Causes of autism

Post Reply New Topic

I believe environment is a BIG factor. The explosion in autistic kids today isn't something that's always been around and we're just now noticing it...something has changed.

I do believe there is a genetic component as well. I know of people who smoke their whole lives and get none of the ill effects, but that just means they have a body that handles it well where others normally get cancer or other drawbacks from that habit.

I'm sure autism can be "triggered" in children by exposure to stuff that would ordinarily not affect most kids because they have the genetics to be predisposed to it.

My mom is Aspieish like me, but i am worse due to more sensory issues, so is my brother. instead of being anti-social, my brother was hyper social, had to be class clown growing up, but also has sensory issues. of course he doesn't know this, he has his obsessions too. His wife is NT. wonder if she sees it or not.
.

I always think it's in the DNA, the moment you were born. I can't imagine autism developing in individuals. It could be possible, but I've never thought about it.

I do think autism is genetic. Multiple genes that create a whole spectrum, maybe it needs to be triggered by something (a difficult birth, for example), but basically genetic.

I'm a firm believer in the genetic theory, but you have to remember that since most likely multiple genes are involved, it is possible that relatives have only a few, being very non-obvious, while one child can end up with the full range, making it more obvious. I do, however, also think there are environmental factors that aggravate the condition, so perhaps even "turn on" aspects that may have otherwise been dormant, for my son is affected by his AS in ways even the other most obviously AS members of the family have never been.

It is also possible that there are conditions that mimic autism but really should be given a different label and different protocol. I realize that AS is diagnosed currently by how it presents, but long run if there is a way to split that diagnosis by different triggers and causes, it would help parents know which protocols to consider, and which to ignore, when raising their one unique child.

There was an interesting article in Newsweek recently about the placenta, and it mentioned that premature births are now correlated with an increased rate of autism. I also noticed early on in my mom's club that all the C babies had been diagnosed with some sort of special needs condition. It is possible that children that leave the womb too early, or skip the birth canal experience, end up "missing" some integrating factor in their development.

One of my own observations is simply about how over-stimulating today's world is, and how that may play in. Sensory issues may be like allergies: something you tolerate, until you can't tolerate it. Something that "trips" from overexposure.

But ... none of that means the increased rate is a "bad" thing. Every individual plays a role in society, and the development of society. I think there is reason for the increase, a reason that transcends causes. Exactly what the reason is may not become apparent for a few hundred years, however

I think Silicon Valley, when it became Silicon Valley, simply attracted a lot of people with undiagnosed ASD's to start with, and then they started marrying each other, and had ASD kids. That is the theory in the "Geek Syndrome" article, and the first one that really really struck a chord with me.

That's interesting about preemies and c-babies. My aspie son was a c-baby (emergency) because he experienced a dangerous amount of oxygen deprivation during labor as the cord was wrapped tightly around his neck, twice. At about 6 months gestation, I knew he had the cord wrapped around his neck because he hiccupped all of the time. The doctor's thought I was crazy, but I knew something wasn't right.

I do think the cause is largely genetic as well. While we don't have any other diagnosed cases in the family, we have many likely candidates, including myself and my husband.

I suspect the truth is that it's all very complicated. We can't even be sure that the rise in autism is indeed as significant as it sounds because it's still a relatively new diagnosis.

Maybe it is that way, but maybe it is because a baby is autistic that he is premature. And therefore, there is no link between the two to explain the cause.
I don't think that environmental values can influence autism that much. Otherwise, a person could become autistic as an adult. But even if you are diagnosed in your adulthood, you still have clues in your past.

I think the environmental factors would have to occur in the very early formative periods, prenatally or early in infancy, while the brain is still developing. Just a theory. Again, I'm solidly on the genetic bandwagon to start with.

Well, in a sense, it has to develop. I assume you mean the moment conceived (it's not like DNA changes at birth). Even if it's totally genetically determined, it still is something the develops. All we have at conception is the genes, not the autism. Being NT is something the develops too. No one's neurotypical at conception. That requires neurons.

I have been reading the past few posts on this topic with fascination. The posts are very sensible and are worthy of serious consideration.

I would like to add that I was delivered by C-section when I got tangled up in my cord. I experienced a long episode of oxygen deprivation---and I almost didn't make it. And I have been diagnosed with Asperger's. And at the same time, the autism gene is apparent in one line of my family.

I usually explain that the autism gene is passed along the generations, but it often takes something like the oxygen deprivation, C-section, premature, etc. to turn the gene on.

But as has been hit upon a bit in these posts, it is possible that we that are autistic didn't quite know how to be born correctly, so we had problems. In that case, the autism would have been the reason we had birth problems rather than the birth problems causing the autism.

Then this leads to a theory as to why there seems to be an increase in autism today. Many years ago, those of us that had birth issues would probably have died in childbirth. Today, as medicine progresses, more of us with birthing issues are saved. Therefore, more of us with autism are born alive than were years ago.

Copied Number Variant Genes being replicated or deleted in such severity that one becomes too skilled in one area and impaired in the other. The same is found in ADHD.

My dad may well have been on the autistic spectrum.
My mum seems ADHD.
I was also a premi baby; delivered via cesarean with no labor. Also had a blood transfusion in the womb because I had RH disease.
I may also be radioactive because someone handed a joint to my mum while she was pregnant with me. She did not smoke it.
Even if that's not true I still like to tell people I'm radioactive.

That is very interesting. I'm surprised you're the first person that I've ever heard say it.

I don't really. I think it's as simple as awareness. And I think it's more evenly distributed with boys and girls than is believed, but that females can mask the symptoms better. My son is the first person to be diagnosed, but I know I am an aspie, and I am pretty positive about who I inherited from.

We also have more access to media with the internet and medical professionals are more open. They write books, have their own blogs, websites and have more TV appearances. Also the fact that there's more people being diagnosed with HFA/AS that would never be diagnosed 20 or 30 years ago. Even ten years ago in my case.

Interesting that some of you mentioned about C-babies. I was a C baby. DS18 was not, but he had the cord wrapped around his neck and was oxygen deprived. He was full term. My pregnancy was uneventful, no complications.

DS was evaluated in preschool. Teacher asked if he was premature, she was surprised that he wasn't. They also assumed I was a drug addict and/or an alcoholic (neither one) which really cheered me up. (sarcasm) They didn't believe me when I said that I wasn't and that I didn't smoke or drink when I was pregnant with DS.

Husband's niece was a C baby, is now 22, is NT, is brilliant, social, no signs of Asperger's or AHA.
His cousin's kids (twins) were preemies, also NT, athletic, popular, etc.

Autism is caused by general bad luck.

Last edited by Joe90 on 10 Nov 2010, 5:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.