Does Autism Run In Families

Do Autism Run In Families

There is ample evidence that autism continues to run in families. Genes that alter during pregnancy alter the childs susceptibility to autism. There are several gene mutations that can be passed on by a parent these include autism, addiction problems, depression, alcoholism, and even bipolar disorder .

The review reported that families with children with autism have a greater frequency of the disease prevalence. Changes in those genes enhance the childs vulnerability to autism. to their child can inherit one or more of these changes if a parent has these genes . These genetic modifications take place within an embryo during the various stages of development. Even the variations in the bulk of these genes are not by themselves harmful. By advancing the chance for disturbance, they deepen the risk for the problem.

Read-Does autism disorder run in families?

Autism And The Family: Issue 3

Dealing with a diagnosis of autism puts a strain on any marriage. Men and women tend to react to the news differently, according to McCarton, and that can add to the stress.

“Women are profoundly sad. But they hit the ground running,” McCarton says, referring to the typical reaction women have on hearing the diagnosis. “They mobilize. Men often retreat into work.” Also, men often question the diagnosis or deny it.

“When the couple reacts differently,” McCarton says, “that’s the first crack in the marriage. There is no one with whom can share her grief.” She says not all couples follow this pattern, of course, but she has observed many that do.

The solution is to make time for each other, which is more easily said than done. Families are already time-strapped dealing with behavioral therapists, many doctor appointments, and above-average financial stress. Even so, experts say, couples have to feed the relationship — even if it’s watching a video together or talking after the kids are asleep.

It’s also crucial to steal solo time just for yourself, McCarton tells parents. She asks them: “What were the things you loved before?” When parents protest they have no time or money to indulge themselves, she says: “It doesn’t have to be expensive or take up hours of the day. It can be going to Starbucks and having a cup of coffee by yourself for half an hour. It can be taking a shower for 15 minutes.”

Does Rett Syndrome Run In Families

In more than 99% of cases, Rett syndrome is caused by a de novo mutation, which means that it is a spontaneous mutation, rather than one which has been inherited from a parent. Parents of a child with Rett syndrome almost always have intact, non-mutated MECP2 genes. This means that it is very unusual for Rett syndrome to run in families. When a child is born with Rett syndrome in a family with no other members affected by the disorder, the chances of a second child having the syndrome are well under 1%.

There are, however, other genetic causes of Rett syndrome, accounting for the small number of cases in which the disorder does run in families. In very rare cases, some female family members have a mutation in the MECP2 gene, but do not have any Rett syndrome symptoms. These women are asymptomatic female carriers and have a risk of having a child with Rett syndrome.

Genetic testing is usually recommended for sisters of girls who have Rett syndrome, to determine whether they are asymptomatic carriers.

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Genetic Testing And Autism Spectrum Disorder

If your child is diagnosed with ASD, the doctor might refer your child for genetic counseling and testing.Genetic testing looks for causes of ASD but cannot be used to diagnose ASD. Some people with ASD have syndromic ASD, meaning that they have other specific features in addition to having ASD, such as looking different from other people in the family or having birth defects. Most people with syndromic ASD have a genetic cause for their ASDexternal icon.

Genetic testing is more likely to find a genetic cause for ASD if

• Your child or another family member has syndromic ASD
• A family member has an ASD-related genetic change found through genetic testing or
• Multiple family members have ASD.

The most commonly ordered test for people with ASD is called a chromosomal microarray . This test looks at chromosomes to see if there are extra or missing parts that could cause ASD. CMA finds a genetic cause in 5% to 14% of people with ASDexternal icon who have the test.

In addition, children with ASD should be checked for genetic disorders that can cause ASD, including the following:

• Rett syndromeexternal icon: This disorder mainly affects females. About 4% of females with ASD have Rett syndromeexternal icon. Rett syndrome testingexternal icon should be considered for females with ASD.

Autism Runs In Families With History Of Brain Conditions

by Nicholette Zeliadt / 15 April 2019

Topics:

Family ties:

Children in families with a history of brain conditions are at increased odds of being autistic, a large study in Sweden suggests1. The more closely related the family members with these conditions, the greater the childs chances of having autism.

Other studies have reported similar trends: A childs odds of having autism increase if she has a sibling with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or intellectual disability, or a parent with schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety2,3,4.

The new study looked at family history of these conditions, as well as epilepsy and more than a dozen others, and included grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

In autism studies, scientists tend to focus on older siblings, but many people with autism dont have an older sibling with autism, says lead investigator Brian Lee, associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Family history, in nearly every aspect of medicine, is an incredibly strong determinant of outcome.

Lee and his colleagues examined records from 10,920 children with autism and 556,516 typical children enrolled in the Stockholm Youth Cohort, an ongoing study of children born in that city. The researchers used national registries to identify the childrens more than 8 million relatives and those relatives diagnoses.

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Autism Is Not An Illness

Being autistic does not mean you have an illness or disease. It means your brain works in a different way from other people.

It’s something you’re born with or first appears when you’re very young.

If you’re autistic, you’re autistic your whole life.

Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a “cure”. But some people need support to help them with certain things.

How Do Kids Get Autism

Genetics. Several different genes appear to be involved in autism spectrum disorder. For some children, autism spectrum disorder can be associated with a genetic disorder, such as Rett syndrome or fragile X syndrome. For other children, genetic changes may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder.

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Children Of Autistic Parents

It is thought that autism is caused by both genetic and environmental factors together. However, with recent studies there seems to be a larger genetic fact than initially attributed. It is not uncommon for a parent with Autism, or Aspergers Syndrome to have one or more autistic children. Many have reported multiple children on the autism spectrum suggesting a very strong genetic basis. Looking at family members often strengths these findings. Many times there are one or more relatives that have autism, or are reported to have differences, or trouble with social situationsshowing autistic-like traits.

Additional Autism Risk Factors

While there is a strong link between genetics and autism, there are other factors aside from genes and family history that can increase autism risk. For example, there are prenatal risk factors for autism. A review of 40 studies shows that several prenatal factors can increase the risk of autism. These factors include having parents who are older at the time of birth, being born to a mother who uses medication during pregnancy, having a mother who had gestational diabetes, and being a firstborn child versus being the third or later child born to a mother.

Another analysis of the research found that all of the following can increase the risk of autism:

• Fetal distress
• Trauma or injury during birth
• Multiple birth
• Mother experiencing hemorrhage
• Being born small for age or at a low birth weight
• Congenital defects
• High bilirubin levels after birth
• Meconium aspiration during birth

Based on the findings in the research, it appears that factors that occur during pregnancy and during or immediately after birth can increase the risk of autism. It can be concluded that while genetics can contribute strongly to autism, there are other factors that can also elevate the risk.

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Where Did The Story Come From

The study was carried out by researchers from Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Lieber Institute for Brain Development, George Washington University, Kaiser Permanente research division, the University of California and Drexel University.

It was funded by the US National Institutes for Health and the charity Autism Speaks.

The study was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Both The Independent and Mail Online covered the study well, explaining the research and outlining its limitations.

Does Autism Come From The Mother Or Father

Clues to the first two questions come from studies that have shown that at least 30% of individuals with autism have spontaneous de novo mutations that occurred in the fathers sperm or mothers egg and disrupt genes important for brain development, these spontaneous mutations likely cause autism in families where

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What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder In Children

Autism spectrum disorder is a problem that affects a childs nervous system and growth and development. It often shows up during a childs first 3 years of life.

Some children with ASD seem to live in their own world. They are not interested in other children and lack social awareness. A child with ASD focuses on following a routine that may include normal behaviors. A child with the disorder also often has problems communicating with others. He or she may not start speaking as soon as other children. He or she may not want to make eye contact with other people.

ASD can keep a child from developing social skills. This is in part because a child with ASD may not be able to understand facial expressions or emotions in other people. A child with ASD may:

• Not want to be touched

• Want to play alone

• Not want to change routines

A child with ASD may also repeat movements. This might be flapping his or her hands or rocking. He or she may also have abnormal attachments to objects. But a child with ASD may also do certain mental tasks very well. For example, the child may be able to count or measure better than other children. Children with ASD may do well in art or music, or be able to remember certain things very well.

Can Autism Run In The Family

Research has shown that having one person in a family with autism can increase the likelihood of others in the family also being on the autism spectrum if the cause of that autism is genetic.

Autism Community

One of the main things I like to explain is that people with autism have varied abilities and character traits, theres not one single experience of autism.

Zoran Bekric

Autism Community

I have Aspergers syndrome and that means Im sometimes a bit different from the norm. And – given the right circumstances – being different is a superpower.

Greta Thunberg

Autism Community

I would play with numbers in a way that other kids would play with their friends.

Daniel Tammet

Autism Community

People on the spectrum experience the neurotypical world as relentlessly unpredictable and chaotic, perpetually turned up too loud, and full of people who have little respect for personal space.

Steve Silberman

Autism Community

Everyone has a mountain to climb and autism has not been my mountain, it has been my opportunity for victory.

Rachel Barcellona

Autism Community

Although people with autism look like other people physically, we are in fact very different in many ways. We are more like travellers from the distant, distant past. And if, by being here, we could help the people of the world remember what truly matters for the Earth, that would give us a quiet pleasure.

Naoki Higashida

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Autism And The Family: Issue 4

Family rituals such as vacations, taken for granted before, can become challenging or seemingly impossible for families with an autistic child.

Many people deal with those challenges by opting out, according McCarton, which, she says, is a mistake. She says it’s important to think through what can be done to make the child with autism — who can become extremely upset by changes in routine that come with vacations — more comfortable on a trip. A loving extended family, for instance, may rent a big beach house together, where everyone is free to pursue their Interests.

Senator and her husband take their three boys to Cape Cod every year, an easy drive from their home. “They became familiar with it,” she says. “You only have a few choices of what to do, and a routine was established. My parents have a house near where we rent, and they can babysit.”

They’ve returned year after year. Gradually, they figured out what activities make Nat happy and content. “He likes to fill up a bucket and pour it out,” she says. “He likes the ocean side, not the bay side, because he likes the waves crashing. He boogie boarded, and his brothers could do it with him.”

Other trips, especially those involving airplanes, have not been as easy, Senator tells WebMD. “When we went to Colorado, we went on the Internet, and got lots of pictures about security how he would have to take off his shoes so he would know what to expect.”

An Early Arrival An Early Diagnosis

Cindy Yeager’s twins, a boy and girl, arrived early, as twins often do. She credits a friend, an occupational therapist, with pushing her to enroll them in Maryland’s program for infants and toddlers with developmental delays. A teacher in that program noticed that her son, Aaron, flapped his hands, a behavior often seen in autism.

That led to appointments with a child psychiatrist, who diagnosed both with autism. Mrs. Yeager got the news on the same day. She took it in stride. “It wasnt a shock because we knew something was wrong,” she said. And it offered hope: “When you get the correct diagnosis, you get the correct services. Now their teachers knew what to do.”

Fraternal twins are more likely to both have autism than siblings who are not twins. Scientists theorize that may because they share the same prenatal environment. Identical twins, who have the same genes, have the highest rate of both having autism 88 percent among all siblings.6

Although both Yeager twins received autism therapies and early intervention services, they travelled different paths, as siblings with ASD often do.

Hayley began talking at age 4, and entered a regular kindergarten class at 5, with a special education plan. Aaron did not develop speech, and he enrolled in an intensive program at a different school. For the Yeagers, that meant attending special education meetings and getting to know teachers and therapists at separate schools.

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Is There An Autistic Gene

Although research still continues, scientists have not been able to track down on specific autistic gene. It is thought that there are many genes that are associated with autism spectrum disorders. Scientific studies suggest that genetic mutations occur between generations, either genes being duplicated, or eliminated is a contributing factor.

According to scientific research, and incidences of autism observed within families, autism has an undeniable genetic factor. Families who have one or more parents with an autism spectrum disorder, and families who have one or more children diagnosed with autism are have a higher incidence of having another autistic child than the general population. Incidences of reoccurrence range from 19-32%, a statistic that many have bearings on family planning.

What Doesnt Cause Autism

Bad parenting

There was a bleak period in history from the 1950s to 1970s when autism was believed to be a psychological disorder, and blamed on cold, uncaring parents, usually the mothers.

Fortunately, the myth of the ârefrigerator motherâ has been debunked by science, and autism is now recognised as a disorder of brain development with genetic links. Nothing you said or did as a parent caused your child to develop autism, so please donât listen to anyone who suggests otherwise.

Vaccines

Scores of scientific studies have effectively ruled out vaccines as a cause of autism. Concerns originally arose around two issues of Mercury and the MMR Vaccine

In 2014, a meta-analysis, combining the result of 10 studies and over 1.2 million children, found no link between vaccines and autism. The World Health Organization, the European Medicines Agency, the American Academy of Pediatrics and other leading international health groups have also concluded thereâs no link. Unfortunately, the belief persists among anti-vaccination campaigners, who are very vocal on the Internet. If you remain concerned about vaccines, arrange a time to talk your paediatrician or GP. Remember, Vaccines Save Lives!

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Nature And Nature Connection

One of the largest studies to establish all the factors that contribute to autism shows that autism can equally be caused by genetic or environmental factors. The environmental factors that present risks to autism are greatly varied and involve the age of the parents during pregnancy, complications experienced during child birth, nutrition of the mother during conception as well as exposure of the mother to chemicals, especially at the early stage of the unborn childs brain development.

Research on autism presents numerous factors both internal and external, that are connected to the development of autism and this perhaps is the most puzzling fact as many more researches are conducted to establish the cause of autism.

Consequently, there are few instances in which autism condition is caused by certain medical conditions like:

One of the facts that we must deal with is the complex nature of autism as a factor of genetic variation. It is therefore agreeable that autism is strongly based on genetics but it is not yet clear if autism can be understood through rare mutation processes or multigene interactions. It has also been noted that one can tell if autism is hereditary or not depending on how the autism spectrum expresses itself. This implies that autism caused by a primary genetic is highly heritable.