Gastrointestinal dysfunction in autistic spectrum disorder and therapeutic possibilities

• Autor(a) principal: Vilela, Débora Araújo Mendes
• Data de Publicação: 2019
• Outros Autores: Nascimento, Higor Bermudes, Palma, Sônia Maria Motta
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Debates em Psiquiatria (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://revistardp.org.br/revista/article/view/46
• topic: Distúrbios gastrointestinais; transtorno do espectro autista; dieta; Gastrointestinal disorders; autism spectrum disorder; diet

Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by social deficits, language impairments, and repetitive behaviors with restricted interests. Gastrointestinal disorders are common in children with ASD, and studies have suggested that these changes may interfere with pathogenesis and prognosis in these individuals. The most common symptoms are chronic diarrhea, constipation, abdominal discomfort, gastroesophageal reflux and food intolerance. Gastrointestinal dysfunctions may manifest only by behavioral changes and thus interfere with the functioning of the individual, and may also affect the family relationship, being determinants of quality of life in these individuals. These changes may manifest as self- and hetero-aggression, as well as sleep disturbance or irritability. Due to the social interaction difficulties and speech alterations observed in individuals with ASD, in some cases gastrointestinal disorders are not recognized by the medical team, and behavioral changes are exclusively attributed to ASD, leading to treatment failure. Psychopharmaceuticals used to treat behavioral changes in ASD patients, such as risperidone, may also contribute to altering these children’s dietary patterns and gastrointestinal problems. Multidisciplinary followup is important in order to optimize and ensure earlier diagnosis and identify gastrointestinal problems, thus establishing individualized treatment and avoiding future limitations.