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Early childhood allergy linked with development of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum
Shay Nemet1, Ilan Asher1, Israel Yoles2
1Clinical Immunology Allergy and AIDS Center, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel.
Insights
Children with early childhood allergies face a significantly higher risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This association highlights a crucial link between allergic conditions and neurodevelopmental disorders in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Allergology
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Background:
- Conflicting research exists on the link between allergic disorders and ADHD/ASD.
- A large-scale study is needed to clarify this association in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between allergic disorders and the risk of developing ADHD and/or ASD in children.
- To analyze the impact of allergic comorbidities on the risk of ADHD/ASD.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of a pediatric database (0-18 years) from 2000-2018.
- Inclusion of over 117,000 children with allergic disorders and nearly 117,000 non-allergic controls.
- Diagnosis confirmed by specialist physicians using ICD-9-CM codes.
Main Results:
- Early childhood allergic disorders significantly elevated the risk for ADHD (OR 2.45) and ASD (OR 1.17).
- The combined risk for ADHD + ASD was also significantly increased (OR 1.5).
- Multiple allergic comorbidities further amplified the risk for ADHD and ADHD+ASD.
Conclusions:
- Allergic disorders in early childhood are a significant risk factor for developing ADHD and, to a lesser extent, ASD later in life.
- The findings underscore the importance of considering allergic conditions in the context of neurodevelopmental disorder assessment.
Background:
Previous studies reported controversial results regarding the association between allergic disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)/autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aim of this article was to investigate whether allergic disorders are associated with ADHD/ASD in a large cohort of pediatric patients.
Methods:
A retrospective study using the pediatric (0-18 year) database (ICD-9-CM codes) of Clalit Health Services during the years (2000-2018). Diagnosis of all disorders was made by specialist physicians.
Results:
A total of 117 022 consecutive non-selective allergic children diagnosed with one or more allergic disorder (asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, skin, food, or drug allergy) and 116 968 non-allergic children were enrolled to our study. The mean follow-up period was 11 ± 6 years. The presence of allergic disorders in early childhood (mean age of allergic diagnosis 4.5 ± 4.3 years) in boys as well as in girls significantly increased the risk to develop ADHD (O.R 2.45, CI 2.39-2.51; p < .0001), ASD (O.R 1.17, CI 1.08-1.27; p < .0001), or both ADHD + ASD (O.R 1.5, CI 1.35-1.79; p < .0001). Children with more than one allergic comorbidity revealed a much higher risk. In a multivariable analysis (adjusted for age at study entry, number of yearly visits, and gender), the risk of allergic children to develop ADHD and ADHD + ASD, but not ASD alone, remained significantly higher.
Conclusion:
Allergic disorder in early childhood significantly increased the risk to develop ADHD, and to a less extend ASD, in later life.
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