Vitamin D supplementation improved the symptoms of children with autism, a new study shows.

Autism spectrum disorder is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs a child's ability to communicate and interact with others. It also includes restricted repetitive behaviors, interests and activities

It has been previously reported that there is vitamin D deficiency in autistic children; however, there is a lack of randomized controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation in these children.

An Egyptian research team created a study in which they randomized 109 children with autism spectrum disorder.

One half of the children received a vitamin D3 supplement for four months and the other half took a placebo.

Autism symptoms – such as hyperactivity, social withdrawal, and others—improved significantly following vitamin D3 supplementation but not after receiving placebo, the researchers say.

The study appears in Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.