Eating Behaviors of Children with Autism—Pilot Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. The Characteristic of the Studied Group
- Informed and voluntary consent of the child’s parent/legal guardian to participate in the study
- Children aged between 2 and 12 years
- Diagnosis made by an ASD psychiatrist (using gold diagnostic test—ADOS-2)
- Syndromic autism (additionally diagnosed mental disorder, epilepsy, congenital disorder, genetic disorder).
- Mental retardation
2.2. The Characteristic of the Control Group
- Informed and voluntary consent of the child’s parent/legal guardian to participate in the study
- Children aged between 2 and 12 years
- Absence of pervasive developmental disorder (as confirmed by a child and adolescent psychiatrist, child neurologist, psychologist and educational research scientist)
- Absence of any diagnosis of chronic conditions with the potential of affecting the nutritional status (the digestive tract diseases previously diagnosed)
- Children younger than 2 years and older than 12 years
- Mental retardation
2.3. Study Method
2.4. Statistical Methods
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Limitations of the Study
6. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
ICD-10 | International Classification of Disease-10, |
DSM-5 | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5, |
ADOS-2 | Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition, |
CDCP | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, |
ASD | Autism Spectrum Disorder. |
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Sex | Study Group (n = 41; 100%) | Control Group (n = 34; 100%) | Fisher Exact Probability Test |
---|---|---|---|
Female | 13 (31.7%) | 8 (23.5%) | NS (p = 0.30) |
Male | 28 (68.3%) | 26 (76.5%) |
Age [in Years] | Study Group (n = 41; 100%) | Control Group (n = 34; 100%) | Chi-Square Test for Association with Yates Continuity Correction |
---|---|---|---|
From 3 to 7 | 18 (43.9%) | 16 (47.1%) | NS (p = 0.73) |
From 7 to 10 | 13 (31.7%) | 8 (23.5%) | |
Above 10 | 10 (24.4%) | 10 (29.4%) |
Problem | Study Group (n = 37; 100%) | Control Group (n = 33; 100%) | Fisher Exact Probability Test |
---|---|---|---|
Child’s difficulty to hold on to the breast | 5 (13.5%) | 5 (15.2%) | NS (p = 0.56) |
Week sucking reflex | 4 (10.8%) | 1 (3.0%) | NS (p = 0.22) |
Chaotic sucking (child’s crying, anxiety) | 3 (8.1%) | 1 (3.0%) | NS (p = 0.35) |
Child getting tired during breastfeeding | 3 (8.1%) | 1 (3.0%) | NS (p = 0.35) |
Short sucking time (child falls asleep) | 5 (13.5%) | 0 | p = 0.04 |
Insufficient/absence of breast milk | 7 (18.9%) | 6 (18.2%) | NS (p = 0.59) |
Poor weight gain | 3 (8.7%) | 2 (6.1%) | NS (p = 0.56) |
Short lingual frenulum | 2 (5.4%) | 0 | NS (p = 0.28) |
Regurgitation | 6 (16.2%) | 2 (6.1%) | NS (p = 0.17) |
Problem with breast nipples (pain, infection) | 4 (10.8%) | 4 (12.1%) | NS (p = 0.58) |
Problem with the mammary gland (infection, abscess) | 2 (5.4%) | 2 (6.1%) | NS (p = 0.65) |
Mother’s illness | 0 | 2 (6.1%) | NS (p = 0.22) |
Child’s illness | 1 (2.7%) | 2 (6.1%) | NS (p = 0.46) |
Emotional problem of the mother | 0 | 2 (6.1%) | NS (p = 0.22) |
Food | Study Group (n = 41) | Control Group (n = 34) | Mann-Whitney U Test |
---|---|---|---|
Vegetables | 1.6; 1.2; 1 | 1.3; 0.5w; 1 | NS (p = 0.10) |
Fruit | 2.0; 1.0; 2 | 2.1; 1.2; 2 | NS (p = 0.58) |
Meat | 3.8; 1.2; 3 | 3.6; 1.0; 3 | NS (p = 0.74) |
Fish | 5.9; 1.6; 6 | 5.2; 1.6; 5 | NS (p = 0.14) |
Wheat products | 4.4; 1.7; 5 | 4.3; 1.5; 4 | NS (p = 0.56) |
Chicken egg yolk | 5.1; 1.7; 6 | 5.1; 1.1; 5 | NS (p = 0.64) |
Whole chicken egg | 6.9; 1.2; 7 | 7.0; 0.7; 7 | NS (p = 0.61) |
Dairy products—yogurt, Buttermilk | 6.3; 1.5; 6 | 7.4; 1.0; 8 | p = 0.001 |
Necessity of Multiple Trials | Study Group (n = 41; 100%) | Control Group (n = 34; 100%) | Fisher Exact Probability Test |
---|---|---|---|
Yes | 19 (47.5%) | 6 (17.7%) | p = 0.006 |
No | 21 (52.5%) | 28 (82.3%) |
Food Type | Study Group (n = 41; 100%) | Control Group (n = 34; 100%) | Fisher Exact Probability Test |
---|---|---|---|
Ready, store-bought jarred baby food | 37 (90.2%) | 11 (70.6%) | p = 0.03 |
Food prepared at home and designated solely for the child | 37 (90.2%) | 29 (85.3%) | NS (p = 0.38) |
Food at the family table | 10 (24.4%) | 10 (29.4%) | NS (p = 0.41) |
Child drinks only milk (breast milk/infant formula) | 0 | 0 | --- |
Food Texture | Study Group (n = 41) | Control Group (n = 34) | Mann-Whitney U Test |
---|---|---|---|
Fluid, mushy | 6.2; 5.1; 6.0 | 5.6; 1.4; 5.5 | NS (p = 0.78) |
Lumpy | 9.6; 6.5; 8.0 | 8.4; 4.2; 7.0 | p = 0.02 |
Solid | 12.9; 10.1; 9.0 | 10.5; 4.3; 8.0 | p = 0.02 |
Child’s Preferred Food Texture | Study Group (n = 41; 100%) | Control Group (n = 34; 100%) | Fisher Exact Probability Test |
---|---|---|---|
Fluid | 15 (36.6%) | 9 (26.5%) | NS (p = 0.25) |
Lumpy | 4 (9.8%) | 13 (38.2%) | p = 0.004 |
Solid | 2 (4.9%) | 3 (8.8%) | NS (p = 0.41) |
Absence of any preference of food texture | 24 (58.5%) | 15 (44.1%) | NS (p = 0.16) |
Accessory | Study Group (n = 41; 100%) | Control Group (n = 34; 100%) | Fisher Exact Probability Test |
---|---|---|---|
bottle with a nipple | 29 (70.7%) | 13 (38.2%) | p = 0.005 |
tea spoon | 41 (100%) | 33 (97.1%) | NS (p = 0.45) |
child’s hands | 23 (56.1%) | 29 (85.3%) | p = 0.006 |
sippy cup | 28 (68.3%) | 28 (82.4%) | NS (p = 0.13) |
regular cup | 16 (39.0%) | 16 (47.1%) | NS (p = 0.32) |
Additional Involvement | Study Group (n = 41; 100%) | Control Group (n = 34; 100%) | Fisher Exact Probability Test |
---|---|---|---|
Yes | 17 (41.5%) | 7 (20.6%) | p = 0.05 |
No | 24 (58.5%) | 27 (79.4%) |
Child Watched a Cartoon | Study Group (n = 41; 100%) | Control Group (n = 34; 100%) | Fisher Exact Probability Test |
---|---|---|---|
Yes | 13 (31.7%) | 5 (14.7%) | NS (p = 0.07) |
No | 28 (68.3%) | 29 (85.3%) |
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Brzóska, A.; Kazek, B.; Kozioł, K.; Kapinos-Gorczyca, A.; Ferlewicz, M.; Babraj, A.; Makosz-Raczek, A.; Likus, W.; Paprocka, J.; Matusik, P.; et al. Eating Behaviors of Children with Autism—Pilot Study. Nutrients 2021, 13, 2687. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082687
Brzóska A, Kazek B, Kozioł K, Kapinos-Gorczyca A, Ferlewicz M, Babraj A, Makosz-Raczek A, Likus W, Paprocka J, Matusik P, et al. Eating Behaviors of Children with Autism—Pilot Study. Nutrients. 2021; 13(8):2687. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082687
Chicago/Turabian StyleBrzóska, Anna, Beata Kazek, Karolina Kozioł, Agnieszka Kapinos-Gorczyca, Małgorzata Ferlewicz, Agnieszka Babraj, Anna Makosz-Raczek, Wirginia Likus, Justyna Paprocka, Paweł Matusik, and et al. 2021. "Eating Behaviors of Children with Autism—Pilot Study" Nutrients 13, no. 8: 2687. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082687