit?
My doctor said diets don't help children with autism. Now what?
Why hasn't my doctor offered us nutrition care?
We tried a special diet, and it didn't work. Should we try again?
How long will it take to work?
What are the safety concerns with a nutrition care plan?
How do I know if it is working?
How long does my child need a special diet?
Can this be billed to my insurance?
What are your fees?
Q: My child has no bowel symptoms. Will nutrition care still work?
A consensus report published in Journal of Pediatrics found that problem behavior in persons with autism may be the sole symptom of underlying GI disorders. Most evidence so far supports that persons with autism have GI and bowel problems more often than expected. Click here for a list of behaviors that researchers have associated with GI and bowel problems in persons with autism. Even if your child has none, nutrition assessment can identify other missing pieces for your child's overall health and functioning, and give you a plan to correct these. Even small nutrition deficits can impair a child's learning, growth, behavior, or development.
Q: What is nutrition care?
This is health care that uses special diets, medical foods, or supplements as the primary treatment. This treatment approach is supported by decades of nutrition science showing that children must be in good nutrition status to grow and develop typically. Therapeutic nutrition care is individualized - your child's care plan is based on the findings of your child's nutrition assessment.
Q: Is this the DAN (Defeat Autism Now) protocol?
While there is no singular DAN protocol that meets every child's needs, there are several tools from the biomedical treatment model and from classic applied nutrition that Judy blends in her practice. She is credentialed and licensed as a nutrition professional (see bio here), and has attended DAN conferences and Advanced Practitioner Trainings.
Q: How is this different from what a DAN doctor does?
As a licensed nutrition professional, Judy can requisition lab tests related to nutrition care. This means your child can be screened and treated for food allergy or intolerance, urine polypeptides ("opiates"), urine organic acids, gliadin antibody, stool testing and gut dysbiosis, urine porphyrins, disordered metals metabolism, and other basic pieces used in DAN protocols. Judy's background in child nutrition monitoring also means that she provides explicit recommendations for total food intakes that most DAN providers are not equipped to give. Judy can not prescribe medications.
Q: Does this cost more?
This care usually costs less than care provided by DAN providers: (1) consult fees are lower than those charged by most DAN doctors (2) No pre-paid, up front lab testing is required to begin care (3) No supplements are required to be purchased from Nutrition Care for Children; families are free to shop for the best pricing on recommended items (4) Insurance coverage may apply with correct nutrition diagnosis codes.
Q: What happens at a nutrition care visit?
Judy meets with you and your child. You will be asked to provide a medical history, growth charts from birth for your child (or other growth record), a detailed food diary, and any pertinent labs done previously. These will be reviewed with you at the visit. Your child will be weighed and measured, and observed for nutrition-related clinical signs. Your child's nutrition, developmental, feeding, and developmental concerns will be discussed. Your child's nutrition status will be defined with nutrition diagnosis codes. A written nutrition care plan is sent to you after the visit. This detailed note includes History/Background, Assessment, and Plan Steps for you to follow. The plan may or may not include requests for lab studies. Follow up is scheduled at your convenience.
Q: My doctor said diets don't help children with autism. Now what?
Your doctor may need more information. Ample evidence exists to support nutrition and diet therapies for children with autism. Click here for professional training materials to share with your doctor.
Q: Why hasn't my doctor offered us nutrition care?
Your doctor may not know much about it. Some doctors take an interest in nutrition, but an MD degree does not require comprehensive training in nutrition sciences, applied normal nutrition, clinical nutrition, or nutritional biochemistry.
Q: We tried a special diet, and it didn't work. Should we try again?
If you tried some diet measures but your child was not professionally assessed or monitored for growth history, current growth status, food intakes, or nutrition problems during your first try, you may have missed areas that were hanging up progress. It's probably a good idea to try again, with new guidance.
Q: How long will it take to work?
Give your child's nutrition care plan a six month trial, with all recommended measures in place. Allow up to six weeks for transition on to the plan. Progress can be more gradual for children over age 5, or when nutrition plan steps are implemented intermittently or partially. Children should be showing clear signs of progress within 4-8 months. If they are not, then the plan needs review and correction. The plan may need adjustment; the steps may have been implemented too slowly or intermittently; or nutrition care is not the primary area of need for your child.
Q: What are the safety concerns with a nutrition care plan?
Children need to maintain adequate intakes. NCPA (Nutrition Care Process for Autism) is safe because it provides regular professional monitoring and support strategies to keep your child's special diet adequate, and effective. This care also provides ongoing review of your child's supplement protocol, progress, and need for referral.
Children implementing big diet changes need monitoring. Though nutrition care can lessen the need for medications in some children, the transition to a therapeutic nutrition plan takes adjustment and time. Children often regress at the outset of nutrition care. An initial difficult "withdrawal" period usually bodes well for success - but monitoring is advisable through this period.
Q: How do I know if it is working?
It's working when your child grows as expected, behaves better, sleeps better, eats better, and feels better. Children with autism will show changes away from autism features when special diets and nutrition therapies begin to work. Other signs of improving nutrition status are fewer illnesses and infections, growth spurts, and normalizing bowel habits. Initially, most children show regression in the first 2-3 weeks of transition to new diets. After that, expect improvements. Remember: Nutrition care is a process of undoing the effects of toxicity, growth problems, or malabsorption that have been accumulating for a long time. Children do not recover overnight and may regress at first. This is why Judy works methodically, sequentially, and slowly with nutrition care and adjusts the care plan at regular intervals.
Q: How long does my child need a special diet?
This varies with a child's age, history, condition at the start of care, and treatment goals. Some children use nutrition measures for less than a year, while others remain on them for many years. The nutrition care plan should be regularly monitored and adjusted as the child's needs change.
Q: Can this be billed to my insurance?
Currently, NCFC/Judy Converse is not participating with health insurers. You must pay for consultations at time of service. MC, Visa, health savings account cards (HSAs), or checks are accepted. Colorado residents seeking care for a child in the Imagine program can bill to this program, as Judy is on the Imagine roster of providers for both Early Intervention program and Autism program. Insurance plans vary widely for coverage of nutrition care. Your pediatrician's written referral may enhance odds for insurance coverage. Each visit generates a statement with codes your insurance company can use to reimburse you. These codes describe the nutrition care and nutrition diagnosis your child receives.
Q: What are your fees?
Initial assessment: $300. Includes 75 minute consult/visit; preview of history, labs, food intake, and growth prior to appointment; written care plan; receipt with nutrition diagnosis codes.
Follow up appointments: $150/hr or $85/half hour. Each encounter includes a written care plan and coded statement.
Typically, the assessment plus two visits is a minimum to establish an effective nutrition care plan.