Occurrence and Correlates of Vitamin D and Iron Deficiency in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This study looked at vitamin and iron levels in 241 children with autism in Singapore. Results showed that about 1 in 3 children had low vitamin D levels and about 1 in 3 had low iron levels. Some children also had anemia from low iron. The researchers recommend that doctors should test vitamin D and iron levels in children with autism, especially vitamin D in Indian children and older children.

This cross-sectional study examined vitamin D and iron deficiency in 241 Singaporean children with autism spectrum disorder aged 1-10 years. Blood investigations revealed vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in 36.5% of children tested (n=222) and iron deficiency in 37.7% (n=236). Iron deficiency anemia was present in 15.6% of those with complete data. No significant correlates were identified for iron deficiency, including picky eating behaviors.

The study suggests these nutritional deficiencies are common in children with ASD and recommends routine screening, particularly for vitamin D in children of Indian ethnicity and older age groups.

Routine screening for vitamin D and iron deficiency should be considered in children with ASD given high prevalence rates. Particular attention should be paid to vitamin D levels in children of Indian ethnicity and older children with ASD. These findings support systematic nutritional assessment as part of comprehensive ASD care.

Single-center retrospective study from Singapore limits generalizability. Cross-sectional design prevents causal inferences. Sample size for some analyses was reduced due to incomplete blood investigations. Exclusion of children with genetic disorders may not reflect real-world ASD populations.

: This study aimed to determine the occurrence of vitamin D and iron deficiency in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Singapore and identify correlates of the presence of these deficiencies, if any.: This is an observational, cross-sectional, retrospective review of children with a diagnosis of autism, aged 1 to 10 years old, seen at a tertiary developmental paediatric centre from January 2018 to December 2022, with blood investigations completed. Autism diagnosis was determined either clinically by a developmental paediatrician using DSM-5 criteria or using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2). Children with genetic disorders and chronic medical conditions were excluded. Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations with the deficiencies, and the Bonferroni method was applied on post hoc comparisons.: The overall sample comprised 241 children (79% males, mean age 4.2 years [SD 2.25].

There were 222 and 236 children who had blood investigations for vitamin D and iron levels performed, respectively. Out of the 222 children whose vitamin D tests were performed, 36.5% had vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency. Iron deficiency occurred in 37.7% for children who had their iron levels tested. There were 122 observations for both iron levels and complete blood count.

Out of these, 19 (15.6%) had iron deficiency anaemia. There were no significant correlates for iron deficiency, with picky eating included.: Vitamin D and iron deficiencies were common in this sample. Clinicians should consider testing for vitamin D and iron for children with ASD, especially for vitamin D in children of Indian ethnicity and older age.