Comorbidity of asperger's syndrome and autoimmune diseases

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I have noticed that people with asperger's have a higher chance of having autoimmune problems (asthma, severe allergies, psoriasis, eczema, etc.). I personally have mild asperger's and am asthmatic, have moderate psoriasis, and had eczema in my past. Is there any evidence to back up my theory or is it all in my head??

Since I don't have an official diagnosis yet I hesitate to speak from my own experience. However, I have read that there's some thought that digestive issues, which are sometimes related to autoimmune difficulties, are more prevalent in autistic people.

I don't see any connectivity here.

Autistic people are 10 times more likely to have celiac disease.

I have noticed the same thing among the aspies I have talked to. I have two autoimmune diseases myself.
Some scientists have hypothesized that ASD is part of a larger autoimmune disease that commonly effect other places. But nothing has been proven.

Maybe you should make a poll to see how common it is among the people here.

I have perennial rhinitis and was recently diagnosed with mild asthma. I also have digestive issues, never properly diagnosed, but definitely connected to food sensitivities and altering my diet has helped. But the one that causes me the greatest distress is endometriosis, which is thought to be auto-immune in nature, but not widely understood.

This post is old but I just found it while web surfing. I have not been officially diagnosed with Asperger's but I do have autoimmune thyroiditis, vitiligo and possibly celiac dx. I had frequent stomach aches as a child and the thyroid problem and vitiligo began when I was about 13.

You should check the stats forum for an Auto-Immune poll. It's not scientifically usable data, but the anecdotal data may be interesting to someone.

My allergies were severe as a kid, had to get allergy shots for years, I also have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, have had it since highschool. I am an aspie

I *seem* to have autoimmune issues and doctors I've seen suspect Sjogren's. I more than suspect it myself based upon the problems I've been having and the unpredictable nature of the flare-ups, but so far the blood tests I've had done have been normal, other than a high sed rate and issues with my electrolyte levels. I've had persistently low potassium levels, despite a high intake of potassium from diet and supplements, but my kidney function seems to be okay. So, anyhow, I'm kind of stuck in limbo without a diagnosis and have been for almost a year.

In terms of a connection with Asperger's, autoimmune conditions are often exacerbated by stress and people with AS can be more sensitive to a lot of things and prone to anxiety, so I'd imagine people with AS could have more challenges with managing autoimmune conditions, but I don't know if there is a cause and effect relationship there or not.

I have three autoimmune diseases and of course aspergers. My mom has aspergers and also has an autoimmune disease. My grandpa had an autoimmune disease and speculated aspergers. Coincidence? I think not. Shows it's definitely genetic though, which I always figured.

Hm... my younger sister has Celiac's, Asthma, allergies, and a few other things, but she is definitely not Autistic (although, she doesn't seem neurotypical from my observations, perhaps some form of ADD/ADHD would be my guess). My mother also has Celiac's, Asthma, allergies, Lactose Intollerance and a few other things but she is neurotypical.

I definitely have Asperger's but no Celiac's, Asthma, allergies, or anything else... Although, I used to have bad stomach pains when I was younger, which, in the 10th grade actually caused me to throw up (intense pain -> dizziness/hot flash -> I run out the classroom). I suspected Lactose Intollerance, and began to avoid drinking milk (especially at school) because it seems to exacerbate the stomach pain (which weirdly, lessened as I got home from school).

More recently I've had a few seemingly acid reflux-ish problems. I'm sure this all is/was just a product of my diet at those times (pizza!!). It's been a while since I've had either problem though, probably because I don't eat much nowadays...

I apoligize if any of the conditions I mentioned aren't Auto Immune, I wouldn't know. My only diagnosis is Asperger's, while my mother and younger sister have other conditions (auto immune and not). My elder sister who is neurotypical shares none with my mother and sister, in addition, has no other conditions (that I know of)

I've heard theories that relate AS to autoimmune problems and inflammation, but don't know how well supported they are. I know that my mom most likely has AS and developed a very rare autoimmune disease in her fifties. My sister, who has AS, has asthma, allergies, and a pretty strong immune system in general. I have mild allergies (including an allergy to mangos), and I've always felt that my immune system was in overdrive. I have never had what people usually call "the flu." When friends and roommates are stuck in bed for days at a time, I get the sniffles and sleep a little more than usual, if I even get sick at all. It's been my understanding that autoimmune disorders are frequently associated with hyper-inflammatory and aggressive immune responses. I also read that autoimmune diseases in mothers can potentially be caused by microchimerism, especially if the fetus has a particularly strong immune system.

For the longest time I thought I was asthmatic, then I thought I had really bad allergies, but I kind of realized one day that the issues I had been having with breathing and various allergens had nothing to do with "actual" allergies, but rather from having a hyper-sensitive nose and throat. This ties in perfectly with my AS, as I know that I'm particularly sensitive to noise and light, so being sensitive to odors and physical sensations isn't too far off.