Elevated rate of celiac disease seen in ASD

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may have a higher-than-typical rate of celiac disease (CD), a new study from Italy suggests. 

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which exposure to gluten damages the intestinal wall. The disease, which causes gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, and a wide range of other symptoms, is treated by removing gluten from the diet. 

Sara Calderoni and colleagues reviewed data from 382 children who received a diagnosis of ASD and underwent screening for CD. The researchers report that the prevalence of CD in their sample was 2.62%, which is significantly higher than the 1.1% to 1.2% reported in children in the general Italian population. 

The researchers note that children with ASD may not show clear signs of CD. Instead, they may express their discomfort via behavioral problems such as anxiety, withdrawal, temper tantrums, oppositional behavior, sleep problems, food selectivity, aggression, and self-injurious acts. “In these cases,” the researchers say, “if a diagnosis of CD is confirmed, the treatment of ASD patients for CD with a gluten-free diet may not only alleviate their CD-related symptoms, but also have a positive impact on associated behavioral problems.”

Citations

“Serological screening for celiac disease in 382 pre-schoolers with autism spectrum disorder,” Sara Calderoni, Elisa Santocchi, Teresa Del Bianco, Elena Brunori, Laura Caponi, Aldo Paolicchi, Francesca Fulceri, Margherita Prosperi, Antonio Narzisi, Angela Cosenza, Raffaella Tancredi, and Filippo Muratori, Italian Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 42, No. 1, November 16, 2016. Address: Sara Calderoni, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Viale del Tirreno 331, Pisa 56018, Calambrone, Italy, [email protected].