ABSTRACT
One recent study suggests that approximately 50 percent of the children with autism in their community-based sample, compared to fewer than 1 in 4 of the child control patients admitted to emergency rooms for abdominal pain, suffered from moderate to severe constipation. Because many children suffering from autism are nonverbal, it is quite challenging to assess their physical state, including perceptions of pain. It becomes difficult to determine whether tantrums and refusing to toilet are related to problems with cognition, general frustration, or underlying medical conditions. Discerning whether a child suffering from autism is in severe or chronic pain is vital. For typical children, repetitive blood draws are perceived as one of the worst experiences encountered in medical treatment. Although the reasons for employing various diets and dietary restrictions for children suffering from autism are a source of constant debate, many families institute casein-free, gluten-free, additive-free, or low carbohydrate diets for their children with some degree of success.
