Anonymous wrote:The biggest risk factor by far is genetics. It's just that up until very recently, a lot of high functioning autism and ADHD cases went undiagnosed because the person was relatively successful in life. Then, these people with undiagnosed autism and ADHD in their families have kids who end up getting diagnosed, and it seems like it comes from out of the blue even though it doesn't.

If you had asked me 20 years ago, I would have said DH and I have no family history. To me, an autistic person was someone like Rain Man. Well, surprise... turns out DH's and my quirky family members' traits are actually autism traits. We have a child with severe ADHD and a learning disability, plus autism like tendencies (but no autism diagnosis). After having done a ton of research on the topic (as a result of trying to help DS, now in his late teens) it's pretty clear that one of DH's siblings along with their child probably has undiagnosed high functioning autism, possibly OCD. It's also clear that DH has undiagnosed ADHD and the same learning disability as DS. Also, all of these conditions (autism, ADHD, OCD, things like anxiety, etc.) are related genetically.

Sure, random gene mutations that are not hereditary are possible, environmental toxins are possible, etc., but I'd guess these are a minority of cases. For example, lead poisoning can cause ADHD, brain trauma due to an accident can cause ADHD... but most kids diagnosed with ADHD did not get it these ways. Instead, it was in their genes.

This

Genetics

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was 26 when I had my autistic kid. Not high functioning. No cause. Our other 4 kids are fine

There are so many risk factors - from maternal obesity to medication use during pregnancy to paternal age to pregnancy complications to family histories of ADHD/OCD/autism. The list of five factors provided at the beginning of the post is not exhaustive by any means. And there is a complex interplay between genes and environment, so even if you are young mother there could be other factors at play that put your child at risk for autism.

+1 And if the autism diagnosis or sub-clinical autism traits are occurring in girls and women in your family that’s a big red flag. Females are more protected against autism and genetically require more hits.

Anyone noticed a link between autism and fertility treatment/IVF, etc.?

I have.

Hard to say if it’s the older parent/s or the fertility treatment when both are in the mix. Having said that, I’ve noticed it with same sex couples (particularly those with twins).

The biggest risk factor by far is genetics. It's just that up until very recently, a lot of high functioning autism and ADHD cases went undiagnosed because the person was relatively successful in life. Then, these people with undiagnosed autism and ADHD in their families have kids who end up getting diagnosed, and it seems like it comes from out of the blue even though it doesn't.

If you had asked me 20 years ago, I would have said DH and I have no family history. To me, an autistic person was someone like Rain Man. Well, surprise... turns out DH's and my quirky family members' traits are actually autism traits. We have a child with severe ADHD and a learning disability, plus autism like tendencies (but no autism diagnosis). After having done a ton of research on the topic (as a result of trying to help DS, now in his late teens) it's pretty clear that one of DH's siblings along with their child probably has undiagnosed high functioning autism, possibly OCD. It's also clear that DH has undiagnosed ADHD and the same learning disability as DS. Also, all of these conditions (autism, ADHD, OCD, things like anxiety, etc.) are related genetically.

Sure, random gene mutations that are not hereditary are possible, environmental toxins are possible, etc., but I'd guess these are a minority of cases. For example, lead poisoning can cause ADHD, brain trauma due to an accident can cause ADHD... but most kids diagnosed with ADHD did not get it these ways. Instead, it was in their genes.

Anonymous wrote:I was 26 when I had my autistic kid. Not high functioning. No cause. Our other 4 kids are fine

There are so many risk factors - from maternal obesity to medication use during pregnancy to paternal age to pregnancy complications to family histories of ADHD/OCD/autism. The list of five factors provided at the beginning of the post is not exhaustive by any means. And there is a complex interplay between genes and environment, so even if you are young mother there could be other factors at play that put your child at risk for autism.

I was 26 when I had my autistic kid. Not high functioning. No cause. Our other 4 kids are fine

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just looked it up for myself. Genetics and parental age play the largest role.

1. Having a close family member with autism.
2. Being an older parent.
3. Having a boy vs having a girl. Boys are 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism.
4. Preterm birth.
5. Comorbidities, such as fragile X, Rhett's, tuberous sclerosis.

I have a kid ( girl ) with Autism and it gets very weary reading about how frightened people are having kids with Autism. People with Autism are just regular people who see the world differently than us. They are not monsters.
Perhaps we had number 1 but, I was only 30 when I had her, and she was born on time and she is a girl. Girls have Autism too but, can socially mask it better than boys. I don't have number 5.

Please don't worry about Autism! The people with Autism that had trouble being successful in the past was because we had no therapies for them. Heck, most people didn't even call it that.

This isn't the best advice.

Not everyone has high functioning autism or issues that can be helped with therapy.

Autism isn't all rainbows and unicorns.

+1 This poster does a disservice to the conversation with her cheery “don’t worry about autism!” All that is missing is the smiley face. I have a DD diagnosed in her teens. It is hard for her. Yes, she is is twice exceptional, she most likely will go to college and is very high functioning. But it is heart breaking to see her struggle with friendships. She is anxious and depressed and that is due to her autism. Things will ALWAYS be harder for her than a neurotypical child.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just looked it up for myself. Genetics and parental age play the largest role.

1. Having a close family member with autism.
2. Being an older parent.
3. Having a boy vs having a girl. Boys are 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism.
4. Preterm birth.
5. Comorbidities, such as fragile X, Rhett's, tuberous sclerosis.

I have a kid ( girl ) with Autism and it gets very weary reading about how frightened people are having kids with Autism. People with Autism are just regular people who see the world differently than us. They are not monsters.
Perhaps we had number 1 but, I was only 30 when I had her, and she was born on time and she is a girl. Girls have Autism too but, can socially mask it better than boys. I don't have number 5.

Please don't worry about Autism! The people with Autism that had trouble being successful in the past was because we had no therapies for them. Heck, most people didn't even call it that.

This isn't the best advice.

Not everyone has high functioning autism or issues that can be helped with therapy.

Autism isn't all rainbows and unicorns.

I was 27 when I had my child with autism.