What causes Autism – according to scientists

 

In recent years there have been many large scale studies conducted across the globe, which have attempted to find out what causes Autism.

As the current statistics show that 1 in 68 children are on the Autistic Spectrum, it is really important that research is done to learn as much about what causes Autism as possible.

This has caused scientists and researchers to conduct various studies into the what causes Autism in an attempt to try and understand it.

 

Related Article: What is Asperger’s Syndrome?

 

4 things that cause Autism

 

• Genetics

Studies have shown that where an identical twin suffers with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder, there is around a 77% chance that the other identical twin will also have it. But where the twins are non-identical, so don’t share the exact same DNA, there is only a 31% chance both twins would have it.

There are two interesting things about this:

It shows us that genetics have a massive impact on whether or not a child will have Autism. And is probably the biggest single cause of Autism that we know of.

But the other really interesting thing is that only 77% of identical twins share the disorder. This means that it can’t be entirely genetic, or it would be 100%. So there must be other things that cause Autism.

 

• Certain Medications

A study conducted in 2005 showed that two medications, if taken whilst  pregnant, can cause Autism.

These two medications are Valproic Acid, which is an epilepsy medication prescribed to some mothers to be.

The other is called Thalidomide. Thalidomide was taken off the market for certain illnesses due to its links to birth defects. But is still used to treat leprosy and multiple myeloma.

• Paternal Age

A study conducted by deCODE genetics in Iceland in 2012 concluded that fathers age can contribute to the likelihood of Autism.

For many years people believed that it was the mothers age that was the contributing factor. But this study, clearly found that it is in fact the fathers age that carries the greater risk.

 

• Air Pollution

Recent studies conducted at the University of California and Harvard, showed that air pollution significantly increases the risk of Autism when regularly inhaled by the mother to be.

These studies looked at women who lived very close to freeways as well as other highly air contaminated areas. And found a link between the level of air pollution and the likelihood of Autism.

What they also found was that pregnant women who lived within a mile of farms which used pesticides were also more likely to have a child with Autism.

This doesn’t mean that all mothers-to-be who live in highly polluted areas will have children with Autism. It simply means there is a higher risk.

 

Related Article: The Greatest Book Written About Autism – Ever!

 

Autism and Vaccines

The question of whether vaccines cause Autism, has been one of the biggest debates in medical history. And it’s still an argument that continues today. However, it is important to note that there is NO proven link between vaccines and Autism.