Article Figures & Data
Tables
- Table 1. Descriptive Statistics Among Mothers of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Control Children
Mothers of Children With ASD (n = 282) Mothers of Children With ADHD (n = 258) Mothers of Control Children (n = 154) P Value Mean age, years (SD) 40.0 (7.8) 40.4 (8.4) 38.8 (8.2) .162 Education (%) .341 High school or less 9.4 9.7 11.76 <4 Years of college 34.5 40.3 18.5 ≥4 Years College 56.1 50.0 66.3 Non-Hispanic white race (%) 83.8 87.9 85.7 .443 Annual income (%) .932 <50,000 29.3 32.9 31.4 50,000–79,000 36.3 31.4 30.7 ≥80,000 34.4 35.7 37.9 Married (%) 87.7 68.9 80.5 .010 Children, mean no. (SD) 2.3 (1.0) 2.5 (1.2) 2.3 (1.1) .361 Number of comorbid conditions in child (%) .001 0 34.3 9.35 56.3 1 18.0 46.0 36.0 2 10.6 60.6 28.9 ≥3 11.5 88.4 0 ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; ASD, autism spectrum disorder.
- Table 2. Comparison of Chemical Intolerance (Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory) Scores Among the Mothers of the 3 Groups of Children
Chemical Exposures Scale Mothers of Children With ASD Mothers of Children With ADHD Mothers of Control Children Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Total scale score 31.37* 23.66 30.90* 22.47 23.67 21.95 Items Diesel/gas engine exhaust 3.24* 2.75 3.34* 2.87 2.58 2.74 Tobacco smoke 3.84 3.10 4.04* 3.17 3.26 3.05 Insecticide 3.33* 3.04 3.06* 2.90 2.37 2.66 Gasoline 2.51* 2.49 2.30* 2.51 1.72 2.34 Paint/paint thinner 3.45* 2.90 3.28* 2.87 2.48 2.66 Cleaning products 3.35 2.98 3.27 2.96 2.71 2.89 Perfumes/other fragrances 3.67 3.26 3.97* 3.31 3.14 3.17 Tar/asphalt 3.06* 2.93 2.90 2.98 2.25 2.80 Nail polish, remover, hairspray 2.46* 2.57 2.35* 2.68 1.58 2.29 Carpet, shower curtain, new car smell 2.70* 2.93 2.34* 2.61 1.63 2.44 Items are scaled from 1 to 10, then summed across items for the total score, with a total possible range from 0 to 100. The range for control mothers was 0 to 88, 1 to 92 for mothers of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and 0 to 90 for mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
↵* P < .05.
SD, standard deviation.
- Table 3. Average Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory Symptoms Scores for Mothers of Cases and Controls
Mothers of Children With ASD Mothers of Children With ADHD Mothers of Control Children Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Total scale score 31.67* 21.86 32.92* 21.04 23.53 20.94 Items Problems with muscles, joints, such as pain, aching, cramping, stiffness 3.19* 3.12 3.02* 3.00 2.21 2.86 Problems with burning eyes, airway, breathing, coughing 2.88* 3.07 2.80* 3.05 2.02 2.80 Problems with heart or chest 2.32* 2.84 1.75 2.62 1.26 2.01 Problems with stomach or digestive tract 3.25 3.05 3.31* 3.12 2.57 2.99 Problems with ability to think, difficulty concentrating, remembering 3.58* 3.05 4.47* 3.43 2.51 2.98 Problems with mood, tense or nervous, depressed 3.99* 3.07 4.83* 3.28 3.25 3.16 Problems with balance, numbness in extremities 2.47 2.82 2.55 3.05 1.93 2.84 Problems with head or face 4.01 3.11 4.71* 3.44 3.48 3.01 Problems with skin, rash, hives 3.12* 3.02 2.79 2.95 2.19 2.81 Problems with urinary tract or frequent urination 2.93* 3.04 2.64 3.18 2.17 2.79 Items are scaled from 1 to 10, then summed across items for the total score, with a total possible range from 0 to 100. The range for mothers of control children was 0 to 83, 1 to 93 for mothers of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and 0 to 95 for mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
↵* P < .05.
SD, standard deviation.
Reported Illnesses or Responses to Exposures Children With ADHD Children With ASD OR 95% CI P Value* OR 95% CI P Value* Reactions to vaccinations that prompted a call to the doctor 0.75 0.32–1.7 .484 3.7 1.8–7.5 <.001 Ear infections requiring tubes placed in the ears 1.4 0.8–2.2 .242 1.7 1.1–2.7 .020 Multiple infections requiring prolonged use of antibiotics 1.74 0.9–3.2 .072 4.9 2.7–8.6 <.001 Sensitivity to odors such as smoke, nail polish remover, exhaust, gasoline, air fresheners, or cleaning supplies. By sensitive we mean, does this child become nauseated, get headaches, have trouble breathing, feel dizzy, or try to move away from the odor? 2.00 1.1–4.0 .041 3.5 1.9–6.8 <.001 Exhibited food allergies or intolerances 1.07 0.6–1.8 .790 3.3 2.1–5.1 <.001 Strong food preferences/cravings such as cheese, chips, bread, pasta, rice, sugar, salt, and chocolate 2.00 1.3–3.1 .003 4.8 3.2–7.5 <.001 Became sick from an environmental exposure 0.49 0.12–2.1 .320 2.2 0.77–7.8 .176 Allergies 2.00 1.3–3.1 .002 1.6 1.1–2.4 .020 Asthma 1.1 0.6–1.6 .980 1.38 0.82–2.2 .250 Analysis was adjusted for marital status and comorbid conditions.
↵* P values compare cases to controls. Bold values indicate statistical significance.
ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; ASD, autism spectrum disorder; CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio.
Instead of Using… Try Using… Pesticides indoors or on lawns; mothballs Baits or traps to control bugs indoors (avoid attracting bugs by tightly sealing foods, including pet foods) Paints, varnishes, glues, and polishes with high solvent content Paints with low solvent content, water-based finishes and glues (have these applied when you are away from home) Bleach, ammonia, disinfectants, and strong cleaning products “Elbow grease,” soap and water, baking soda and vinegar Scented products, perfumes, air fresheners, and incense Unscented cleansers, laundry detergent, fabric softeners, and cosmetics; organic essential oils Hair coloring, permanents, hair spray, or any aerosol product New haircut and unscented hair gel or styling products that do not require spraying Dry cleaning, odorous soft plastic toys, or mattress covers Washable toys, bedding, and clothes Odorous flooring (eg, vinyl, pressed wood, or particle board) or carpeting, which can also trap allergens Ceramic/stone tile or hardwood floors Commercial foods/beverages that may contain pesticides or other questionable ingredients Organic foods and foods without additives or artificial colors Plastic food containers Glass, stainless steel containers
