Children with autism and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) suffer from defects in socialization, verbal and nonverbal communication, and response to sensory stimuli. While the cause of autism is unknown, children with autism and ASD have been noted in several studies to have a high prevalence of macrocephaly and appear to be taller on average than the general population. Growth patterns and markers of maturation in autistic children have not been studied in detail. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), a marker for adrenal maturation, is low in early childhood but increases during the mid-growth spurt (about age 6-8). DHEA-S concentration appeared to be elevated in autistic children compared with normal controls in one previous study, raising questions about the possibility that early elevations of DHEA-S in autistic children may be associated with large head and body size. Other methods of assessing maturation in autistic children, such as bone age, have not been explored. We will use cross-sectional data to assess growth and maturation of children with autism/ASD in 3 ways: 1) the height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and head circumference children with autism/ASD between 4 and 8 years of age will be compared with developmentally normal age-, gender-, and race-matched controls, 2) DHEA-S levels children with autism/ASD will be compared with the same developmentally normal controls, and 3) bone age in children with autism/ASD will be compared with reference populations. Case children are currently being recruited from a clinic where a large number of autistic children are seen. Control children are being recruited at an outpatient surgery facility where tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy procedures are performed. Recruitment is underway, but not yet complete.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Intramural Research (Z01)
Project #
1Z01HD008742-01
Application #
6672664
Study Section
Epidemiology and Biometry Training Committee (EB)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
U.S. National Inst/Child Hlth/Human Dev
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
United States
Zip Code
Molloy, Cynthia A; Kalkwarf, Heidi J; Manning-Courtney, Patricia et al. (2010) Plasma 25(OH)D concentration in children with autism spectrum disorder. Dev Med Child Neurol 52:969-71
Bloom, Michael S; Houston, Allison S; Mills, James L et al. (2010) Finger bone immaturity and 2D:4D ratio measurement error in the assessment of the hyperandrogenic hypothesis for the etiology of autism spectrum disorders. Physiol Behav 100:221-4
Hediger, Mary L; England, Lucinda J; Molloy, Cynthia A et al. (2008) Reduced bone cortical thickness in boys with autism or autism spectrum disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 38:848-56
Mills, James L; Hediger, Mary L; Molloy, Cynthia A et al. (2007) Elevated levels of growth-related hormones in autism and autism spectrum disorder. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 67:230-7