Your Child Has a Diagnosis. But Nobody Has Investigated the Biology.
If your child eats fewer than 10 foods, wakes between 2–4am, and has never had a ‘normal’ stool — you already know something deeper is going on. You just haven’t found anyone willing to look.
We’re not here to change who your child is. We’re here to help their body work better.
We also work with adults — particularly those recently diagnosed or navigating autistic burnout, chronic fatigue, and unexplained physical symptoms.
Conventional medicine focuses on diagnosis and management of behaviour and development — which is exactly what it should do. Functional medicine asks a different question: what is happening in the body that may be making things harder?
These aren’t competing questions. They’re complementary ones.
No two children with ASD have the same biochemistry. What’s driving symptoms in one child may be completely different in another — gut dysbiosis in one, toxic burden in another, methylation dysfunction in a third. This is why we test first, and why a personalised approach is the only approach that makes sense.
The physiological factors that affect how an autistic person feels and functions — sleep, digestion, energy, sensory tolerance, immune health — are testable. They’re often addressable. And in most cases, nobody has looked.
Important
Functional medicine does not diagnose, treat or cure autism. Our work investigates physiological factors that may affect health, comfort and day-to-day functioning. All programmes are designed to complement — never replace — existing therapeutic and medical care.
Ready to Investigate?
A consultation to discuss your child’s history. No obligation.
Click each area to see what it is, what symptoms it connects to, what the research says, and what we test.
Your Child
Gut-Brain Connection
Toxic Burden
Oxidative Stress
Food Immunology
Methylation & Detox
Sleep & Stress Biology
Nutrients & Cellular Energy
Immune & Neuroinflammation
Neurotransmitters
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The Gut-Brain Connection
The gut produces over 90% of the body’s serotonin and communicates directly with the brain via the vagus nerve. In many autistic children, the gut microbiome is significantly altered — with reduced diversity, overgrowth of specific organisms, and increased intestinal permeability (‘leaky gut’) allowing inflammatory compounds to reach the brain.
Connected Symptoms
Chronic constipationDiarrhoeaAbdominal painFood refusalIrritability after eatingBrain fog
Research: Up to 91% of children with ASD have gastrointestinal symptoms. Gut microbiome composition in ASD differs significantly from neurotypical controls. (McElhanon et al., 2014; Kang et al., 2017)
We test: Gut Zoomer · Organic Acids · Stool analysis
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The Gut-Brain Connection
Connected Symptoms
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The Symptom Lens
What parents see — and what it may mean biochemically.
What You See
Possible Biochemical Connection
Chronic constipation
Gut dysbiosis, magnesium deficiency, low thyroid function, reduced motility from autonomic dysfunction
Up to 91% of children with autism have gastrointestinal symptoms. That’s not coincidence — the gut and brain are in constant conversation.
McElhanon et al., Pediatrics, 2014
+ Read more
A meta-analysis of over 15,000 children found that those with ASD were significantly more likely to experience constipation, diarrhoea and abdominal pain than neurotypical peers. The gut microbiome in ASD shows reduced Bifidobacterium and Prevotella, increased Clostridium species, and altered short-chain fatty acid production — all of which affect gut-brain signalling via the vagus nerve.
If your child has chronic constipation, food refusal or unexplained abdominal pain — this is the research that explains why we investigate the gut first.
2–5×
Higher Heavy Metal Levels
Multiple studies show children with ASD have significantly higher levels of lead, mercury and aluminium than neurotypical controls.
Kern et al., Biomarker Insights, 2017
+ Read more
Heavy metals interfere with mitochondrial function, glutathione production, and neurotransmitter metabolism. In children with impaired detoxification pathways (common in ASD), even low-level exposure can accumulate and contribute to oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and immune dysregulation.
If your child has had recurrent antibiotic use, lives near industrial areas, or has a history of dental amalgam exposure — toxic burden investigation may be particularly relevant.
Low GSH
Glutathione Depletion in ASD
Glutathione — the body’s master antioxidant — is consistently found to be depleted in autistic individuals, leaving cells vulnerable to oxidative damage.
James et al., Am J Clin Nutr, 2004
+ Read more
Jill James’ landmark research demonstrated that children with ASD have significantly lower levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and higher levels of oxidised glutathione (GSSG), indicating chronic oxidative stress. This impairs mitochondrial function, detoxification capacity, and immune regulation simultaneously.
If your child fatigues easily, recovers slowly from illness, or seems to react to environmental triggers others tolerate — oxidative stress markers are worth measuring.
80%
Sleep Disturbance in ASD
Up to 80% of autistic children experience significant sleep disruption. Sleep affects everything — behaviour, learning, gut health, immune function and mood.
Richdale & Schreck, Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2009
+ Read more
Melatonin production is frequently disrupted in ASD, often due to impaired methylation pathways that convert serotonin to melatonin. Cortisol dysregulation, gut-derived inflammation, magnesium deficiency and B6 insufficiency all contribute. Sleep isn’t just a behavioural issue — it’s a biochemical one.
If your child takes hours to fall asleep, wakes repeatedly, or never seems rested — the underlying biochemistry of sleep is something we investigate specifically.
MTHFR
Methylation & Folate Metabolism
Methylation cycle variants — particularly MTHFR — are significantly more common in ASD and affect detoxification, neurotransmitter production, and DNA repair.
Boris et al., J Am Physicians & Surgeons, 2004
+ Read more
MTHFR polymorphisms reduce the conversion of folic acid to its active form (methylfolate), impairing methylation — the process that governs detoxification, neurotransmitter synthesis, gene expression and histamine clearance. Richard Frye’s research has shown that cerebral folate deficiency (CFD) — where folate cannot cross the blood-brain barrier due to folate receptor antibodies — is found in up to 75% of ASD children tested.
If your child has never had methylation or folate receptor antibody testing, this is one of the most clinically significant gaps in their investigation to date.
~75%
Cerebral Folate Deficiency
Folate receptor autoantibodies — blocking folate transport to the brain — have been found in approximately 75% of ASD children tested. Most parents have never heard of this.
Ramaekers et al., Mol Psychiatry, 2005; Frye et al., 2013
+ Read more
The FRAT (Folate Receptor Antibody Test) identifies antibodies that block folate transport across the blood-brain barrier. Without adequate cerebral folate, neurotransmitter production, myelin formation and neuronal development are all impaired. This is a specific, testable, addressable finding — and one of the most underinvestigated areas in ASD.
If your child has developmental regression, speech delay, or neurological symptoms that haven’t been explained — folate receptor antibody testing may reveal something no other investigation has found.
What We Actually Measure
Every recommendation starts with evidence.
Click a category to see what it measures, what sample is required, what it reveals — and what it won’t tell you.
Gut Health Investigation
Urine + Stool · Home Collection
Comprehensive stool and urine analysis mapping the gut microbiome, intestinal permeability, digestive enzyme output, inflammatory markers, and pathogenic organisms. This is the foundational investigation for most children with ASD-related GI symptoms.
Whether the gut barrier is intact, whether there’s active inflammation, which organisms are overgrown or depleted, and whether digestion and absorption are functioning. This directly informs gut-brain axis interventions.
What This Won’t Tell You
This does not diagnose coeliac disease (requires duodenal biopsy), IBD (requires colonoscopy), or food allergy (requires IgE testing). It provides functional data that standard gastroenterology referrals typically do not include.
Organic Acids Test
Urine · Home Collection
A metabolic snapshot measuring over 70 markers across mitochondrial function, neurotransmitter metabolites, oxalate levels, yeast and bacterial overgrowth, B vitamin status, detoxification capacity and fatty acid metabolism.
How well mitochondria are producing energy, whether neurotransmitter synthesis is impaired, whether yeast or bacterial overgrowth is present in the gut, and whether detoxification and methylation pathways are functioning.
What This Won’t Tell You
Organic acid levels fluctuate with diet and hydration. A single test provides a snapshot, not a definitive diagnosis. Results are interpreted alongside clinical history and other investigations.
Environmental Toxin & Mycotoxin Panel
Urine · Home Collection
Comprehensive screening for environmental toxins including heavy metals, mycotoxins, PFAS (‘forever chemicals’), pesticides, phthalates and volatile organic compounds. Identifies current toxic burden and detoxification capacity.
Whether there is an active toxic burden from environmental exposure, which specific toxins are elevated, and the degree to which detoxification pathways are coping. This is particularly relevant for children with impaired methylation.
What This Won’t Tell You
A urine toxin panel measures current excretion, not total body burden. Some toxins are stored in fat tissue and may not appear in urine without provocation. Clinical context is essential for interpretation.
Food Sensitivity & Immunology
Finger-Prick Blood Spot · Home Collection
IgG and IgA antibody panels measuring immune reactivity to 200+ foods, plus specific zoomer panels for wheat, dairy, corn, egg, lectin and seafood proteins. Identifies delayed immune reactions that standard allergy testing misses.
Which foods are triggering an immune response, the severity of reactivity, and whether gut permeability is allowing undigested proteins into the bloodstream. This is critical for children with restricted diets, GI symptoms, skin issues or behavioural changes after eating.
What This Won’t Tell You
IgG reactivity is not the same as IgE allergy. These panels do not replace formal allergy testing. Food sensitivity results must be interpreted carefully — not every elevated marker requires elimination.
Oxidative Stress Markers
Urine · Home Collection
Measures markers of cellular oxidative damage, glutathione status, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant capacity. Indicates whether cellular defence systems are overwhelmed.
The degree of oxidative damage to DNA, lipids and proteins, and whether the body’s antioxidant systems — particularly glutathione — are depleted. This is a core finding in ASD research and directly informs antioxidant and mitochondrial support strategies.
What This Won’t Tell You
Oxidative stress markers indicate current status, not the cause. Elevated markers need to be interpreted alongside toxic burden, nutrient status and methylation data to identify the upstream driver.
Neural Zoomer — Neuroinflammation Panel
Finger-Prick Blood Spot · Home Collection
Measures antibodies against neural proteins, blood-brain barrier integrity markers, and neuroinflammatory indicators. Identifies whether the immune system is producing antibodies that target nervous system tissue.
Whether the blood-brain barrier has been compromised, whether there is autoimmune activity targeting the nervous system, and whether neuroinflammation is active. Particularly relevant for children with regression, PANS/PANDAS presentation, or sudden behavioural changes following infection.
What This Won’t Tell You
Neural antibody panels do not diagnose specific neurological conditions. Elevated antibodies indicate immune activity, not necessarily active disease. Results are interpreted alongside full clinical history.
FRAT — Folate Receptor Antibody Test
Blood Draw · Phlebotomy Required
Measures blocking and binding antibodies against the folate receptor alpha (FRα). These antibodies prevent folate from crossing the blood-brain barrier, creating cerebral folate deficiency even when blood folate levels appear normal.
FRα blocking antibodiesFRα binding antibodies
What This Reveals
Whether your child has antibodies blocking folate transport to the brain. This is arguably the most clinically significant single finding in ASD nutritional investigation — cerebral folate deficiency has been found in ~75% of ASD children tested, and it is addressable with specific forms of folate that bypass the blocked receptor.
What This Won’t Tell You
The FRAT does not measure brain folate levels directly (that requires lumbar puncture). It identifies the antibody mechanism. A positive result strongly suggests cerebral folate deficiency but requires clinical interpretation.
Heavy Metals & Mineral Analysis
Urine · Home Collection
Measures toxic metal burden (lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, aluminium) alongside essential mineral status (zinc, magnesium, selenium, copper, iron). Identifies both toxicity and deficiency patterns.
Whether toxic metals are elevated and which essential minerals are depleted. The zinc-to-copper ratio is particularly significant in ASD — copper excess relative to zinc is commonly found and affects neurotransmitter metabolism, immune function and behaviour.
What This Won’t Tell You
Urine mineral levels reflect excretion, not tissue levels. Blood testing provides different information to urine testing — both have value, and we use each for specific clinical purposes.
Where Most Families Start
For most families, we recommend beginning with gut health investigation and organic acids testing. Together, these give us the broadest picture of digestive function, microbiome composition, mitochondrial health, neurotransmitter metabolism and detoxification capacity — and allow us to prioritise any further investigation based on what we find. Every testing plan is discussed and agreed in your first consultation.
Collaborative Care
We work alongside your existing team.
Functional medicine is not an alternative to your child’s existing care. It’s an additional layer of investigation that most families have never been offered.
Works With NHS & CAMHS
We position our work as complementary to paediatric, CAMHS and GP care. Our findings can be shared with your child’s existing team.
Report Sharing
All test results come with clear, practitioner-readable reports. We can prepare summaries for GPs and specialists on request.
No Medication Changes
We never recommend discontinuing or altering prescribed medications. Any interactions are carefully considered and discussed with you.
Alongside Therapy
Speech therapy, OT, ABA, educational support — all continue as normal. Many families find that addressing physiological factors supports progress in these areas.
How It Works
Five steps. One clear investigation.
1
“We listen — all of it”
Initial Consultation
Full health timeline from pregnancy, birth and early infancy. Review of existing reports and interventions. We build the complete picture.
2
“We look deeper”
Targeted Testing
Specific functional tests based on your child’s presentation. Most samples are collected at home and posted to the laboratory.
3
“We make sense of it”
Analysis & Interpretation
Results are cross-referenced across all panels. We identify patterns, prioritise findings, and explain what each result means for your child.
4
“A clear, doable plan”
Personalised Programme
Targeted nutritional strategy built from results. Supplements in child-friendly formats — liquids, powders, transdermal where needed. Realistic and manageable.
5
“We adjust as they change”
Ongoing Reviews
Regular check-ins to track progress, adjust the programme as your child responds, and decide whether additional investigation is warranted.
What happens in your first consultation
Full health timeline going back to pregnancy, birth and early infancy
Review of existing diagnoses, reports and interventions
Discussion of diet, gut health, sleep and sensory profile
Identification of which investigations are most relevant
Clear testing plan and next steps agreed together
Most families begin to see changes in specific symptoms — particularly sleep, gut comfort and energy — within 8–16 weeks of starting a targeted programme.
The research shows us that one child’s primary driver is toxic burden, another’s is gut dysbiosis, another’s is methylation dysfunction. This is why we test before we recommend — every programme is built from results, not assumptions.
Gut Restoration
Targeted support for microbiome diversity, gut barrier integrity, digestive enzyme function and pathogen management. The gut is usually the first system we address.
Sleep Support
Addressing the biochemistry behind sleep disruption — melatonin synthesis via B6 and magnesium, cortisol regulation, gut-derived factors affecting circadian rhythm. If we can help a child sleep, everything else improves.
Nutrient Repletion
Correcting deficiencies that directly affect brain function — zinc, magnesium, B6, B12, folate, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, iron. Using forms and delivery methods appropriate for each child.
Toxic Load Reduction
Supporting detoxification pathways — glutathione, methylation, sulphation. Reducing ongoing exposure where possible. Binding and clearing identified toxins through targeted protocols.
Methylation Support
Targeted support for methylation cycle function — active folate, B12, B6, TMG, SAMe where indicated. Addressing MTHFR variants and folate receptor antibody findings. This drives detox, neurotransmitter production and immune regulation simultaneously.
Food Sensitivity Management
Strategic dietary adjustments based on testing — not blanket elimination. Addressing sulphation and phenol sensitivity where relevant. Working within the reality of a restricted eater, not against it.
We also investigate connections to co-occurring presentations — anxiety, ADHD, OCD, tics, sleep disorders. Nutritional and functional approaches can often address multiple presentations simultaneously because the underlying biochemistry is shared.
Is This Right?
For your child. Or for you.
This may be right for your child if…
They have unexplained gut symptoms — constipation, diarrhoea, pain, bloating
They eat fewer than 15 foods — beyond what can be explained by preference alone
Sleep has never responded to behavioural approaches
They were developing normally and then regressed
They have frequent infections or illness
Meltdowns have a physical quality — timing, food triggers, pain behaviours
They have dark circles, pale skin, or chronic fatigue
A sudden behavioural change followed an infection (consider PANS/PANDAS investigation)
Nobody has ever investigated the biochemistry behind their symptoms
Or for you as an adult if…
You’ve been recently diagnosed and are experiencing chronic fatigue
You’re navigating autistic burnout and nothing is helping
You have long-standing gut issues, food intolerances, or restricted eating
Anxiety or sensory overwhelm has a physical component you can’t explain
You’ve been told everything is ‘normal’ but you know it’s not
You suspect histamine intolerance, mould sensitivity, or chemical sensitivity
You want to understand your own biochemistry, not just your diagnosis
This is not right for you if…
We are not a replacement for speech therapy, occupational therapy, educational support or behavioural approaches. If you are looking for a singular ‘cure’ for autism, this isn’t that. If you want to understand and support your child’s physiology — or your own — so their body works better alongside everything else, we’d love to help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What parents ask us.
No. Functional medicine does not diagnose, treat or cure autism. Our work investigates physiological factors — gut health, nutrient status, toxic burden, immune function, methylation — that may affect comfort, sleep, digestion, energy and day-to-day functioning. All programmes complement existing therapeutic and medical care.
We work with children and adults. Many of our autism-related clients are children aged 3–16, but we also support late-diagnosed adults navigating autistic burnout, gut issues, fatigue and sensory overwhelm.
No — it works alongside existing therapies. Functional medicine investigates the physiological factors that may be affecting how your child feels and functions. Many families find that addressing underlying gut, nutrient or immune issues supports progress in other therapeutic areas.
Restricted eating is extremely common in autistic children and is something we work with regularly. Testing is typically non-invasive — urine, stool, or finger-prick blood spot samples collected at home. For supplementation, we use liquid, powder, and where appropriate transdermal options. We never force a protocol that doesn’t work for the child or the family.
Many children with ASD have sensory sensitivities that make capsules or tablets impossible. We use liquid formulations, powders that can be mixed into tolerated foods, transdermal creams and sprays, and practitioner-grade products designed for children. The programme is built around what your child will actually take — not what works in theory.
Meltdowns can have physiological contributors — blood sugar instability, food immune reactivity, histamine load, gut-derived neuroinflammation, or nutrient deficiencies affecting neurotransmitter production. We investigate whether any of these factors are present. We do not promise to eliminate meltdowns, but addressing underlying physiological drivers can sometimes reduce their frequency or intensity.
PANS (Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and PANDAS are characterised by sudden onset of OCD, tics, anxiety, separation anxiety, behavioural regression or restricted eating following infection. If your child experienced a dramatic behavioural change after a streptococcal infection, viral illness or other immune trigger, neural antibody testing and immune investigation may be relevant. This is something we assess in the initial consultation.
Yes. Many of the physiological factors we investigate — gut health, nutrient deficiencies, toxic burden, immune dysregulation — are independent of verbal ability. We work closely with parents and caregivers to understand symptoms and track progress.
Bring everything you have to the initial consultation — previous blood work, stool tests, food sensitivity panels, genetic reports. We’ll identify what’s already been covered and where the gaps are before recommending any additional investigation. We never duplicate testing unnecessarily.
A paediatric nutritionist typically focuses on dietary adequacy and feeding support — which is valuable. Functional medicine goes deeper: we access advanced laboratory testing (gut microbiome, organic acids, toxic burden, neural antibodies, folate receptor antibodies) that a standard nutritionist does not typically use. We investigate underlying drivers, not just dietary intake.
This varies depending on what we find. Some families notice improvements in specific symptoms — particularly sleep, gut comfort, and energy — within 8–16 weeks. Complex presentations involving multiple systems typically require a longer timeline. We track progress at every review and adjust the programme accordingly.
AUTISM
The Next Step
Start the investigation.
A consultation to discuss your child’s history, identify the most relevant investigations, and build a clear path forward.
After booking you’ll receive a short health questionnaire to complete before your consultation — this lets us hit the ground running.
McElhanon BO, McCracken C, Karpen S, Sharp WG. Gastrointestinal symptoms in autism spectrum disorder: a meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2014;133(5):872-883. PubMed
Kang DW, Adams JB, Gregory AC, et al. Microbiota Transfer Therapy alters gut ecosystem and improves gastrointestinal and autism symptoms. Microbiome. 2017;5(1):10. PubMed
Kern JK, Geier DA, Sykes LK, Haley BE, Geier MR. The relationship between mercury and autism: A comprehensive review and discussion. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2016;37:8-24. PubMed
James SJ, Cutler P, Melnyk S, et al. Metabolic biomarkers of increased oxidative stress and impaired methylation capacity in children with autism. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;80(6):1611-1617. PubMed
Richdale AL, Schreck KA. Sleep problems in autism spectrum disorders: prevalence, nature, & possible biopsychosocial aetiologies. Sleep Med Rev. 2009;13(6):403-411. PubMed
Boris M, Goldblatt A, Galanko J, James SJ. Association of MTHFR gene variants with autism. J Am Physicians Surgeons. 2004;9(4):106-108.
Ramaekers VT, Blau N, Sequeira JM, Nassogne MC, Quadros EV. Folate receptor autoimmunity and cerebral folate deficiency in low-functioning autism with neurological deficits. Neuropediatrics. 2007;38(6):276-281. PubMed
Frye RE, Sequeira JM, Quadros EV, James SJ, Rossignol DA. Cerebral folate receptor autoantibodies in autism spectrum disorder. Mol Psychiatry. 2013;18(3):369-381. PubMed
The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Functional medicine does not diagnose, treat or cure autism spectrum disorder. All interventions are designed to complement existing medical and therapeutic care. Individual results vary. Always consult your GP or paediatrician before making changes to your child’s care plan.
Content reviewed by Paul Foley, mBANT, CNHC · Last updated: April 2026