Supporting Immune Health in Children with Autism, ADHD, and Learning Challenges: A Natural Approach

6 June

By Dr Zoe Braund

Many children with autism, ADHD, or learning delays struggle with more than just focus or communication. Behind the scenes, their immune system—the body’s way of fighting off illness—may not be working as it should. This can affect how their brain develops, how they behave, and even how they feel day to day.

Why the Immune System Matters

The immune system helps protect the brain and body. But in some children, it becomes overactive or imbalanced, causing inflammation (swelling inside the body) that can affect mood, thinking, movement, and behavior.

Children with immune problems may also show signs like:

· Allergies or asthma

· Skin rashes or eczema

· Tummy troubles or food sensitivities

Common Triggers That Affect the Immune System

Some foods can trigger the immune system and worsen symptoms. These include:

Gluten (in wheat, pasta, bread)
Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt)
Eggs and peanuts

Removing these foods can sometimes improve focus, language, sleep, and mood.

Key Nutrients That Help

Certain vitamins and nutrients help calm the immune system and protect the brain:

Vitamin D helps prevent infections and supports brain health. Low levels are common in kids with autism or ADHD or those with allergies and frequent infections..
Glutathione helps the body get rid of harmful chemicals and calm inflammation.
DHA (a healthy fat from fish) helps the brain grow and work better.
Zinc supports focus, mood, and immune balance—many children have too little zinc and too much copper, which causes problems.

We have these supplements in stock and are happy to chat with you about supporting your child’s immune system.

Gut Health and the Brain

A healthy tummy (gut) is closely linked to a healthy brain. Some children may have too much yeast or harmful bacteria in their gut, which can affect behavior and energy. Treating gut issues can lead to better attention, sleep, and learning. Supporting the gut with Probiotics and insoluble or prebiotic fibre, as well as cleaning up their diet by reducing sugar, processed food and simple carbohydrate consumption will do wonders for improving gut and immune health. Support gut health by increasing quality meat, vegetables and fruits in the diet

Final Tips for Supporting Your Child

1. Balance the immune system with the right foods and nutrients.

2. Avoid trigger foods like gluten and dairy if they cause issues.

3. Support detox and reduce inflammation with glutathione and omega-3s.

4. Check nutrient levels like zinc, copper, and vitamin D.

5. Heal the gut to improve overall health and behavior.

Every child is different, but by supporting their immune system in natural, gentle ways, we can help them feel and function their best—physically, emotionally, and mentally. Small steps can lead to big improvements.

Zoe Braund