Snoring, Mouth Breathing, Reduced Hearing and Otitis Media with Effusion Also Connected to Autism
A new British study revealed that preschoolers with common ear, nose, and throat (ENT) infections could be at an increased risk of autism or were more likely to exhibit high levels of autistic traits. This research also discovered that breathing through the mouth, snoring, ear pulling or poking, reddened and sore ears, worse hearing during a cold, and rarely listening were also ENT symptoms associated with a diagnosis of autism. This current study relied on data from 10,000 young children closely monitored during their first four years. Their mothers completed three questionnaires when their children were 18, 30, and 42 months old. These questionnaires were designed to record the frequency of nine different signs and symptoms relating to the ear, nose, and throat, along with hearing problems. The mothers also completed a second set of three questionnaires when their children were just over 3, almost 6, and 9 years old. These questionnaires examined speech coherence, social and communication issues, repetitive and abnormal behaviors, and sociability. An autism diagnosis was confirmed for this study by either educational records, parental feedback, or other sources. Results showed that children displaying high autistic trait scores at 30 months had more ENT signs and had a history of ENT infections. Interestingly, this study also found that children with discharge from their ears were more than three times as likely to have autism. Children with impaired hearing during a cold were more than twice as likely to be on the spectrum. Lastly, children who failed to react to nearby noise were more than six times as likely to have autism. The authors ended their study by highlighting a need to identify and manage ENT conditions in children with autism. They also propose that ENT conditions may point to causal mechanisms of the disorder.
