Vitamin D deficient diet and autism

Objectives: To study the role of vitamin D deficient diet in development of autism spectrum disorders in Saudi children aged 3-10 years in Northern region (Arar) and Eastern region (Dammam) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Design: Case-control study Setting: Al Amal Mental health complex, Arar; Shumua Al Amal Centre for Special Education and Rehabilitation, Shamah Autism Centre and Prince Sultan Rehabilitation Complex, Dammam, Saudi Arabia Subjects: Data on 100 Saudi autistic children aged 3-10 years and 100 normal children were collected via a questionnaire. The questionnaire inquired about sociodemographic characteristics, family history, ante-natal history and developmental history of the children. Intervention: Non-interventional Main outcome measure: To find out the association between vitamin D rich diet and development of autism in children Results: There was a significant association between vitamin D deficient diet and autism. Increased maternal age was observed in autistic children when compared to normal children. Conclusion: Children were found to have a deficiency in consumption of food rich in vitamin D. The vitamin D deficient diet of the child along with increased maternal age during pregnancy may contribute to development and severity of autism.