ONEONTA – More parents and doctors have found that diets free of gluten and dairy products can help children who have an autistic spectrum disorder, if not cure them in some very extreme cases.

But changing anything in an autistic child’s routine can be a tremendous struggle. Many parents fear the mere suggestion.

“Some parents are a little scared. Our little guys with autism are tough little people to change; these kids are used to what they want,” said Shelley Hubal of the Family Resource Network Inc.

Hubal is the coordinator of a conference on Saturday that will explore how special diets and sensory control can help kids with autism. The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 20 in the Howard Johnson’s Hotel Ballroom, 75 N. Broad St. in Norwich.

Featured speakers are: Lisa Lewis, Ph.D., the author of the “Special Diets for Special Kids” series; Charlie Erica Fall, a nutritionist for children with autism, who will discuss supplements; and Polly Godwin Emmons and Liz Anderson who are both educators and co-authors of “Unlocking the Mysteries of Sensory Integration” and “Understanding Sensory Dysfunction: Learning, Development and Sensory Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, Learning Disabilities and Bipolar Disorder.”

Hubal’s own 11-year old autistic son has followed a special diet for six years. She said it has cured his intestinal pain, and that, in itself, has been worth the effort.