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A recent study noted in the American Journal of Epidemiology concludes that there are several potential risk factors that may lead to autism. These include birth before 25 weeks of pregnancy, a low Apgar score, breech birth and a parental history of disorders including schizophrenia and depression.

More and more children are being diagnosed with this disorder, in fact the numbers are skyrocketing. The study states that out of 1000 children born, two to six of them are diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. The authors of the study say that parental psychiatric histories have the highest association with the disorder and increases the chance of the family having a child with autism three to four fold.

According to a study conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism is directly related to low birth weight, and babies who are born preterm, especially girls. The study compared data from 565 children with autism who were born between 1986 and 1993 and a control group. In conclusion girls who weighed less than five and a half pounds at birth have an increased risk of developing autism by three and a half times. The findings also concluded that girls who were born seven weeks prematurely had 5.4 times the increased risk of autism.

Signs of autism usually show up in the first two years of life.  Early intervention teaches these children how to play, communicate and care for their needs and is crucial in assisting development.

Hopefully soon we will find a cure.

Credit: Miranda Hitti, WebMD Medical News and PRAVDA.Ru