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Gastrointestinal and Sleep Issues in Toddlers With Autism Versus Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Katrine Zlatnik1, Anna Milliken1, Meredith Weaver1

  • 1Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

Clinical Pediatrics
|March 15, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience fewer gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS) and sleep issues than those with other neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Early assessment of these common symptoms is crucial for all children with developmental concerns.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Clinical Research

Background:

  • Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) often co-occur with gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS) and sleep disturbances.
  • Limited data exist comparing the prevalence of these symptoms in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) versus other NDDs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the frequency of GIS and sleep difficulties in young children diagnosed with ASD versus non-ASD NDDs.
  • To highlight the need for comprehensive symptom assessment in early developmental evaluations.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective data abstraction from medical records of 500 children with ASD (18-36 months) and 146 children with non-ASD NDDs (18-47 months).
  • Age-adjusted statistical analyses were performed to compare symptom prevalence between the two groups.
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS) and sleep difficulties were the primary outcomes of interest.

Main Results:

  • Overall, 46.0% experienced GIS and 22.6% had sleep difficulties.
  • Children with non-ASD NDDs showed significantly higher rates of GIS (61.0% vs. 41.6%) and sleep difficulties (34.9% vs. 19.0%) compared to children with ASD.
  • Adjusted odds ratios indicated a 2.35 times higher likelihood of GIS and a 2.08 times higher likelihood of sleep difficulties in the non-ASD NDD group.

Conclusions:

  • Young children with non-ASD NDDs are more likely to present with GIS and sleep issues than those with ASD.
  • Routine screening for gastrointestinal and sleep problems is essential for all young children with developmental concerns.
  • This assessment can inform targeted interventions and family support for children with NDDs.

Keywords:
autism spectrum disordergastrointestinal symptomsglobal developmental delayneurodevelopmental disorderssleep

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