Frequent Gastrointestinal Disorders Could Be An Early Sign Of Autism in Children, Research Suggests

According to a latest research, children suffering from autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are at a 3.5 times more risk of developing gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, including diarrhoea and constipation. Further, research has claimed that the gu- related troubles are more common during the initial three years of life in children with ASD, as compared to those with no history of ASD or children of the same age with the delayed bodily development.

The researchers at the Columbia University in New York City conducted the study in three groups of Norwegian children. One group had kids with autism, the second group considered children with development delays while the third group was the control group — children who developed normally.

The monitoring of all the three groups revealed that the children with autism were more prone to GI disorders such as constipation and diarrhoea during the initial 6 months to 18 months of life, as compared to the other two groups. The researchers also claimed that the autistic children were more likely to develop food allergy or intolerance, in addition to constipation and diarrhoea when aged between 18 and 36 months.

"Even though GI symptoms are common in early childhood, physicians should be mindful that children with ASD may be experiencing more GI difficulties in the first three years of life than typically developing children," advised the lead researcher Michaeline Bresnahan, reported WebMD.

The conclusion of the study reads, “Treatments that address GI symptoms may significantly contribute to the well-being of children with ASD and may be useful in reducing difficult behaviours.”

Autism is a behavourial and brain development disorder characterised by problem in communication and social interaction.

The study has been published in the online journal JAMA Psychiatry.

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