Alimentary Management via Food Supplements for Young Children with Autism: A Review

The primary traits of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) consist of the inability to socialize, communicate and use imagination, and/or manifestations of stereotypical behavior. A disruption in the development of an autistic brain has been widely accepted in explaining the neurodevelopmental causes linked to ASD, but the association between the brain and the condition remains unclear. In this regard, a majority of young children with ASD have been observed to manifest gastrointestinal (GI) problems with a rise in intestinal permeability contributing to the pathogenesis of severity of ASD symptoms. According to Hsiao (2014), the GI abnormalities, given their reported prevalence and correlation with the severity of key ASD-related behavioral abnormalities and the development of autism-related endophenotypes (e.g., immune dysregulation, hyperserotonemia, and metabolic dysfunction) are of particular interest in this paper. This review discusses the GI pathologies seen in ASD individuals and the association of particular GI conditions with known deficiencies in vitamins and minerals. With emerging evidence for a gut-brain connection in ASD (van De Sande, van Buul, & Brouns, 2014), vitamins and minerals have been widely used in nutritional or dietary treatment for ASD.