“I have a tummy ache.”  How often do we hear that, and sometimes suspect that there really is no problem but our child just wants to avoid something or get our attention?

Well, it turns out that gastrointestinal (GI) disease in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is common. Not only is it common, but Krigsman and Walker (2021) note that chronic GI symptoms and disorders are significantly correlated with the degree of behavioral and cognitive impairment children with ASD exhibit.

In children with ASD, GI symptoms may emerge as early as infancy or toddlerhood, and may be misdiagnosed – or not diagnosed at all – due in part to the challenges associated with the recognition of symptoms in a minimally or non-communicative child.

But here’s our chicken or the egg problem for today:  does untreated GI disorder impact the child’s neurodevelopment, or does having a neurodevelopmental disorder like ASD predispose the child to chronic GI issues?

“From the data presented in this mini review,” the authors write, “we conclude that the preponderance of available evidence would suggest the former scenario is more strongly supported.”

Given the correlation between symptoms and behavioral and cognitive development, their article would suggest perhaps an earlier attempt to identify and treat any GI problems. That said, there appears to be a need for more research to really establish whether treatment of GI symptoms would actually result in better outcomes, and if so, would it be behavioral, cognitive, or both?

You can access the full text of the article in pdf format for free at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8474996/pdf/WJP-11-605.pdf

Reference:

Krigsman A, Walker SJ. Gastrointestinal disease in children with autism spectrum disorders: Etiology or consequence? World J Psychiatry, 2021 Sep 19;11(9):605-618.