scholarly journals Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Feeding Problems and Their Associations with Dietary Interventions, Food Supplement Use, and Behavioral Characteristics in a Sample of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (17) ◽  
pp. 6372
Author(s):  
Katarina Babinska ◽  
Hana Celusakova ◽  
Ivan Belica ◽  
Zofia Szapuova ◽  
Iveta Waczulikova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Supplement ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Food Selectivity ◽  
Behavioral Characteristics ◽  
Feeding Problems ◽  
Dietary Interventions ◽  
Supplement Use ◽  
Gi Symptoms ◽  
Mealtime Problems ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by impairments in social interaction, communication, and restricted, stereotyped behavior. Gastrointestinal (GI), nutritional, and feeding problems are often reported in ASD. We investigated the prevalence of GI symptoms, food selectivity, and mealtime difficulties, and their associations with dietary interventions, food supplement use, and behavioral characteristics in a sample involving 247 participants with ASD and 267 controls aged 2–18 years. Data were collected by a questionnaire. GI symptoms were observed in 88.9% of children and adolescents with ASD, more often in girls than in boys. High rates of food selectivity (69.1%) and mealtime problems (64.3%) were found. Food supplements were used by 66.7% of individuals, mainly vitamins/minerals, probiotics, and omega-3 fatty acids. In the ASD sample, 21.2% of subjects followed a diet, mostly based on gluten and milk restriction, including individuals exhibiting food selectivity. Frequency of GI symptoms, food selectivity, and mealtime problems correlated weakly, but significantly with behavioral characteristics in the ASD group, but not with food supplement use. The study demonstrated that higher frequency of GI symptoms, food selectivity, and mealtime problems are a common problem in pre-schoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents with ASD, and together with dietary modification, they are significantly associated with ASD.

Autism and Food Selectivity

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-74
Author(s):  
Raksha Sharma ◽  
Sukriti Ghimire ◽  
Kshitiz Upadhyay Dhungel
Keyword(s):  
Early Stage ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Food Selectivity ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Feeding Problems ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Sensory Modulation Disorder ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Inadequate Nutrition

Autism is a heterogeneous, neuro-developmental syndrome where patient shows various disorders, collectively known as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). It mostly begins in infancy or during the first three years of life and has been found more in boys than in girls. The symptoms of ASD often include language regression, motor regression, and loss of bowel and bladder use. ASD also affects the feeding habit of children, with rates up to 74% as compared to normally developing children. Among different problems related to feeding, food selectivity is one of the key problems as it is directly linked with inadequate nutrition. Different factors affecting food selectivity are restrictive and repetitive behaviors, sensory modulation disorder, sensory over responsively, frequent illness /physical discomfort, and family preferences of food. Food selectivity among the children with ASD has been reported to be as high as 46- 89% as compared to typically developing children. Enough research on linkage of food selectivity with age and other factors is yet to be confirmed. Knowledge and awareness in parents regarding autism and food selectivity may help immensely to diagnose and address feeding problems in ASD at early stage.  

Prevalence of Feeding Problems in Young Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Chart Review Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 335-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Seiverling ◽  
Patricia Towle ◽  
Helen M. Hendy ◽  
Joanna Pantelides
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Food Selectivity ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Food Refusal ◽  
Feeding Problems ◽  
Clinical Issue ◽  
Chart Abstraction ◽  
The Relationship

Feeding problems are known to be an important clinical issue for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the majority of studies on this topic have been carried out on children preschool age and older. It is important to understand whether these difficulties begin prior to age 3 years, as well as what parameters are important to study for both assessment and intervention. The present study used an early intervention chart abstraction method to examine prevalence of feeding problems in children below 3 years of age with ASD compared with those evaluated for non-ASD language delays (LD). Prevalence of feeding problems detected by speech therapists and psychologists was higher for the ASD group than for the comparison group, with the ASD group showing more food selectivity by texture (23.1% vs. 7.1%), more food selectivity by type (24.4% vs. 11.8%), more new food refusal (10.3% vs. 0%), and more food overstuffing (14.1% vs. 3.5%). We also examined the relationship between the total number of four feeding problems and child characteristics/demographics (ASD or LD diagnosis, gender, age of first evaluation, neighborhood income). Significantly more feeding problems were seen for children with ASD. As well, feeding problems were more prevalent for males. Associations between feeding problems and the other variables, as well as interactions, were not significant.

A Multi-Component Treatment to Reduce Packing in Children With Feeding and Autism Spectrum Disorders

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 940-963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darren S. Levin ◽  
Valerie M. Volkert ◽  
Cathleen C. Piazza
Keyword(s):  
Pediatric Population ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Feeding Disorders ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Feeding Problems ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Mealtime Behavior ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Inappropriate Mealtime Behavior

Despite the high prevalence and potential negative consequences of feeding disorders in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there are surprisingly few studies that examine the efficacy of treatment exclusively with these children. Children with feeding disorders also frequently exhibit packing (holding or pocketing food without swallowing). Investigators have evaluated procedures in the general pediatric population to treat packing, and some have shown that procedures need to be combined to form an effective treatment. Although investigators have evaluated the efficacy of re-distribution, swallow facilitation, and a chaser, these procedures have not been evaluated specifically with children with ASD. Prior to the current investigation, we successfully used nonremoval procedures to increase acceptance of pureed foods and liquids and decrease the inappropriate mealtime behavior of two children diagnosed with ASD and feeding problems; however, in each case, packing emerged during initial treatment. We then used different combinations of re-distribution, swallow facilitation, and chaser treatments to decrease packing for both children.

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