Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by different social and behavioral symptoms. The exact cause of autism is still not fully understood, but a combination of genetic predisposition and a perinatal brain insult/damage occurring around the time of birth has been suggested. Children with autism usually manifest with a combination of both social and behavioral problems including reduced social and communication skills, repetitive or restricted behaviors – including stereotypical repetitive speech and movements – ritualizing routine and despising changes, and abnormal reactivity to different sensory stimuli (ex. noise and light).

Autism is usually associated with additional features that might impair the functionality of the child including irritability, aggressiveness, hyperactivity, insomnia, and different mood disorders such as depression or anxiety (1, 2).

Autism has been suggested to occur due to a mixture of genetic predisposition and inflammatory or immune-mediated brain damage (3).

Autism has also been proven to have lots of comorbid conditions that contribute to worse behaviors and socialization including gastrointestinal disturbance (ex. chronic constipation), metabolic disorders, sleep issues, seizures, nutritional problems and selective eating, and psychological disorders (4).