Walaa M.R. El-Meidany*, Dalia I. Tayel
Department of Nutrition, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
*Corresponding Author Email Address: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neuro-developmental brain disorder characterized by repetitive patterns of behaviors or deficits in social communication. Toxic levels of heavy metals and decreased levels of essential minerals may play an important role in the pathogenesis of ASD. Children with ASD are at much greater risk of developing general gastrointestinal concerns. ASD is more common in the constipation clinic than in the general population, suggesting a huge necessity for developing a targeted treatment for this condition. Objectives: investigating the role of daily consumption of virgin coconut oil for three months on chronic constipation in a case of ASD was the hypothesis of this study. Participants & Methods: Six years old boy weighed 17 kg and his height was 110 cm diagnosed to have autism since he was three years old. His Intelligence quotient (IQ) score was 85 and his childhood autism rating score (CARS) was ranging between 28 and 31. He was suffering from chronic constipation since he was 8 months old by which he passes stool every 4 days and sometimes accompanied by fever and a severe abdominal pain. Taking glycerin (infantile) suppositories twice a day did not cause any effect in the last seven months. Results: Adding 5 ml of VCO before the three main meals per day to his daily routine diet which was gluten-free diet and casein-free diet, he started to defecate once daily. Conclusions: This case study suggests that VCO might be the future ally for chronic constipation among autistic children worldwide.
Keywords: Autism, Chronic Constipation, Virgin coconut oil, Autism
Citation: El-Meidany WMR, Tayel DI, Waly MI. Can Virgin Coconut Oil be the Neutraceutical for Chronic Constipation among Autistic Children: A Case Study. Canad J Clin Nutr 2019; 7 (1): 26-33.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14206/canad.j.clin.nutr.2019.01.03