In a geographically defined population of 15,500 children
born during the period 1992 to 1995, Fombonne and
Chakrabarti [13] found 96children with pervasive developmental
disorder, 26of them with autism. Information
about GI symptoms came from parents or physicians, or
both. GI symptoms were reported in 18.8% of autistic
children. Constipation was the most common problem
identified, present in 9.4%. This study did not provide
definitions of the GI symptoms described and included
no control data.