Autism Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3420 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA,
J Autism Dev Disord. 2014 Sep;44(9):2175-84. doi: 10.1007/s10803-014-2095-9.
Many children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have co-occurring feeding problems. However, there is limited knowledge about how these feeding habits are related to other behavioral characteristics ubiqitious in ASD. In a relatively large sample of 256 children with ASD, ages 2-11, we examined the relationships between feeding and mealtime behaviors and social, communication, and cognitive levels as well repetitive and ritualistic behaviors, sensory behaviors, and externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Finally, we examined whether feeding habits were predictive of nutritional adequacy. In this sample, we found strong associations between parent reported feeding habits and (1) repetitive and ritualistic behaviors, (2) sensory features, and (3) externalizing and internalizing behavior. There was a lack of association between feeding behaviors and the social and communication deficits of ASD and cognitive levels. Increases in the degree of problematic feeding behaviors predicted decrements in nutritional adequacy.
许多自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）儿童伴有共患的喂养问题。然而，关于这些饮食习惯与 ASD 中普遍存在的其他行为特征之间的关系，我们知之甚少。在一个相对较大的 256 名 ASD 儿童样本中，年龄在 2-11 岁之间，我们研究了喂养和用餐行为与社交、沟通和认知水平以及重复和仪式性行为、感觉行为以及外在和内在行为之间的关系。最后，我们检查了饮食习惯是否可以预测营养充足性。在这个样本中，我们发现父母报告的饮食习惯与（1）重复和仪式性行为，（2）感觉特征以及（3）外在和内在行为之间存在很强的关联。喂养行为与 ASD 的社交和沟通缺陷以及认知水平之间没有关联。进食行为问题程度的增加预示着营养充足性的下降。
