title: Brief Report: Scurvy as a Manifestation of Food Selectivity in Children with Autism.
abstract: Scurvy was diagnosed in seven children at Boston Children's Hospital. All of the children had a developmental disorder and autism was the most common. They had a long-standing history of food selectivity with diets devoid of fruits and vegetables, and none of the children were supplemented with a multivitamin. They presented with limp, and an elaborate panel of tests and procedures were undertaken before the diagnosis of scurvy was made. Treatment with vitamin C led to rapid recovery of symptoms. This report emphasizes the importance of considering nutritional causes of musculoskeletal symptoms in children with autism and restrictive diets.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. nina.ma@childrens.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Nina S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Center for Nutrition, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weston
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012614:Scurvy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: Autism; Children; Developmental disorder; Food selectivity; Scurvy; Sensory processing disorder; Vitamin C