Behavioral Phenotype of ASD Preschoolers with Gastrointestinal Symptoms or Food Selectivity

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 47; no. 11; pp. 3574 - 3588
• Main Authors: Prosperi, Margherita, Santocchi, Elisa, Balboni, Giulia, Narzisi, Antonio, Bozza, Margherita, Fulceri, Francesca, Apicella, Fabio, Igliozzi, Roberta, Cosenza, Angela, Tancredi, Raffaella, Calderoni, Sara, Muratori, Filippo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.11.2017; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Autistic Disorder - epidemiology; Autistic Disorder - psychology; Behavior Problems; Behavior Rating Scales; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Care and treatment; Check Lists; Child; Child and School Psychology; Child Behavior; Child Behavior - psychology; Child, Preschool; Children; Correlation; Diagnosis; Emotional behavior; Emotional Problems; Female; Food; Food habits; Food Preferences; Food selection; Gastrointestinal diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases - epidemiology; Genetics; Health aspects; Human Body; Humans; Identification; Infant; Intelligence; Intelligence Quotient; Intelligence tests; Intervention; Male; Neurosciences; Original Paper; Pain; Pediatrics; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Phenotype; Preschool Children; Psychology; Public Health; Repetitive behaviour; Self Destructive Behavior; Self-injury; Severity; Severity (of Disability); Sleep; Sleep disorders; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Withdrawal (Psychology); Young Children; Sleep Problems; Restrictive and repetitive behaviours; Externalizing Problems; Anxiety Problems; Child Behavior Checklist 1½–5
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3271-5

This study investigated the prevalence and type of gastrointestinal (GI) and food selectivity (FS) symptoms in 163 preschoolers with ASD, and their possible links with core ASD features and emotional/behavioural problems. 40.5% of children with ASD had at least one severe GI symptom or FS. Preschoolers with and without GI symptoms and with and without FS were significantly different on several emotional/behavioural problems and restrictive/repetitive behaviours, whereas they did not differ significantly on performance IQ and autistic severity. The GI plus FS group presented with Sleep Problems, Self-injurious Behaviors and Anxiety Problems. Results indicated the need for early identification of GI disturbances and FS in order to design tailored intervention for these symptoms frequently associated to challenging behaviours in ASD.