Estratégias nutricionais adotadas no manejo de crianças e adolescentes com transtorno do espectro autista: revisão integrativa

Abstract

Autistic Spectrum Disorder is defined as a neurological development disorder, improved by difficulties in communication, social interaction, restricted and repetitive structure with limited capacity for activities and interaction, in addition to gastrointestinal problems. Food has a major impact on the quality of life of an autistic spectrum patient, due to the greater food selectivity and, in many cases, total refusal of certain foods. Food also seems to have an influence on the behavior of children and adolescents with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. This integrative review sought to learn about the nutritional strategies adopted in the management of children and adolescents with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and to point out what are the positive impacts on the improvement of behavior and, consequently, on the quality of life of these adolescents. A survey of the articles published in the last ten years on the subject was carried out, in the scientific bases BVS and PUBMED. Among those found, the gluten-free and casein-free diet, the supplementation of probiotics and prebiotics, and micronutrients stood out. None of the diseases raised has evidence to be considered as a protocol in the nutritional treatment of children and adolescents with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. However, strategies such as the gluten and casein exclusion diet, the prebiotics and probiotics supplementation and the vitamin D and B complex vitamins supplementation can be applied safely, as long as this nutritional advice is carried out considering the individuality of each patient.