Gastrointestinal problems are common in children with autism. A new study indicates that an allergy to gluten may be the cause of these problems. The study, Markers of Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity in Children with Autism, found elevated gluten antibodies in children with autism when compared to neurotypical children.Gluten is a group of proteins found in wheat and other grain products. Many parents of children with autism have already tried removing gluten from their children's diets. Researchers did not find a link between celiac disease and autism.
Because this study was based on a small group of 140 children, further research in this area is needed. “This is the first study to systematically look at serologic and genetic markers of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity in such well-characterized cohorts of autism patients and controls,” said Peter H. R. Green, MD, director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University Medical Center and one of the study authors. “But the findings need to be confirmed in larger cohorts.”
“Higher levels of antibody to gluten and their association with gastrointestinal symptoms point to immunologic and/or intestinal permeability abnormalities in the affected children.” according to Dr. Armin Alaedini, PhD, assistant professor of medical sciences at Columbia University Medical Center who is also one of the study's authors.
The study is published online in the journal PLOS ONE.
More information and the source of the above quote can be found at:
http://newsroom.cumc.columbia.edu/2013/06/20/elevated-gluten-antibodies-found-in-children-with-autism/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=elevated-gluten-antibodies-found-in-children-with-autism
©Mary M Conneely T/A Advocacy in Action
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