Autism not linked to GI disorders.

[Guest guest]

Autism not linked to GI disorders.

Mayo Clinic researchers have examined the incidence of constipation,

diarrhea, abdominal bloating/discomfort, reflux or vomiting, and

feeding issues/food selectivity in 124 children with autism and a

larger control group of children without autism. Feeding issues and

constipation were more common among the autistic children, which the

authors concluded might be due to neurobehavioral factors associated

with autism, such as need for routine and insistence on sameness in

the diet. There was no evidence of increased incidence of

malabsorption or inflammation in the digestive tract (as claimed by

doctors who provide " biomedical treatments " for autism). No

significant associations were found between autism case status and

overall incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms or any other

gastrointestinal symptom category. Some medications used to treat

children with autism also can lead to appetite suppression and

constipation. The authors cautioned that children with autism should

not be treated indiscriminately with restrictive diets or dietary

supplements. [ibrahim SH. Incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms in

children with autism: A population-based study. Pediatrics

124:680-686, 2009]

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/124/2/680