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Brief Report: Decreased Bone Health in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder

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Abstract

Purpose

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and food selectivity are at increased risk for nutritional deficiencies which could affect bone health.

Methods

We report on four male patients with ASD and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) with significant bone conditions including rickets, vertebral compression fractures, osteopenia, and slipped capital femoral epiphyses.

Results

Each patient was at risk for at least one nutritional deficiency. Two out of four patients had deficiencies in Vitamins A, B12, E, and zinc. Calcium and Vitamin D deficiency were noted in all four. Two out of four patients with Vitamin D deficiency developed rickets.

Conclusion

Provisional evidence suggests that children with ASD and ARFID are at elevated risk for serious adverse bone health outcomes.

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Fig. 1

Data Availability

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

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Acknowldgements

Noreen Islam and Kristin L. Hathaway provided equal contribution.

Funding

The authors did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work.

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Author notes

  1. Noreen Islam and Kristin L. Hathaway provided equal contribution.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Noreen Islam, Brooke S. Anderson, William G. Sharp & Karen J. Loechner

  2. Children’s Multidisciplinary Feeding Program, Marcus Autism Center, 1920 Briarcliff Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA

    Kristin L. Hathaway & William G. Sharp

Authors
  1. Noreen Islam
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  2. Kristin L. Hathaway
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  3. Brooke S. Anderson
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  4. William G. Sharp
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  5. Karen J. Loechner
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Correspondence to Noreen Islam.

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Islam, N., Hathaway, K.L., Anderson, B. et al. Brief Report: Decreased Bone Health in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-023-05976-x

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