56. Tình trạng dinh dưỡng và hành vi ăn uống ở trẻ rối loạn phổ tự kỉ tại tỉnh Nghệ An năm 2024

Abstract

Selective eating, eating disorders, anorexia, restrictive eating, and chewing/swallowing difficulties are common feeding-related issues observed in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), also referred to as autism. Scientific evidence has also indicated that children with ASD exhibit a higher prevalence of eating disorders compared to neurotypical children. Preliminary findings from the initial phase of a study conducted on 56 children diagnosed with ASD revealed several prevalent feeding issues, including: reluctance to accept new foods (80.4%), chewing/swallowing difficulties (41.1%), anorexia (observed in 40.0% of children under 5 years old and 26.9% of those over 5), and taste selectivity (most children were unable to accept sour or spicy flavors). Additionally, 14.3% of the children failed to consume all four essential food groups. Nutritional deficiencies were also commonly found in this group, with zinc deficiency present in 37.5% of cases, hemoglobin deficiency in 12.5%, and ferritin deficiency in 19.6%. Furthermore, a proportion of children experienced malnutrition in various forms: stunting (17.9%), underweight (12.5%), and wasting (7.2%). In contrast, overweight and obesity were also observed, with 7.1% being overweight by weight-for-age, 5.4% by BMI-for-age, and 3.6% classified as obese by BMI-for-age. These findings highlight the urgent need for the development and implementation of targeted intervention programs to support children with ASD in addressing feeding challenges and micronutrient supplementation, aiming to improve both their eating behaviors and overall nutritional status.