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Babies Born Close Together: Autism Link?Although the cause of autism remains elusive, the time interval between births may play a role.  New research has found that having a second child soon after the first greatly increased the risk for autism in that second infant. The highest risk was in babies conceived within less than a year of their older sibling: Those second children were more than three times as likely to develop autism as children conceived more than three years apart. Second babies conceived within one to three years of their older sibling were also at a heightened risk of autism, although the risk was not as pronounced. Second babies conceived within 12 to 23 months had nearly twice the risk of having autism, and babies conceived between 24 and 35 months were a quarter more likely to have autism. Wider impactThe researchers saw a similar trend among subsequent children - closely spaced third-born children were also at heightened risk for autism. The CDC estimates that about one in 110 children in the U.S. have autism spectrum disorder. The study data came from birth records for about 660,000 second-born children born in California between 1992 and 2002. The diagnosis of autism was confirmed using records from the California Department of Developmental Services. More time neededHow do closely spaced pregnancies affect autism risk? Andy Shih, of the advocacy group Autism Speaks, says a woman's body may need to recuperate completely from one pregnancy before beginning another. "When you have a child so quickly after the first, the womb environment may not have sufficiently recovered to properly support a second pregnancy," says Shih. In addition, levels of critical nutrients such as folate and iron may need to build back up. A woman may also feel more stressed during a second pregnancy. The findings are especially important because more women are having babies closer together. Between 1995 and 2002, the proportion of births occurring within 24 months of a previous birth increased from 11 percent to 18 percent. Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information. Online Resources(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.) American Academy of Pediatrics - Autism Spectrum Disorders National Institute of Mental Health - Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders) |
March 2011Signs of AutismAutism affects all racial, ethnic, and social groups. Boys are up to four times more likely than girls to be affected by autism. If a family has one child with autism, the family has a 5 to 10 percent chance of having another child with autism. Most experts agree that early intervention is important in treating autism. But with no test available to diagnose autism, how can parents spot problems that might lead to a diagnosis? These are behavioral signs in your child that should be checked out by your health care provider:
Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information. |
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