Diet and nutrition in autistic spectrum disorders

Abstract

Introduction: The Autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that are characterized by poor social skills with difficulties in communication, stereotyped and repetitive behaviours, and restricted interests. Researches have shown that quite a number of children with ASD often present with gastrointestinal (GI) problems which have been thought to be one of the aetiological factors for the disorder and a reason for the increase in severity of the behavioural symptoms of autism. This led to the advent and use of biomedical treatments (non-drugs, special diets) by parents for the treatment of the disorder.
Objective: This article elucidates the relationship between diet and the severity of ASDs, and the use of special diets in the management of autism.
Method: A review of literature was done to examine gastrointestinal pathology associated with ASD and how dietary control can be used in managing them. A thorough search through medical databases including PubMed, Google Scholar and MEDLINE was carried out.
Results: It was shown that there is a significant prevalence of intestinal abnormalities in children with ASD which include chronic constipation, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and so on. In addition, there is alteration in serotonine signaling which may be responsible for some of the symptoms. Children with ASD tend to be selective in what they eat and as such some of them may present with some vitamin and mineral deficiency. Parents of these children have reported improvement in symptoms as a result of use of gluten free, casein free (GFCF) diets. However, research has not backed this up as the use of diet as a treatment option and an indication of severity may be due to unique gastrointestinal properties in each child.
Conclusion: More studies should be carried out to show the effects of dietary control in the alleviation of behavioural and gastrointestinal symptoms associated with ASD.