Table 1.

Clinical history of children with autism and children with typical development*

Characteristics	Autism		Typical development
Number of children	45 (15 in each group)		45
CARS value (15-60)	LFA = 46-60; MFA = 31-45; HFA = 15-30		<10
Male/female ratio	36/9		36/9
Age in years, range	4-12		4-12
Children with gluten sensitivity	LFA = 12/15; MFA = 10/15; HFA = 5/15		0
Economic status of the parents	High (above Rs. 4 lakhs)	LFA = 2; MFA = 1; HFA = 2	High = 5; Medium = 38; Low = 2
	Medium (- Rs. 2.5 lakhs to Rs. 4 lakhs)	LFA = 13; MFA = 12; HFA = 13
	Low (Rs. 60 000 to 2.5 lakhs)	LFA = 0; MFA = 2; HFA = NIL
Nutritional status of the children†	Good	LFA = 0; MFA = 0; HFA = 2	Good = 45
	Better	LFA = 2; MFA = 4; HFA = 2
	Poor	LFA = 13; MFA = 11; HFA = 11
Children with special talents (dancing, humming, drawing, assembling puzzles)‡	LFA = 3/15; MFA = 7/15; HFA = 11/15		/
No. of children with low muscle tone§	LFA = 14/15; MFA = 12/15; HFA = 11/15		0
No. of children with ear infection during the study period	LFA = 2/15; MFA = 0; HFA = 0		0
No. of children with sleep disturbance║	LFA = 13/15; MFA = 11/15; HFA = 6/15		0
No. of children with mood disorder¶	LFA = 11/15; MFA = 9/15; HFA = 6/15		0
No. of children on antibiotic treatment	0		0
No. of children with gastrointestinal problems**	LFA = 9/15; MFA = 6/15; HFA = 0		0
No. of parents given their cooperation††	40/45		45
No. of parents appreciated the study‡‡	38/45		45

*Abbreviations: LFA – low functioning autism; MFA – moderately functioning autism; HFA – high functioning autism, CARS – Childhood Autism Rating Scale.

†Assessed in terms physical examination including weight, stature, head circumference, and arm measurements. These data were obtained from the children’s clinical histories kept at the school.

‡The children had talents in general but a few autistic children had a very unique and exemplary way of displaying their talents.

§Muscle tone was determined by squeezing the muscle to feel resistance to compression and lifting up and moving the limbs and feeling the resistance to the movement. These data were obtained from the children’s clinical histories kept at the school.

║Sleep disturbance mainly refers the discontinuous sleep pattern, due to frequent bed-wetting or sudden waking up in fear, as observed by the parents.

¶Mood swings in school, including non cooperation with the care takers and sudden screaming.

**Frequent diarrhea, stomach ache, or gut dysbiosis.

††The parents volunteered in giving the samples of their children. They also helped us in follow up studies.

‡‡The parents found the subject interesting and were satisfied with the outcome of the study.