1. Always start one supplement at a time. Start at a very low dose, increasing gradually. If you add more than one at a time, it's much harder to tease out what's causing the improvements or problems. If you see nothing, or some improvements, continue upping the dose, within safe limits, of course. If you see regression or intolerance cut back or stop. If you are just starting this process, you will likely want to give your child every supplement out there in hopes of helping. Don't. It won't help. You don't want your child to regress, you don't want your child to take supplements that are unnecessary, and lastly, supplements can add up financially. Having said all that, there are exceptions to this rule. It is sometimes necessary to have more than one supplement on board in order to see the best effect for your child. For example, calcium and magnesium together, or B6 with magnesium. Also, there are a very few supplements that might make things worse before they get better, and that is necessary. Details are below under each supplement listing.

2. Just because something works for others does not mean it will work for you. For example, calcium is considered an important initial supplement by many practitioners, yet some children have very negative reactions to calcium. Some kids cannot tolerate certain supplements at certain times. What they cannot tolerate at one point, may be necessary at some other point. Conversely, what they need and progress with at one time may not be tolerated later. If your child regresses after doing well and you can't figure out why, it may be that a supplement is no longer needed or tolerated. Try dropping the ones you suspect, or even all of them, for a few days and adding them back one at a time, watching for any signs positive or negative (there is some concern that dropping all the supplements at once can cause its own problems, and you may only want to try this if the situation really warrants it).

3. Buy the brand with the least fillers and additives. Powders are generally better than liquids because they don't require preservatives or flavorings, which cause trouble for many kids. Some brands which contain few if any fillers are Allergy Research Group, Metabolics , and the NOW brand powders, with the last brand generally being the least expensive.

4. Supplements are available from many places in the UK and Europe. Often parents find it easier and less expensive to buy their supplements on line. The following places have been found reliable by parents: The Nutricentre(note that members of TA receive 25% of most purchases through Nutricentre); Mandi Mart (note that Mandi will work with Caudwell funding); Cenaverde (who carry a wide range of autism-specific products, including transdermal MB12).

5. Some people buy a multivitamin mix only to find that their child does not do well on it, either because the vitamins and minerals ratios are not good (too little of one thing, too much of another) or because in such a large mixture something won't be tolerated. Consider getting trial sizes beforehand or mix your own so that the ratios/ingredients are always adaptable. Having said that, many people use a multivitamin/mineral powder or liquid (Brainchild Nutritionals, Metabolics, Kirkman, and New Beginnings are some recommended sources that are available in the UK and Europe) as a starting base and then add whatever extra is necessary to make things more convenient.

6. Sometimes a child doesn't tolerate a supplement because of the carrier. For example, if magnesium seems to be a problem, it may be just the magnesium citrate that isn't tolerated, but magnesium glycinate might work. Do note that the form of the supplement (orotate, aspartate, citrate, methionine, etc) will make it more or less absorbable. A good supplement will always state what form the supplement is carried in.

7. Getting a daily or weekly pillminder can make supplementing easier. Keeping good records (supplements given, general comments on behavior etc.) can really help you spot problems and successes. To save time, consider making a chart that you print out each week. You will need to adapt the chart as your child requires different supplements over time.

8. Try to give the water soluble vitamins like B1, B2, B6, B12, biotin, niacin, panthothenic acid and folic acid and the minerals like magnesium, zinc, selenium, and molybdenum three or four times a day (divided up into appropriate doses, of course). The fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K can be given once a day. Calcium can to some degree block the absorption of other minerals (like zinc) and some people choose to give them separately.

9. ASD children commonly require 2 to 3 times RDA (recommended daily allowance) of a supplement. In some cases, need can be much higher. If uncertain of where to start, begin dosage at ¼ the RDA and work up. Ideally you want to give the minimum amount of supplement for the maximum benefit. Be sure to educate yourself regarding possible toxicity levels.

10. Many parents who have children who cannot swallow pills hide supplements in things like smoothies, jam, ketchup, nutbutter balls, favorite drinks, peanut butter or pudding. Consider the flavor of the supplement (for example, selenium has virtually no flavor, vitamin C powder can be quite bitter) when you are choosing a hiding place. If you need some more ideas on how to get your children to take their supplements, you might try here

11. If you are unsure of your child's nutritional status (as most of us are with ASD children) you may want to run tests. Most people choose to discuss this with their practitioner; however, some information on testing can be found in testing in the Useful Documents section. Many people also choose to simply try supplements in a responsible way, rather than testing. Be aware that tests cannot give all the information one needs to make good decisions, but are simply one more piece of information that may prove valuable. Documenting your child's responses to supplements and watching for physical signs can be at least as important as test results