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. 2024;84(5):860-867.

[Decreased vision due to hypovitaminosis A in children with food selectivity]

[Article in Spanish]
Natalia Moreno  1 , Florencia C Lynch  2 , María A Zalazar  2 , Carla F Miranda  3 , Sofía H Vidal  3 , Marisa L Armeno  2
Affiliations
  • PMID: 39399926
Free article

[Decreased vision due to hypovitaminosis A in children with food selectivity]

[Article in Spanish]
Natalia Moreno et al. Medicina (B Aires). 2024.
Free article

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Introduction: Vitamin A deficiency can cause eye disease and has been related to food selectivity in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: A series of 13 pediatric patients with severe ophthalmological involvement as an initial manifestation of hypovitaminosis A is described.

Results: With significant Vitamin A deficiency, neuroimaging was performed in 11 patients. Of these, 8 had pathological findings with the presence of cranial hyperostosis. Lumbar puncture was performed in these patients and endocranial hypertension was detected in 7 of the 8 patients. All had food selectivity and 61.5% had ASD.

Conclusions: Toxic-nutritional optic neuropathy is a rare pathology in children and presents with progressive, bilateral and painless visual loss due to damage to the optic nerve, which can generate severe and irreversible damage to it. Food history allows early detection of nutrient deficiencies in children with restrictive feeding, especially in neuro-atypical patients. This is essential to implement preventive measures and treatment with vitamin A in order to avoid irreversible consequences.

Introducción: La deficiencia de vitamina A puede producir enfermedad ocular y se ha relacionado con la selectividad alimentaria en niños con trastorno del espectro autista (TEA). Métodos: Se describen una serie de 13 pacientes pediátricos con compromiso oftalmológico grave como manifestación inicial de hipovitaminosis A. Resultados: Con deficiencia significativa de Vitamina A, en 11 pacientes se realizaron neuroimágenes. De ellos, 8 tuvieron resultados patológicos con presencia de hiperostosis craneal. En estos se realizó punción lumbar y en 7 de los 8 pacientes se detectó hipertensión endocraneana. Todos tenían selectividad alimentaria y el 61.5 % TEA. Conclusiones: La neuropatía óptica toxico-nutricional es una enfermedad poco frecuente en niños y se presenta con pérdida visual progresiva, bilateral e indolora debido al daño del nervio óptico, pudiendo generar lesión severa e irreversible del mismo. La anamnesis alimentaria permite la pesquisa temprana de deficiencias de nutrientes en niños con alimentación restrictiva, especialmente en pacientes neuro atípicos. Esto es esencial para implementar medidas de prevención y el tratamiento con vitamina A con el fin de evitar consecuencias irreversibles.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; food preferences; micronutrients; vision disorders; vitamin A deficiency.

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