Sensory and Behavioral Aspects With Particular Attention to Food Selectivity in Children With Autism

NCT ID: NCT06335030

Last Updated: 2024-03-28

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Total Enrollment

50 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-03-29

Study Completion Date

2024-11-30

Brief Summary

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Brief Summary: Eating problems and in particular food selectivity is a condition that worsens a long-life disorder such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) , both on an individual level, both on family and social ones .

Children (2-6 years) diagnosed with ASD according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 Edition (DSM5) criteria were enrolled in an observational, cross-sectional and multicentric study conducted by three different Italian clinical centers. Regarding this sample, principal aims of the study are to describe characteristics of food selectivity, to evaluate its correlation with ASD symptoms, with cognitive and adaptive functioning of ASD preschoolers, to describe its impact on parental stress.

Detailed Description

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Background: Eating problems and in particular food selectivity is a condition that worsens a long-life disorder such as ASD, both on an individual level , both on family and social ones . Regarding factors that contribute to this eating behavior have been identified sensory atypia , rigid behaviors and behavioral problems , however the problem has not yet been fully clarified.

Objective: The study aims to:

a) evaluate the presence and characteristics of food selectivity, in a sample of preschool children with ASD, the impact of this on the child's height and weight growth, the possible correlation with gastrointestinal symptoms and with oro-motor skills; b) assess the correlation between food selectivity and the characteristics of ASD (sensory atypia, repetitive behaviors, level of severity of symptoms), the cognitive development/ability quotient, adaptive functioning and the presence of behavioral disorders; c) highlight the impact of food selectivity of ASD children on parental stress.These aims are relevant in order to identify possible future therapeutic interventions that rate both the child's needs and parents involvement.

Methods: children (2-6 years) diagnosed with ASD according to DSM-5 criteria at the IRCCS Stella Maris institute (Clinical Unit ASD Department), were enrolled in an observational, cross-sectional and multicentric study conducted by three different Italian clinical centers (IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation Pisa, Regional Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders - Verona, Observation Diagnostic Training Lab - Trento). This study received the approval of the Tuscany Regional Ethics Committee for the pediatric age (Meyer).

In detail, the study involves parents by administering an anamnestic interview regarding the medical history and development of the child, the rehabilitation and pharmacological intervention in progress; the collection of a video recording of two meals in a family context. Parents complete a series of questionnaires including Child Oral and Motor Proficiency Scale( ChOMPS ), Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory, (BAMBI) ; Sensory Profile 2( SP2); Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) 1.5-5 or 6-18 ; Parenting Stress Index, (PSI); Food diary ; Autism-Spectrum Quotient Test (AQ) ); Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity Index (GISSI); Mac Arthur questionnaire . The study includes the evaluation of children' cognitive functioning through the administration of a psychometric/developmental test, the administration of a standardized test for the evaluation of socio-communicative skills (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2 Edition ) and the observation of a meal of the child at the institute. The study provides a database dedicated to the collection data obtained.

As regards the statistical analyses, the researchers want to examine subjects affected by food selectivity identified and compared with the remaining group. A clinical characterization of children with food selectivity will be defined to describe any differences in the sensory profile and in eating difficulties based on the characteristics of the ASD and the cognitive abilities of the children. Then the impact of the same eating difficulties will be evaluated on the child's adaptive and emotional difficulties and on parental stress index.

Conditions

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Autism Spectrum Disorder

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

CASE_ONLY

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Children (2-6 years)
* diagnosed with ASD according to DSM-5 criteria at the IRCCS Stella Maris institute (Operational Unit 3 ASD Department)

Exclusion Criteria

* Brain Malformation
* Genetic syndromes
* specifical neurological signs
* prematurity
* epilepsy
* non free diet.
Minimum Eligible Age

2 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

6 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Ospedale Borgo Trento - Verona

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Università degli Studi di Trento

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Raffaella Tancredi

MD Director Clinical Unit

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Raffaella Tancredi

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

IRCCS Stella Maris

Locations

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IRCCS Stella Maris

Pisa, PI, Italy

Site Status RECRUITING

Università degli Studi di Trento-Laboratorio di Osservazione, Diagnosi e Formazione

Rovereto, , Italy

Site Status TERMINATED

Azienda Ospedaliera Borgo Trento

Verona, , Italy

Site Status TERMINATED

Countries

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Italy

Central Contacts

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Raffaella Tancredi

Role: CONTACT

+39050886292

Facility Contacts

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Raffaella Tancredi

Role: primary

+39050886292

Roberta Nencioli

Role: backup

+39050886347

References

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Curtin C, Hubbard K, Anderson SE, Mick E, Must A, Bandini LG. Food selectivity, mealtime behavior problems, spousal stress, and family food choices in children with and without autism spectrum disorder. J Autism Dev Disord. 2015 Oct;45(10):3308-15. doi: 10.1007/s10803-015-2490-x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26070276 (View on PubMed)

Evans EW, Must A, Anderson SE, Curtin C, Scampini R, Maslin M, Bandini L. Dietary Patterns and Body Mass Index in Children with Autism and Typically Developing Children. Res Autism Spectr Disord. 2012;6(1):399-405. doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2011.06.014.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22936951 (View on PubMed)

Johnson CR, Turner K, Stewart PA, Schmidt B, Shui A, Macklin E, Reynolds A, James J, Johnson SL, Manning Courtney P, Hyman SL. Relationships between feeding problems, behavioral characteristics and nutritional quality in children with ASD. J Autism Dev Disord. 2014 Sep;44(9):2175-84. doi: 10.1007/s10803-014-2095-9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24664635 (View on PubMed)

Lukens CT, Linscheid TR. Development and validation of an inventory to assess mealtime behavior problems in children with autism. J Autism Dev Disord. 2008 Feb;38(2):342-52. doi: 10.1007/s10803-007-0401-5. Epub 2007 Jun 20.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17578658 (View on PubMed)

Muratori F, Tonacci A, Billeci L, Catalucci T, Igliozzi R, Calderoni S, Narzisi A. Olfactory Processing in Male Children with Autism: Atypical Odor Threshold and Identification. J Autism Dev Disord. 2017 Oct;47(10):3243-3251. doi: 10.1007/s10803-017-3250-x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28744761 (View on PubMed)

Prosperi M, Santocchi E, Balboni G, Narzisi A, Bozza M, Fulceri F, Apicella F, Igliozzi R, Cosenza A, Tancredi R, Calderoni S, Muratori F. Behavioral Phenotype of ASD Preschoolers with Gastrointestinal Symptoms or Food Selectivity. J Autism Dev Disord. 2017 Nov;47(11):3574-3588. doi: 10.1007/s10803-017-3271-5.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28861653 (View on PubMed)

Related Links

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Other Identifiers

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2.1_AUT-SP2_001_Tancredi

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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