Unusual eating behaviors may be a sign of autism in children, study finds

The way a child eats may indicate signs of autism spectrum disorder, according to a new study from the Penn State College of Medicine.

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The study, recently published in the journal Research Autism Spectrum Spectorders, relies on data collected from 2,102 children, of whom 1,462 were diagnosed with autism. The researchers sought to examine the differences between the eating behaviors of autistic and non-autistic children, through standardized interviews with parents, conducted by licensed psychologists.

According to this study, 70.4% of children with autism had atypical eating behaviors, such as limited food preferences, hypersensitivity to food textures, or pockets of food without swallowing. About 13% of non-autistic children with another type of disorder (ADHD, language disorder) reported similar behaviors. But only 4.8% of children considered "neurotypical" (without disorder) had unusual eating behaviors.

This means that atypical eating behaviors are 15 times more common in autistic children than in neurotypic children.

"This study provided further evidence that these unusual eating behaviors are the rule and not the exception for autistic children," said Keith Williams, of Penn State Children's Hospital, in a statement.

Susan Mayes, professor of psychiatry and senior researcher at Penn State, noted that such behaviors were common among 1-year-old children with autism and urged parents to talk to their child's pediatrician. a screening for autism.

In the end, the earlier autism is diagnosed, the sooner the family can consider starting a treatment plan with a behavior badyst, she added. Research shows that early treatment during the preschool years can help spectrum children better understand the skills needed for everyday life.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, one in every 59 children in the United States has autism. Although more people than ever before are diagnosed with ASD, "it is not clear to what extent this increase is due to a broader definition of ASD and better diagnostic efforts," notes the CDC.

There is no cure for autism, but regular treatment is deemed to be helpful.

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