A press article today, taking an evolutionary health perspective includes
the following quotes:

"Research on children with learning disorders, including autism and
attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, also shows that many suffer from
damaged intestinal lining, though only a small percentage tested positive
for Celiac disease. Several studies showed positive outcomes when autistic
children were put on a strictly gluten and casein-free diet.
<snip>
Casein is a protein component found in dairy produce, which is also linked
to damage to the intestinal lining in some sensitive people.
Unlike Celiac disease, where the damage to the intestinal lining is due to
the response of the immune system, the gut lining in autistic children
appears more permeable.
<snip>
Autistic children are unable to properly digest gluten and casein and
their leaky gut allows such substances to enter the bloodstream.

More at:

http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=95704
(Rednova is a US site which targets the upper-income, university-educated,
scince -oriented market.)

Keith