Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are hospitalised for acute sinusitis face a significantly higher risk of seizures compared to their neurotypical peers, according to a new study published online on December 9 in Clinical Otolaryngology.

The study, led by Soumil Prasad from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, analysed data from the 2019 Kids’ Inpatient Database to examine outcomes in paediatric patients admitted with acute sinusitis. Researchers identified children discharged with the condition and compared those diagnosed with ASD to those without the neurodevelopmental disorder.

Of the 3,763 children hospitalised for acute sinusitis, 125 (3.4 per cent) had a coexisting diagnosis of autism. After adjusting for clinical and demographic factors, the findings revealed a striking difference in seizure rates. Children with ASD were more than three times as likely to experience seizures during hospitalisation compared to non-ASD patients—26.4 per cent versus 6.3 per cent.

Interestingly, despite experiencing more complications, children with ASD were less likely to undergo maxillary sinus surgery. The study found that surgical intervention rates were significantly lower in the ASD group, suggesting more conservative or cautious decision-making in this population.

The research also highlighted a higher incidence of orbital complications among children with autism. Symptoms such as eye pain were reported more frequently in the ASD group, indicating a potentially more severe disease presentation.

However, the study found no significant differences between the two groups in terms of length of hospital stay or overall treatment costs, suggesting that the increased complication rates did not translate into longer or more expensive hospitalisations.

The authors emphasised that the findings point to a need for more individualised care approaches for children with autism. “These results underscore the importance of vigilant seizure monitoring and thoughtful surgical decision-making in paediatric patients with ASD,” the researchers noted, adding that further studies are required to better understand the biological and clinical factors driving these outcomes.

Experts say the study adds to growing evidence that children with autism may respond differently to common medical conditions, reinforcing the importance of tailored treatment strategies to ensure safe and effective care for this vulnerable group.