Unfortunately, this one “cure-all” is kind of cooky. There’s some speculation floating around that apple cider vinegar helps regulate the amount of yeast in the intestines, which it does, but then parents would also have to believe that an unproven theory behind autistic behavior is sound fact. There are many things apple cider vinegar can do, but curing autism or diminishing any or all of its challenges is just “snake oil” in a bottle.
Still, it doesn’t hurt if a parent wants to give his/ her child apple cider vinegar. I can’t imagine any child with autism wanting to actually swallow it plain, and since it can’t be sweetened because that would go against the whole “overgrown yeast in the intestines” theory, it might just be better to leave well enough alone.
The apple cider vinegar won’t hurt , except it should probably not be taken on an empty stomach. Because vinegar of any kind is an acid, adding something acidic to a bodily organ that creates its own acid could result in acid reflux, and that definitely won’t make a child with autism very pleasant to be around. It might even make them vomit.
If they do swallow it and it doesn’t bother them, it’s good for the heart, arteries, blood, digestion and killing extra bacteria in the kidneys and urinary tract that can lead to infections. It’s a hit or miss, but that’s the only real science behind giving a child with autism a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar every night with supper.
The other thing about apple cider vinegar, and this is true of anyone, is that it’s safe enough that anyone could try this out. It also doesn’t need a doctor’s prescription or approval. Parents could try it out on themselves first, and then weight what they’ve learned against what others have said about it.