“The Effect of Nutrition on Chronic Inflammation and Severity of Autism Spectrum Disorder among Diagnosed Children in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana”
Country of Study
Ghana
Institution
University of Ghana
Expected Year of Completion
2024
Thematic Area
Life and Health Sciences
Education
Salome is pursuing her PhD in Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Ghana and works as a Nutrition Officer at the Ghana Health Service. She has an MPh in Population and Reproductive Health from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and is expected to complete her studies in 2024.
Research Summary
Salome’s research investigates the potential of using evidence-based nutrition guidance developed from locally available food items to influence the core symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) among diagnosed children in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Children with ASD are widely thought to be prone to inflammation and what is termed the “leaky gut syndrome”, and many have been blindly put on exclusion diets that are meant to control inflammation and to heal the gut. Parents dose their children with nutritional supplements whether prescribed or not. These diets and supplements may be expensive, not readily available, may require extra time to prepare, or simply be unpalatable to some of the children. negative outcomes from diet restrictions, is likely to be amplified in developing countries like Ghana where specialised diet product varieties are limited, more expensive, and less common. Parents may find themselves restricted in the array of meals available for their children on restricted diets, which could increase the risk of malnutrition, and consequently affect the immune function. Hence, the use of nutritionally adequate family diets as an alternative to special diets in managing the core symptoms of ASD among diagnosed children in Ghana will be invaluable.
