Mohammad Reza Khakzad - Department of Immunology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran, Postal Code: ۹۱۳۳۷۳۶۳۵۱-Zakariya Research center, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
Maryam Javanbakht - Psychiatrics Department, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
Atefeh Soltanifar - Department of Psychiatrics, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Maryam Hojati - Noor Hedayat Center of Autism Spectrum Disorders, Mashhad, Iran
Mehrdad Delgosha - Pediatrics Department, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
Mojtaba Meshkat - Department of Immunology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran, Postal Code: ۹۱۳۳۷۳۶۳۵۱

Background: Despite many efforts, the etiology of autism remains unknown. Food allergy has been suggested as a pathogenic factor in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Our aim in this study was to determine whether food allergy could be considered as a risk factor for autistic children. Methods: Thirty-nine autistic children were examined by the skin prick test (SPT), and total serum IgE was evaluated by ELISA. SPTs were performed for egg whites, oranges, peanuts, tomatoes, tuna fish, walnuts, aubergines, melons, grapes, and cow milk. Parents and teachers were then asked to exclude these items from the childrens’ diets for six months. After the treatment period, the autistic children who tested positive for food allergies were re-assessed by a standard questionnaire to obtain further information about their medical histories. Results: Three of the study’s ۳۹ autistic children (۷.۷%) tested positive on the SPT. Total serum IgE levels were elevated in ۵۶.۴% of the subjects (mean=۱۶۴±۲۴.۵, cut-off >۱۵۵ IU/ml). The results showed a decreased mean in the childrens’ autistic behaviors on the Children Autism Rating Scale (CARS) after both eight weeks and six months; however, this decrease was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Food allergy may play a role in the pathophysiology of autism. We conclude that avoidance of certain foods benefits the behavior of autistic children.

Autism, Food allergy, Skin prick test