Lack Of Oxygen In Womb Raises Adhd Risk: Study
A new study draws links between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and oxygen deprivation early on in life.
Earlier studies with animal models have hinted at a connection between lack of oxygen in the womb or during birth and ADHD, but a new study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics takes one of the broadest looks at the connection in humans, using the vast trove of electronic medical records in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California health system.
A team of researchers led by KPSC epidemiologist Darios Getahun started out by combing through medical records for more than 300,000 children between five and 11 years old who were born and raised in the KPSC system between 1995 and 2010.
Getahun and his team identified 13,613 cases of children with ADHD by looking for individuals with a clinical diagnosis of the condition and who had received at least two prescriptions for an ADHD medication. In general, children with ADHD were more likely to be male, and either white or African-American, than children without an ADHD diagnosis.
The scientists matched each ADHD case to five controls, for a total of nearly 82,000 study subjects. Among the subjects, they found that some prenatal exposure to a situation that deprived the brain of oxygen was associated with a 16 percent greater risk of developing ADHD.
Genetic Causes Of Autism
Most of the researchers on ASD think that the genes may play an important role in the development of ASD. Latest researches estimate that the scientists have been able to discover dozens of genes that contribute to ASD. Studies have shown that the twins and siblings are affected by ASD in many cases. So, the researchers started twin studies which have found a large influence of the gene as causes of autism.
Taking a family health history would be important, because if there is already someone with autism spectrum disorders, and the study is correct, then the likelihood of another person having it in the family is higher. Charis Eng, MD, PhD.
Followings are the common opinions of the genetics researchers regarding autism at different times :
- Autism is clearly among the most heritable of all psychiatric disorders
- Autism is one of the most heritable complex disorders, with compelling evidence for genetic factors and little or no support for environmental influence
- Autism spectrum disorders are considered to be among the most heritable of all mental disorders. recent reviews estimate the heritability of autistic disorder to be more than 90%.
- ASDs are known to be highly heritable .
Environmental Causes Of Autism
Its time to start looking for the environmental culprits responsible for the remarkable increase in the rate of autism. Irva Hertz-Picciotto, Epidemiology Professor at University of California, Davis.
The latest twin study suggests that only genetics is not the causes of autism, the environmental factors may play a big role. Environmental factors include parental age at conception, the age difference between the father and mother, maternal nutrition, infection during the prenatal, natal and postnatal period. The environmental influences during pregnancy may significantly increase the risk for autism spectrum disorder among twins. During pregnancy, the fetus remains very vulnerable and prone to any damage. At this time the environmental lead, medications and a large variety of other synthetic molecules like pesticides, mercury, and aluminum can play havoc on the fetus which can be causes of autism.
The environment is being polluted always by different chemicals throughout the year. Only in the USA, about 1 billion pounds of pesticides are sprayed on the foods every year and the amount is about 5.6 billion pounds throughout the world.
The researchers have also suspected that a faulty gene or genes might make a person more likely to develop autism when there are also other factors present, such as a chemical imbalance, viruses or chemicals, or a lack of oxygen at birth.
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How Long Can A Baby Go Without Oxygen Before Brain Damage Occurs
The impact of oxygen deprivation will vary from baby to baby. However, it is estimated that after approximately 10 minutes of no oxygen brain damage will start to occur and that death will occur if the baby is completely starved of oxygen for 25 minutes. If the interruption to the babys oxygen supply is not complete, the baby will be able to stand longer periods of time before brain injury and then death occur.
This demonstrates the importance that the causes and symptoms of oxygen starvation during labour and delivery are quickly recognised and responded to by the medical team supporting the mother. All staff involved, including midwives and obstetricians, should be well-trained in spotting and managing these problems when they arise.
Any delay can have serious long-term consequences for the baby. These include the need for ongoing care for the child throughout their life. Our solicitors understand the financial and emotional burden this can cause for the family as well as the child. We take every step to ensure these circumstances are investigated and, if negligence is identified, to ensure that the family secures the compensation they are due.
Incorrect Theories About The Causes Of Autism
While we don’t know exactly why most autistic people are autistic, we do know that at least some of the theories are flat out wrong. Here is the truth about some of the theories that we know to be incorrect.
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Cerebral Palsy Vs Autism: Key Points
Cerebral palsy and autism spectrum disorder are two different, developmental conditions that can co-occur.
CP primarily affects movement while autism mostly affects communication, behavior, and social interactions. However, causes and symptoms can overlap.
We hope this article helped you understand the differences between these 2 conditions and how to manage them. Good luck!
The Genetics Of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism spectrum disorder is highly genetic in nature, though it is likely that environmental factors, including neonatal oxygen deprivation, play a role. Through the sequencing of genomes in people with autism, researchers have identified countless genes and genetic mutations that may be implicated in the condition.
Autism spectrum disorder also appears to be highly heritable, passed, through genetic information, in families. As Dr. Daniel H. Geschwind, a researcher at UCLAs Center for Autism Research and Treatment, points out, people with autistic siblings are around 25-times more likely to have autism themselves.
In recent years, however, a bevy of new studies have called the genetic basis of autism into question. At one point, based in part on the strength of heredity studies like the one described above, researchers believed that autism spectrum disorders were almost entirely genetic in nature. New analysis has downplayed the role of genes, in favor of environmental factors, including complications suffered during birth.
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Autism: A Multifactorial Explanation
According to researchers in a 2009 edition of the Lancet, autism is multifactorial in attempting to explain the disease, wed be hopeless to point to a single cause or factor. Instead, most cases of the condition come down to multiple, interacting causes that occur together.
You can think of autism, so far as causes go, as a cake. Every ingredient, the eggs, the flour, the butter, are essential to achieving the result. All of the ingredients have to be combined together to bake a proper cake leave the eggs out, and your cake will turn out as a dense, flat brick. But all of the other ingredients are essential, too. You cant leave out anything.
Causally, autism spectrum disorders are similar. You need multiple co-occurring ingredients to bring about the condition one or two probably arent enough. Genetic and environmental factors may predispose a child to developing autism, making it more likely to occur, but multiple other factors are necessary to make the thing official.
At the same time, you can substitute different risk factors for each other, just as, in baking a cake, you can substitute vegetable oil for butter and still come out with a cake. The taste may be different, but its still a cake. Theres no single, all-encompassing recipe for a cake. Nor is there a single, all-encompassing combination of factors that cause all cases of autism.
Sleep Training For Children With Autism
Most parents with ASD afflicted or autistic children find it difficult to set up positive sleep patterns so that the child could sleep through the night. Sleep training methods can help a parent in determining and conveying to the child that it is bedtime and they are expected to remain in their beds.
Yemiserach Kifle, MD, associate medical director- Seattle Childrens Pediatric Sleep Disorders Center and clinical associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington, School of Medicine- states:
“The most common issues we see are highly irregular sleep-wake cycles, unusual, problematic sleep routines , difficulty settling and delayed sleep onset, frequent and prolonged night-waking, short sleep duration and early morning wake times… It is not known with certainty what causes these issues but abnormalities in circadian rhythm , disturbance in melatonin production, and perhaps abnormalities in other hormones or neurotransmitters may be involved. There may be other factors involved such as increased sensitivity to light, sound, touch, temperature, and lack of bedtime routine…A child’s behavior during the day is a better indicator of whether he or she is getting enough sleep at night.
Establishing better sleeping habits with Optimal Breathing exercises designed specifically for children will certainly help harried parents in managing sleep disorders in their kids with ASD.
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Can Autism Be Caused By Birth Trauma
Expectant parents have natural concerns about the possibility of birth defects. The celebration of the birth of a child may be disrupted by a range of difficult considerations and decisions that have to be made if a birth injury occurs. In these situations, knowing whether a birth injury may have been caused by a doctors negligence can help parents decide the next steps.
Autism is a developmental disorder that may be linked to birth injuries. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , children with autism spectrum disorder can experience behavioral, communication, and social challenges.
If a child sustains a birth injury, it may lead to autism. Although researchers are still looking at the possibility that autism could be caused by birth trauma, parents should be aware of the potential connection.
Treating Oxygen Deprivation Injuries
It is important that infants are treated for a lack of oxygen as soon as possible. Just 10 minutes without oxygen is enough to cause brain damage. Twenty-five minutes can be fatal. By initiating treatment immediately, doctors may be able to stop additional brain damage from occurring. The most common method of doing this is neonatal therapeutic hypothermia. This is a treatment method that cools the babys body in a controlled environment for around 72 hours. The babys body temperature is lowered to around 32-34 degrees , or 90 to 94 degrees . During neonatal therapeutic hypothermia, doctors closely monitor the babys brain activity, metabolic rates and overall vital signs. Research shows that therapeutic hypothermia is one of the best treatment options for newborns with brain injuries.
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Health Effects Of Lack Of Oxygen At Birth
Brian White | November 4, 2020 | Medical Malpractice
Childbirth is safer now that it was 100 years ago. Nonetheless, things can and do go wrong during labor and delivery. When a baby is deprived of oxygen at birth, even for a short while, there can be lasting effects as a result. The longer a baby is without oxygen during birth, the more severe the effects.
The lack of oxygen is called asphyxiation and it can happen for a number of reasons during labor and delivery. Asphyxiation is the leading cause of brain damage in a baby during the birth process. This is sometimes known as the baby being born blue. It is estimated that approximately 3 in 1,000 have some brain damage during birth.
Can Low Oxygen Cause Mental Illness
Home » Oxygen Deprivation Birth Injury Lawyer » Can Low Oxygen Cause Mental Illness?
Low oxygen can cause mental illness by damaging areas of the brain that control emotions, behaviors, and more. According to the medical journal Interdisciplinary Toxicology, oxygen deprivation in newborns causes functional alterations of the brain structures and functions, increasing their risk for mental health concerns.
Children who experience oxygen deprivation and suffer brain injuries often have increased mental health needs related to anxiety and fear. In addition, other developmental disabilities, learning delays, and cognitive concerns may play a role in how the child adapts to the world around them.
To address these childrens mental health needs, their care team must monitor their condition, including their mental, cognitive, social, and physical impacts. Many of the mental health concerns common in children who suffered this type of birth injury can be addressed through mental health support and therapy, teaching coping mechanisms, and, in some cases, medication.
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How Did The Study Find A Connection Between Birth Injury And Autism
Much of the research in this area is new, but scientists in recent studies used imaging techniques on mouse models to generate 3D images of the brain before birth, according to Medical Xpress.
The researchers looked at things such as brain size before and after birth and found the brain for a normal mouse stopped growing for a period just prior to birth and stayed the same size when born. Experts believe this may occur in order to help the brain survive childbirth.
For ASD mouse models, however, the brain growth experience was different, Medical Xpress reported. The brain was bigger after birth, suggesting it could have been compressed during delivery and immediately after birth. The overall findings concluded birth stresses, such as those caused by complications or medical errors, could lead to the development of ASD in a baby.
Can Birth Injuries Cause Autism
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a range of related medical conditions characterized both by challenges and strengths. Children with autism often struggle to learn social skills, face difficulties with verbal and nonverbal communication and have a tendency to engage in repetitive behaviors.
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Were Here For The Victims Of Birth Injury
As a parent, its heartbreaking to see your child struggle. We understand you want to be able to give them the best life possible. However, some families have trouble accessing the help they need to provide for a disabled child. Our birth injury attorney can help you understand your right to recompense if your child was harmed due to complications during pregnancy or birth. You could be eligible to file for compensation that will cover their treatment and also account for the injurys effects on you and the rest of your family. Bringing a case against a negligent care team can help you find justice for your child and give them a brighter future.
The Villari Firm, PLLC has won over $125 million for our clients due to our dedication to their cases. We are ready to aggressively fight for you and your family just as you fight to give your child the best possible care after a serious, preventable injury. With a proven attorney at the helm and a team of medical experts ready to consult and provide testimony on technical matters, you can be confident your case will receive the attention it deserves.
Call The Villari Firm, PLLC at 372-8889 or contact us online for your free consultation. Our team has over 2 decades of experience fighting tough birth injury cases.
Restricted Or Repetitive Patterns Of Behavior Or Activities
These can include:
- an increase or decrease in sensitivity to specific sensory information from their surroundings, such as a negative reaction to a specific sound
- fixated interests or preoccupations
Autistic people are evaluated within each category, and the intensity of their symptoms is noted.
To receive an autism diagnosis, a person must display all three symptoms in the first category and at least two symptoms in the second category. Get more information on symptoms and how they may manifest in kids.
The exact cause of ASD is unknown. The most current research demonstrates theres no single cause.
Some suspected risk factors for ASD include:
- having an immediate family member whos autistic
- genetic mutations
An ASD diagnosis involves several screenings, genetic tests, and evaluations.
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Hie Can Cause Lifelong Cognitive Problems
The study from University College Cork found that HIE can permanently alter a childs ability to think rationally and process information. The doctors recorded the brain waves of the babies at birth and over the course of the next five years. They found that subtle learning deficiencies were common in children who had suffered both moderate and mild HIE.
About 18-20 percent of the children who suffered mild HIE at birth had learning or behavioral difficulties at age five, including speech delays, autism, attention deficit disorder , and dyspraxia. In addition, moderate and mild cases of HIE were linked to overall lower IQ scores, poorer memory, and decreased processing speeds.