The early stool patterns of young children with autistic spectrum disorder

Aim: To investigate whether children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) have bowel symptoms consistent with underlying enterocolitis. Methods: Information on children’s stool patterns and gut symptoms collected by questionnaire at 4 weeks and at 6, 18, 30 and 42 months of age were available for 12 984 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Data on the 78 children identified by local health and/or education systems to have special educational provision for ASD were compared with the 12 906 remaining children in the cohort. Results: Comparison of the ASD and control group during the first 3.5 years of life showed no major differences in stool colour or consistency, or in frequency of diarrhoea, constipation, bloody stools or abdominal pain. The ASD children had similar stool frequency up to 18 months, but there was a trend for ASD children to pass more stools at 30 months (OR 3.73, 95% CI 1.11 to 12.6; p = 0.004) and at 42 months (OR 6.46, 95% CI 1.83 to 22.7; p