The Effect of Gender on the Level of Some Salivary Elements in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a term that refers to a group of neurodevelopmental disorders marked by a lack of social communication and a preference for repetitive activities. Objectives: The goal of this research was to determine how gender influenced salivary component levels in children with ASDs. Materials and Methods: It included 30 autistic youngsters ranging in age from 7 to 12 years old. All ASD youngsters of both sexes who met the diagnostic criteria for autism had saliva samples obtained. Using a consistent process, all salivary elements were determined using a Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer by air–acetylene. Results: Except for the Cu element, where there was a significant difference between the two investigated groups in this study, there was no significant difference between the two studied groups (male and female autistic children). To the extent of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the concentration of many important metallic components in saliva among Iraqi autistic children. Conclusion: In children with autism, there is a considerable influence of gender on salivary components.