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Children Whose Siblings Have Autism Much Likelier To Have It Too
Siblings more likely to have autism too.
Parents’ confusion and concerns about autism may widen even further with a new study, published online today in the journal Pediatrics, which finds that one in five children in families with one child already diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) will develop the illnesses as well. Researchers found that children who have an older sibling with an ASD are twice as likely than was previously believed to have the disorders themselves.
In the past, the recurrence rate of autism spectrum disorders in families with one diagnosed child was thought to be between three and ten percent. The new study, conducted by researchers from the US and Canada who are part of the High Risk Baby Sibling Research Consortium, found a recurrence rate of 18.7 percent. If two or more children in the family have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, then the likelihood that future children will have the same diagnosis jumps to 32 percent.
The study also aimed to identify which factors do not contribute to a child being diagnosed with ASDs. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports “neither parental age, gender of the sibling, functioning of the sibling, or birth order was a significant factor of ASD outcome.”
While this news is likely to be of serious concern to many parents who already have one child with ASD, Sally Ozonoff, the study’s lead author and a psychiatry professor at the Mind Institute at the University of California at Davis, says the study is not a guarantee that future children will have the same fate. In an interview with the Associated Press, she noted that ” … 80 percent of the siblings studied did not develop autism, and that the prevalence rate was an average. It may be different for each family, depending on other risk factors they may face.”
Is autism linked to the environment? Even with new research, disorder is mainly linked to genes
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3 Comments
Little Frogs commented on Aug 15 11 at 4:37 pmGod, these days who DOESN’T belong on the spectrum. The diagnostic criteria have been stretched so thin that there are times it feels like the kids who couldn’t do math are simply trying to make the ability to do math pathological.
Counting early? Kids with autism are good at memorizing.
Good with symbols? Kids with autism are often good with symbols.
Good with maps? Kids with autism are often obsessed.Oh and I wants had a developmental psychiatrist tell me, “You know what they say about engineers” hinting that they were all on the spectrum.
Anon commented on Aug 15 11 at 4:40 pmSo true, Little Frogs! As the parent of a late talker with sensory issues who is NOT on the spectrum, I am getting sick of seeing the diagnosis applied to kids who are essentially social. A core component of TRUE ASD is severe and pervasive social impairment. Without that, you don’t have ASD. You might have a “look-alike” disorder, but not ASD.
5MinutesForMom commented on Aug 15 11 at 7:02 pmMy nephew is on the spectrum and his brother is not.
While of course having one child with ASD does not mean other children will also have the disorder, (the number is still 18.7%) it is good that parents can be looking for signs for early intervention.My nephew was not diagnosed until he was seven and missed out on critical early intervention.
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