Research shows vitamin deficiencies in autistic children can lead to vision loss

Studies by the Children’s Hospital reveal that autistic children with limited diets may be at risk for vision loss due to vitamin B12 deficiency.

The study examined three boys with autism who exhibited behaviors that indicated vision loss, such as accidentally bumping into walls. Tests show that each child experienced optic nerve damage and had low levels of vitamin B12. Furthermore, each patient's diet consisted of no meat or dairy products, which are sources of the vitamin.

Researchers said that B12 deficiency associated with optic neuropathy in autism is a recognizable, treatable and at least partially reversible disorder. Studies found that autistic children who do not consume enough of the vitamin can experience other ailments, including rickets, scurvy and dry eyes.

Boarding schools can provide children who suffer from autism with the level of care that their condition requires through innovative therapy and recreational activities.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of one in 110 children in the U.S. suffer from an autism spectrum disorder.