Potential Causes And Risk Factors Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Preterm Babies

A normal and full-term pregnancy lasts thirty-six to forty weeks. Babies born before twenty-six weeks are considered extremely preterm. Many of these babies don't survive, and it's common for the ones who do survive to have physical and mental challenges. One study indicated preterm babies might be at a higher risk of having autism spectrum disorder. When the researchers followed up on the development of extremely preterm babies, it was found nearly thirty percent of them had some form of autism spectrum disorder. Conversely, the diagnosis rate in the general population is about one percent, though it's possible the rate of autism in the general population is much higher and just undiagnosed. In the same vein, it's possible the preterm babies received diagnoses because of how closely they were being watched for developmental issues. That said, thirty percent is much higher than most estimates for the general population. The last trimester of pregnancy is critical for healthy neurological development. When a baby is born prematurely, their cerebral networks may become organized differently. The brains of preterm babies are exposed to stress when they are still supposed to be in the womb, which causes critical developmental issues.

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Children With Certain Medical Conditions

Adults and children with certain medical conditions may have a higher risk of having an autism spectrum disorder. The reason behind these links is not always well-established. They may be caused by similar neurological processes and genetic factors, and it's also possible one may cause the other. Fragile X syndrome is a genetic disorder that leads to intellectual issues, and around one out of every three individuals with Fragile X syndrome is also diagnosed with autism. Tuberous sclerosis is a medical condition that leads to the growth of benign brain tumors. Somewhere between twenty-five and fifty percent of children with tuberous sclerosis also develop autism. In this case, autism might not be diagnosed until later because it's masked by other developmental issues. Rett syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that causes physical and developmental delays, and in the past, it was thought to be part of the autism spectrum, but researchers now think it's a separate condition with high autism overlap.

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