Prevalence of chronic gastrointestinal symptoms in children
with autism and autistic spectrum disorders.
Molloy CA, Manning-Courtney P.
Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Medical Center, OH 45229-3039, USA. Cynthia.molloy@chmcc.org
The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of chronic
gastrointestinal symptoms in a general population of children with autism or
autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). The study site was a clinic specializing in
ASD in a large pediatric medical center serving a 10 county area in the
midwestern USA. In a sample of 137 children, age 24-96 months, classified as
having autism or ASD by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic, 24
percent had a history of at least one chronic gastrointestinal symptom. The most
common symptom was diarrhea, which occurred in 17 percent. There was no
association between chronic gastrointestinal symptoms and a history of
developmental regression. The potential phenotypic association between autism
and gastrointestinal symptoms is discussed.
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