Date of this Version

7-30-2025

Document Type

DNP Project

Abstract

Background: Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have a higher risk for developing comorbid gastrointestinal (GI) conditions, yet these comorbidities are often overlooked in clinical settings due to challenges with communication and symptom overlap (Al-Beltagi, 2021; Madra et al., 2020).

Purpose: This quality improvement project was designed to increase provider and staff awareness of the relationship between ASD and GI conditions and to improve their confidence in supporting routine GI screening practices during pediatric visits.

Methods: A brief, evidence-based educational intervention was implemented at Med-Ped Associates pediatric clinic and included an in-person presentation and infographic. Participants included two physicians, two Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), and four medical assistants. Following IRB approval, pre- and post-intervention surveys were administered anonymously using Google Forms to assess changes in awareness, beliefs, and confidence.

Results: Post-intervention survey responses demonstrated increased awareness of the relationship between GI health and ASD-related behaviors and improved provider confidence in the benefits of standardized GI screenings following the intervention.

Conclusion: This quality improvement project encouraged participants to recognize the clinical significance of GI symptoms in ASD and highlighted the need for more proactive, standardized screening practices in pediatric settings, particularly when managing the care of this patient population (Kong et al., 2021; Malik, 2022).

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