title: Prevalence of chronic gastrointestinal symptoms in children with autism and autistic spectrum disorders.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH 45229-3039, USA. Cynthia.molloy@chmcc.org
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manning-Courtney
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003248:Constipation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005414:Flatulence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology