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The Disconnected Kids Nutrition Plan: Proven Strategies to Enhance Learning and Focus for Children with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Disorders
A scientifically developed program for feeding kids with special needs--based on the popular Brain Balance Program Dr. Robert Melillo’s Brain Balance program has helped thousands of families across the country, offering a drug-free, scientifically based method for addressing a wide range of conditions, including autism spectrum disorders and ADHD. In this new book, he presents the nutritional side of the Brain Balance Program, featuring guidelines, tips, and kid-friendly recipes based on the latest scientific research on how food affects the brain. Designed to help busy parents feed picky kids in a beneficial way, the book will show readers how • Recognize the difference between a fussy eater and a problem eater. • Ease the sensory issues that make for mealtime mayhem. • Identify food sensitivities using a simple elimination diet. • Choose supplements that will help ensure adequate daily amounts of the specific vitamins and minerals important to brain health. • Prepare delicious, healthy meals that will pass the taste test of even the most finicky eaters. • Understand how the brain plays a primary role in many dietary and nutritional issue including food sensitivities.
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 5, 2016
78 people are currently reading
391 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 10, 2019
The premise: kids with right or left brain numerological delays like ADHD, autism, dyslexia etc are suffering from diet-related problems. Either their sensory sensitivity prevents them from eating brain healthy foods, or their food sensitivities to wheat, casein, soy, citrus, soy etc keep them in a state of inflammation that inhibits neurological function.
Fine. Apparently the evidence for that is in...the other book?
Turns out this is not really a stand alone book. The author mostly references his previous book any place where evidence or information would be expected. And name drops this guy Zac Brown and his camp without any compelling context.
Dr Melillo does include the steps for doing an ellimination diet to identify kids' food sensitivities. But he says that if there is no obvious behavioral difference after youve identified and elliminated the triggering foods, you did it wrong or your kid snuck verboten food.
That's a huge red flag for me-- "if this doesn't work for you, you did it wrong," yeah, no.
The second half of the book is a useful list of brain friendly vitamins and the foods that contain them, and some complicated gluten free recipes.
In short, this should have been an informative blog post. It was not robust enough research to convince me of his basic premise, and the recipes etc were not usable enough for me to want to try right away. I would recommend reading a book actually about nutrition and the brain , and finding a wheat and dairy free cookbook for kids, rather than reading this one, which is neither.
Fine. Apparently the evidence for that is in...the other book?
Turns out this is not really a stand alone book. The author mostly references his previous book any place where evidence or information would be expected. And name drops this guy Zac Brown and his camp without any compelling context.
Dr Melillo does include the steps for doing an ellimination diet to identify kids' food sensitivities. But he says that if there is no obvious behavioral difference after youve identified and elliminated the triggering foods, you did it wrong or your kid snuck verboten food.
That's a huge red flag for me-- "if this doesn't work for you, you did it wrong," yeah, no.
The second half of the book is a useful list of brain friendly vitamins and the foods that contain them, and some complicated gluten free recipes.
In short, this should have been an informative blog post. It was not robust enough research to convince me of his basic premise, and the recipes etc were not usable enough for me to want to try right away. I would recommend reading a book actually about nutrition and the brain , and finding a wheat and dairy free cookbook for kids, rather than reading this one, which is neither.
September 23, 2025
This was the worst children's nutrition book that I have ever read. Some highlights:
-Name dropped Jenny McCarthy and Defeat Autism Now!
-Implied that removing foods that they are sensitive to will make an autistic child show an interest in others/have conversations when they previously didn't
-Says that if the food elimination diet didn't work, your child "cheated" or just doesn't have food sensitivities (no other reasoning for behavior is given, so I guess you're out of luck)
-Recommends food chaining for improving nutrition...and that's it (we've already tried this method with my child and it didn't work, so I guess that was my only shot?)
-Gives false information about food: says that corn was 98% protein in the 1930s and that iceberg lettuce is a good source of calcium
-Gives conflicting information: Restrict sweets and unhealthy foods in your house, but let your child play with them to get them interested in food; Don't buy any products that contain processed ingredients or ingredients you can't pronounce, but make several of my recipes with ingredients like xylitol
Honestly, save yourself some time and skip this one.
-Name dropped Jenny McCarthy and Defeat Autism Now!
-Implied that removing foods that they are sensitive to will make an autistic child show an interest in others/have conversations when they previously didn't
-Says that if the food elimination diet didn't work, your child "cheated" or just doesn't have food sensitivities (no other reasoning for behavior is given, so I guess you're out of luck)
-Recommends food chaining for improving nutrition...and that's it (we've already tried this method with my child and it didn't work, so I guess that was my only shot?)
-Gives false information about food: says that corn was 98% protein in the 1930s and that iceberg lettuce is a good source of calcium
-Gives conflicting information: Restrict sweets and unhealthy foods in your house, but let your child play with them to get them interested in food; Don't buy any products that contain processed ingredients or ingredients you can't pronounce, but make several of my recipes with ingredients like xylitol
Honestly, save yourself some time and skip this one.
July 22, 2017
Good info - if it helps!
June 12, 2018
Good resource for elimination diet guidelines.
July 10, 2024
Read this book in one sitting and immediately started a new meal plan for our whole family.
Read
January 25, 2025Informative. Worth a try.
February 26, 2017
One reason to like this book is that it looks at how nutrition has a major impact on one's health - emotional, physical, and neurological. It offers suggestions on what might help with different disorders, specific to that disorder. It also has recipes to try on your child and family.
***I received this book through Goodreads Member Giveaway. The review is solely my own."
***I received this book through Goodreads Member Giveaway. The review is solely my own."
May 6, 2016
Great Recipes and Recommendations for following a Gluten free / Diary Free diet. A systematic approach to deepening our understanding of the complexities of each human being, especially those who have specific learning difficulties.
February 4, 2017
Didn't help or give information in the way I thought it would. Very disappointed in this book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews