Gastrointestinal problems don’t cause the disorder, researcher says.
Children with autismare not at higher risk for certain digestive system problems than those without the neurodevelopmental disorder, a small study suggests.
The researchers focused on gastrointestinal disorders that previous studies suggested might be linked to autism. These include intestinal inflammation; deficiency of the digestive enzyme lactase, associated with lactose intolerance; and increased intestinal permeability, often called “leaky gut.”
The results showed that the children with autism were no more likely to have these conditions than typically developing kids.