Neurodevelopmental disorders in children with congenital abdominal wall defects: a national population-based study.

This large Swedish study followed children born with abdominal wall defects (holes in the belly area present at birth) to see if they developed autism or ADHD. Children with omphalocele (where organs develop outside the belly) had about 3.5 times higher chance of autism than other children, but the overall numbers were still quite low. Children with gastroschisis (a different type of abdominal wall defect) didn't show increased autism risk. Neither group had higher rates of ADHD.

This Swedish national population-based cohort study examined neurodevelopmental outcomes in 496 children born with abdominal wall defects (AWD) between 1997-2016, comparing them to 4,943 matched controls. Children with chromosomal abnormalities were excluded. The study found that children with omphalocele had a significantly higher risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to unexposed peers (HR=3.51, 95% CI 1.59-7.78, p=0.02), while those with gastroschisis showed no significant difference. No significant differences in ADHD incidence were observed for either AWD type.

Overall neurodevelopmental diagnosis rates were 6.1% for omphalocele and 4.8% for gastroschisis versus 3.5-3.6% in controls, though these differences were not statistically significant.

Children with omphalocele may benefit from enhanced autism screening and early intervention services. Healthcare providers should be aware of increased ASD risk in this population while recognizing that overall neurodevelopmental outcomes are generally positive for children with abdominal wall defects.

Single-country study may limit generalizability. Study design not specified in abstract. Relatively small sample sizes for specific AWD types. Follow-up duration and diagnostic criteria not detailed in abstract.

One in 4000 Swedish children is born with abdominal wall defect (AWD). Little is known about their neurodevelopmental trajectory and long-term morbidity. The aim was to determine the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children born with omphalocele or gastroschisis. This was a population-based national cohort study including children born with omphalocele or gastroschisis in Sweden 1997-2016.

Individuals with chromosomal abnormality were excluded. Ten age and sex-matched unexposed individuals were randomly selected for every AWD case. Main outcomes were autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Data were collected from the national health registers.

During the study period, 496 children were born with AWD and included in the exposed cohorts. The unexposed cohorts consisted of 4943 children. Neurodevelopmental diagnoses were found in 11 (6.1%) children with omphalocele and 15 (4.8%) children with gastroschisis compared to 63 (3.5%) and 113 (3.6%) in the unexposed cohorts (p = 0.096 and p = 0.275). Children with omphalocele had higher risk of ASD (HR = 3.51, 95% CI 1.59-7.78) than unexposed peers (p = 0.02).

There was no significant difference in ADHD incidence. Children with AWD may have similar risk of ADHD as age- and sex-matched peers. While the omphalocele cohort had a higher incidence of ASD, the overall incidence remained relatively low. II.