Autism Spectrum Disorder in Pediatric Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

• Main Authors: Anne K. Jensen, Claire A. Sheldon, Grace L. Paley, Christina L. Szperka, Geraldine W. Liu, Grant T. Liu, Shana E. McCormack
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
• Series: Life
• Subjects: IIH; idiopathic intracranial hypertension; pseudotumor cerebri syndrome; autism
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/9/972
• ISSN: 2075-1729

In recent years, the substantial burden of medical comorbidities in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) populations has been described. We report a retrospective observational case series of pediatric patients with suspected idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and concurrent ASD. Pediatric subjects with suspected IIH aged 2–18 years were identified by review of a pediatric neuro-ophthalmologist’s database spanning from July 1993 to April 2013. ASD diagnoses were identified within this cohort by an ICD-9 diagnosis code search and database review. Three subjects had concurrent ASD diagnoses; all were non-obese males. Since the retrospective observational case series was performed in April 2013, we identified three additional IIH cases in boys with ASD. Our experience suggests that IIH may be a comorbidity of ASD, particularly in non-obese boys.