All I'll say is that when I fixed my gut issues, constipation and diarrhea, many of the issues people attributed to my autism (stimming, fidgeting, poor eye-contact, and poor ability to make friends) improved a lot or disappeared all together. It is very hard to be social when you have pains in your gut. I used fiber to regulate my gut, and some type of vitamin C to strengthen the gut-wall. It worked. It took me almost having to go to get a colostomy bag that got me to heal my gut naturally, and also get rid of some of the gut problems that either masqueraded as symptoms of my autism, or made the symptoms of my autism so much worse. I guess when you heal your gut, you heal your brain.

The research across the board has proven that probiotics are not only effective, but also needed for everyone whether autistic or not. Mostly due to GMO's. That process kills the good probiotics naturally in our food source that use to be there. Now we must add good probiotics to conteract the bad probiotics that the GMO's have caused across the food chain.
My son's gut issues were so extreme he threw up every single meal and in-between. He constantly had GERD and reflux. It was relentless.I took him off everything with GMO's and went gluten and dairy free AND gave him a high strain probiotic ,Kendy's brand, along with the NOW brand SUPER ENZYMES with EVERY meal.
In the earlier years I added Organic Apple Cider Vinegar for medicinal reasons and Apple Pectin for fiber. As his gut healed, I was able to back off using the the ACV and ApplePectin at every meal, and now I use that off and on for maintenance.
However I ALWAYS give him an enzyme AND a probiotic with EVERY meal and a LACTASE ENZYME whenever he has dairy which is rarely. Using the Enzyme and the Probiotic together finally worked. If he ever does get an occassional reflux reaction, I then give him the Bee-Fresh natural gum which not only as a stress reliever, but also gives that extra added help with digesting and neutralizing any acid. This works for me also.I guess any gum would work, I just like that the Bee Fresh has no artificial anything in it.
To protect his esophagus in case he eats a little later than normal, I give him a DGL Tablet to suck on to coat his throat at night so any reflux would not hurt his esophagus. I like the Natural Factors DGL Chocolate Coconut wafers.
In a nutshell: The enzymes break down the food and the probiotics clean house and heal. They also help with nutrient absorption.

I would check out the Natural News site and look for suggestions on how to restore balance in the gut. I think anyone can benefit from avoiding foods that harm the gut. Apple cider vinegar can do wonders.

There is a study from a lab at UCSD that will tell you exactly what bacteria is in your gut. You send in stool samples. Or you can send stool samples to a private lab. The American Gut study, however, is free for anyone on the spectrum, but takes three months to get the results back. Here is the link - http://americangut.org/. Over time, as you introduce probiotics, enzymes or dietary changes, etc,, you should be able to see how the gut changes, has less clostridium, etc. You may need the help of a Dr, Naturopath (OD), Autism specialist Dr to interpret the results. We have just started on this, very early in the process.

Hi Elizabeth. You can go through the below link.

http://www.gaps.me/gaps-what-is-it.php

May be it could be of any help to you