Causes of Autism (“Autism Spectrum Disorder”), autism spectrum disorder, autism disease, or classic autism disorder is known as a neurological and developmental disorder that begins early in childhood and continues throughout a person’s life. In fact, there is no known cause of autism spectrum disorder
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What is autism and what are the causes of autism |
But due to the complexity of the disease and the different symptoms and severity of the disease from one person to another, it is likely that there is more than one cause of the disease, and both the environment and genetics may play a role in that, and it should be noted that there are many disputes about the fact that there is a link between autism spectrum disorder and childhood vaccines However, extensive research has not proven any relationship between them.
Causes of autism
Therefore, the original study that sparked controversy years ago was withdrawn due to the lack of design and the research methods used in which it is doubtful, and it must be noted that refraining from taking vaccines may expose children and others to the risk of serious diseases and their spread, including whooping cough, Or measles, or mumps, and among the most important reasons that may lead to an autism spectrum disorder are the following:
Genetic reasons: Most researchers believe that some of the genes that a child inherits from his parents can make him more at risk of developing autism spectrum disorder, and it is known that autism is one of the conditions that may be passed on in the family.
For example: the younger siblings of a child with autism may also develop autism, and identical twins are also common with autism, and it is worth noting that the association of specific genes with autism spectrum disorder has not been determined, but it is possible for the patient's genes to give features of some genetic syndromes Rare, such as: Fragile X syndrome, William syndrome, and Angelman syndrome.
Brain abnormalities: It is believed that autism is linked to brain development during pregnancy or after birth, and various studies have shown abnormal activity or structural defects in areas of the brain in some people with autism, and abnormal levels of some neurotransmitters such as serotonin have been identified in some people with autism This may play a role in distorting the messages received and sent from the brain, however, more research must be done to determine the cause of the disease.
Environmental factors: Researchers are trying to find out if factors such as viral infections, medications, complications during pregnancy, or air pollutants play a role in triggering autism spectrum disorder.
Autism risk factors
Autism spectrum disorder affects children of all races and nationalities, and it has been observed that the number of children diagnosed with autism has increased, but it has not been determined whether this increase is due to improvement in the process of detection and reporting of cases due to changing societal awareness regarding this disease, or because of the presence of A real increase in the number of sufferers, or both of the causes together, and some factors that may increase a child's risk of developing autism spectrum disorder, which may include the following:
Family history: The risk of having a child with autism spectrum disorder increases in families who have a child with autism, or if a parent or relative suffers from minor problems with social skills or communication skills, or has some behaviors similar to autism.
Very early labor: Babies born before the 26th week of pregnancy may be at increased risk of developing autism spectrum disorder.
Gender: Autism spectrum disorder is more common in boys than girls, likely due to different genes associated with the X chromosome.
The presence of some genetic conditions: People who suffer from conditions such as Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome, are more likely to develop autism spectrum disorder.
Lack of nutrition early in pregnancy, especially not getting enough folic acid.
Some complications arise during or shortly after birth, including the birth of a baby with a low weight, or the newborn suffering from anemia, or any other difficulties in childbirth that lead to periods of lack of oxygen in the child's brain.
Infection of the mother during pregnancy
The mother suffers from some metabolism-related conditions, such as: diabetes and obesity
During pregnancy, the mother was exposed to some chemicals, such as: alcohol, minerals and pesticides.
The mother took some medicines during pregnancy, such as: antidepressants - especially in the first three months of pregnancy - or anti-convulsions (Antiseizure), valproic acid (in English: Valproic acid), or thalidomide (Thalidomide); A relationship has been found between these drugs and an increased risk of developing autism spectrum disorder.
The mother has German measles or untreated phenylketonuria, which is a metabolic disorder that occurs due to the absence of an enzyme, as researchers have found a relationship between this disease and autism spectrum disorder.
Parental age at conception
Video on the causes of autism
To learn more information about autism spectrum disorder and its causes, watch the video.